Sweat Shop

So, how've you been? Got all your shopping done? I thought I was done until I went to the mall yesterday. Then I realized my list was not nearly LONG ENOUGH. I forgot to mention how much more stuff I need. Things like Sarah Jessica Parker's "Lovely" perfume and a bazillion things from Chico's and a silicone rolling pin from William Sonoma and the entire inventory at the Brighton store.

Told you I was shallow.

Can you tell I was at Washington Square Mall? I was there with my smart ass sister, Nancy. And before you get offended on her behalf, calling someone a smart ass is the highest compliment I can pay another human being. Plus it's true. Her job as a secretary in a high school has refined her smart ass behavior. And given her some seriously funny stories to share.

Nance and her family are visiting from Missouri. Her in laws live up in Anacortes and they'll be spending Christmas with them. They decided to hang out with us for a few days before driving up there. We've been:

1) Making cookies

2) Eating

3) Shopping

4) Turning our family room into a sweat shop and forcing her two high-school age daughters to make us scarves.

It's true. Emily and Amy are working for free and hand-weaving scarves. So far I've got three. If they'd step it up I could have more before we head off to Kansas tomorrow. Pip squeaks.

Somehow, they weave multiple strands of yummy, coordinating colors of yarn around their fingers and turn them into scarves. I've become a yarn junkie and we've been to JoAnn's, Michael's and Fred Meyer no less than 5 times in the last 24 hours, finding new colors and new combinations of colors. The yummy pink scarf Amy's weaving in the above picture is mine. MINE. ALL MINE. BWAAA HAA HAA HA HA!

Here are five of the scarves they've done so far. They can make one in less than an hour. Or two SpongeBobs. It's a win-win. They get to watch mindless TV and I get scarves.

We took pity on them and took them out for lunch. My sweat shop has standards. Besides, they work faster with food on board. So . . . all nine of us went to Beaches for lunch. The best part is we had a kid's table and an adult table and yes, I was at the adult table.

Kids . . . .

Adults. I mean Steve and Nancy. Steve's a DCE in a Lutheran church. A DCE is "Director of Christian Education" and is secret code for "youth pastor" in the Lutheran world.

"Yes. Uh huh. Why yes, Mr. President, I do have some advice for you and I'm glad you contacted me but this is a bad time . . . . "

" . . . there are people around and this is a highly sensitive matter. National security could be compromised. We need to discuss this at a later time. "

"Barak, I'm turning my cell phone off. This isn't a good time. I'll call you."

"I totally heard that and it was the message I left you yesterday on your voice mail. Like a thousand high school students haven't tried that already."

It's so fun having them here! Now I need to go get ready for our Kansas trip. Like, pack. For me and the kids. Before I do that I need to do laundry. And wrap presents. Because we leave tomorrow at 8 am.

Did I leave too much for the last minute? I'm gonna go eat some cookies. It'll make me feel better. Oh, and hey! Have a merry Christmas!