Dear Reader:

Well, I am tired.  So, so, so, so tired.  Here we are on Friday night again.  I just had a meeting of the Strategic Overlay Advisory Committee from 8:30am-1:45pm today.  Yes, that was as fun as it sounds.  Then, I managed to squeeze in a quick visit with a friend who has been reading my blog that I haven't seen in a long while (Hi, S.!).  Then, I picked up the kids and ran them to Bristol for dance class, during which I sat out in the waiting area being extraordinarily antisocial and, at one point, closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the wall only to open my eyes and realize that four people had been asking me a question and were expectantly awaiting an answer.  I had NO. IDEA. WHAT. THEY. HAD. ASKED.  Embarrassing.  Anyway, they probably won't talk to me again.  Ha.  After dance class, I took the kids to iHop with another family.   FOUR KIDS.  Late night.  Some crying.  Some low blood sugar due to waiting for food (on the part of the kids...).  Then, I ran into Kroger (with kids...) at almost 8pm to pick up some essential life items for tomorrow morning (milk! eggs!).   Then, I came home, fixed the kids a bubble bath and thought, ah, it's all over now.  HOWEVER...

My poor boy decided to have an epic meltdown because I wouldn't let him have a shower after the bath.  It was late, people.  Everyone needed to be in bed.  So, an hour and a half later, I had him calmed down.   I was doing the whole - "I'll just hold on to you and tell you I love you until you can stop the thrashing" thing.   And, then I laid down on the couch and fell asleep instantly and woke up 10 minutes later and just had a very warm shower - you know, the kind where you just stand there and then realize about 15 minutes in that you haven't moved?

OK, so you get the picture.  And, the final blow here is that, yet again, I have to get up and get myself and the kids out of the house and down the road to church by 9am tomorrow morning.  SATURDAY. Another Christmas rehearsal.   (Sob)  

I now have a list of things that are between me and a much-needed break:

Christmas cantata rehearsal
Stack of grading
Construction of Theory Exam
Administer Theory Exam
Grade Theory Exam
Christmas Cantata at church
Sunday afternoon piano recital
Phone interview
Christmas present shopping
CLEAN THIS RIDICULOUS HOUSE

I can get there.  I can get there.  I can get there.

Anyway, here are the stats for today:

Calories consumed:  1566
Calories burned:  0 (I thought about it.  Does that count?)

Breakfast:

Lunch - catered for the SOAC meeting:

I also had a cup of chicken enchilada soup while chatting with my friend.
Dinner (garden veggie omelet):

After dinner snack:  pretzels, edamame hummus

OK, I realize that I just complained, complained, complained on this post.  Sorry.  Life is not all that bad.  I do have a night out tomorrow night with a friend (sushi! movie! more exclamation points!).   I am now going to my happy place - which just happens to be Paris at Christmas time.  It looks something like this:

You guys just carry on.  I'll be strolling along the Champs-Elysees for a while.  See you on the flip side.

Thanks for reading.  Au revoir.