List o' Life

Today Ruth and I had an entire day home together because Sterling went to a premed conference. It was a good day.

-I decided that being home all day is both good and bad. When I work I usually come home, feed Ruthie, play with her for an hour, and put her in the tub and to bed. I focus on her the entire time she is awake. When I am home all day I want to get some cleaning done, some dishes, etc. She has a new thing of squeezing herself between me and whatever I'm doing (the cupboard while cooking) and then incessantly whining until I pay attention to her.

-We decided to buy the Fisher Price nativity instead of buying a nice nativity that I would worry about every time we moved, every time a kid touched it, etc. for the next ten years. It came in the mail and Ruthie love LOVE LOVES it. She sat on the floor and played with it for at least a half an hour straight, and continued to go back to it several times throughout the day. I am so glad it is such a hit. She also likes the big canister (that used to hold animal crackers from Sams Club) because she can put all the figurines into them and pour them all out again. Genius.

-I went on a short walk today to enjoy the glorious sunshine. It was beautiful. Ruth got out of her stroller and played in the snow for awhile. Then she ate the snow, and I said "Yucky, yuck." which usually cues her to spit it out. She looked right up at me and gave me a huge grin. Nice.

-Ruth slept long enough today for me to clean the bathroom and the kitchen. It feels so nice to have that accomplished, and especially to be able to do it while she was sleeping. I vacuumed and did laundry while she was awake, and it felt so nice to have an entire day devoted to putting our home back in order.

-Twice baked potatoes and cookies with andes mints bits were a success for dinner. Yum, yum.

-I decided I don't really love cooking. But I do love sitting down with my family to a MEAL. On the days that I work, we decide between boxed items, like frozen burritos, pot pies, fish sticks and french fries, etc.---thats not a meal. (We do have leftovers on those nights frequently too.) I've decided I enjoy having a meal so much that it makes cooking more than worth it. It even makes me enjoy it, because I know that it creates a nice atmosphere. Maybe thats just because it's how I grew up. But I like that schedule, that routine, and the food is a plus---not a big fan of frozen dinners. Unfortunately, nights that Sterling doesn't come home, or that I work, I completely lose all motivation to cook. Recently, with Sterling's new job and schedule I have an exact time for dinner each night and that makes it much easier for me. Also, we have a dish washer now, so I don't have to wash every single utensil I get dirty by hand, and that is very, very nice.

-On that cooking note, I do like making bread always. Mostly because I am spoiled from my mom and I just really don't like bread from the store. Plus, I can make 5-6 loaves and freeze them so I only have to make bread every two weeks or so.

-I have been listening to Christmas music (Josh Groban Holiday station on pandora) for the past week. I know people think that for some reason celebrating Christmas interferes with celebrating Thanksgiving, but I feel like it is never too early to get into the Christmas spirit! Sterling has already agreed to set up our Christmas tree on Nov. 1st. I am so excited.

-I have to work an extra day next week and I am already dreading it.

-Tonight Ruth and Sterling were plugging their noses and talking with funny voices. Ruth was doing really well at pinching her own nose. Until one time I turned around and she has her pointer finger stuck right up her nose and was still talking away. It was so hilarious.