Hello there...

Hello.

I know that it has been awhile but I'm taking advantage of a little down time during this lovely gorgeous Friday afternoon. It is beautiful outside. The sun is shining, the wind is just a tiny bit breezy and for a moment I am going to relax. The week before Thanksgiving starts a hectic personal life for me that will die down somewhere in January. The hectic work life starts in mid to late September and runs until Spring. Then right around Thanksgiving they collide and that is where the problem starts. 

I have an anxiety disorder that makes normal tasks monumentally stressful and it makes it hard to relax. I usually end up sick around this time of year and right now I am trying desperately to stay well enough to make it through to around December 7th or 8th just depending on how the 5th and 6th go. I will then come crashing down to a halt which will then make me even more worried that I have to abandon my desk for a few days to other people. I love my coworkers but I don't like other people touching my things and when I try to explain things to them it just seems like there is a lot of talking and no listening. 

I over commit myself at this time of the year starting with shoe boxes at Church. It is something that I am compelled to do and this year we really were cutting it close when it comes to time and that stressed me out. Then we had volunteers that were helping who didn't know what they were doing and that stresses me more. Because I become truly concerned with what they are doing instead of what I should be doing. This is because every year no matter how hard and carefully we plan, we always come up short on some things and we have to make a mad dash to the dollar stores and Wal-Mart for last minute cheap toys. The selection of eighty-eight cent toys at Wal-Mart has turned into dollar toys and the selection has dwindled significantly. Then you also are not allowed to send toys with guns or related to military and that makes that difficult. We had to take pencil sharpeners out this year that were little Marine Duckies that were so adorable but we couldn't risk them getting pulled out.

And the Thanksgiving holidays are just plain stressful because of family. Then on top of that at work we are trying to prepare for our annual sale which is essentially our Black Friday a week late. 

I had to get in on the Black Friday action this year. And I have to say thank you to Wal-Mart for putting some stuff on at 10 pm this year. I was home by 10:37 with a 1600 piece set of legos, 2 seasons of Bones, all 3 Lord of the Rings (@1.96 each!), Water for Elephants and Zookeeper for right around $80. I have been sent on a mission from my mother to go back at 5 pm for a $38 steam mop and some $9 backpacks that look like Darth Vader and Yoda. I think I can make that happen. Those would be great for my nephews but I'm not sure what the protocol for presents at my in-laws is.

That opens up that whole stressful who am I supposed to buy for and how much do I spend, do I get a gift for everyone that gives me something. Where do you draw the line for Christmas presents? I already am in the process of making something for my mother-in-law and then my husband bought her something. I still have to pick up something for my father-in-law and am wondering if it is silly to get a grown man a Green Bay Packers Mr. Potato head?  I think I may do it. I think that it is a sign when I put Green Bay Packers into Amazon it was the first item that pulled up. I think they are also on sale right now. There are other teams and no I don't know why they are all the same price.

love ya!