Ten Awesome Things...Plus Six Things That Suck.

Anybody else feeling a little crazy right now? (Please only respond if you are not one of those "I finished all of my Christmas shopping is September" people. Because I hate you if you are).

I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately, what with all the Christmas decorating I've been doing in order to avoid the shopping for gifts part of the holiday. So imagine my surprise today when I checked my blog stats and found people were still reading something I wrote ten days ago. It's like my blog is a classic now! And, even better, someone found their way to it by putting the phrase, "uppity negress" in their search engine. I don't know how that led them to my blog, but I think it's pretty awesome.

Here are a few other things I'm thinking are awesome this week:

1. My husband cleaned the garage. Every time I look at it, I get a little turned on.
2. Christmas decorations. My dining room table kind of looks like Michael's threw up on it. And I like it. Maybe I will post pictures.
3. I came up with some rockin' coordinating Christmas outfits for my girls that involve leopard print. Pictures will definitely be posted. If I can convince my almost eleven year old to wear hers again.
4. My eight year old wore her long-sleeve black sequined shirt with the furry leopard print vest over it to church. And it was 80 degrees outside. SO awesome that she will suffer for fashion's sake!
5. The maple trees in my backyard are all red and gorgeous. And the gardener raked up the fallen leaves today, so husband doesn't have to.
6. The purple flats I found on clearance at Target.
7. Target. But I kinda always think it's awesome.
8. One of my favorite cousins and his family just moved nearby.
9. I have a new nephew, born today, all healthy and chubby.
10. My kids are all asleep and it's not even 10 yet. That has not happened in a very long time.

And just so I don't make you want to puke with all my chipper, "Life is Awesome" list-iness, here are a few things that suck:
1. That movie Like Crazy. Unless, of course, you are one of those people who think a revoked visa, very little dialogue-- but lots of longing looks-- and ugly chairs, constitute "art". If so, please take your place in line behind those early Christmas shoppers on my list of not-so-awesome things.
2. The temperature inside my church is somewhere near -20, so my daughter was actually a bit chilly in her winter wear.
3. This is probably the last Christmas I can bribe/coerce my oldest into wearing anything remotely resembling what her sisters are wearing.
4. Another favorite cousin and his fam will be moving away from here. Sad for me, but sadder for them. Cause there's snow where they're going.
5. Black Friday shopping. Except for that done for me by others. And the awesome lighted garland I got. Plus a few other deals. Okay, so maybe the shopping didn't suck, but the lines and people did. Except for that friendly Syrian lady who told me she was in line behind me, then wandered around for fifteen minutes expecting me to fight off the hoards of people who actually got into the line-- rather than staking an imaginary claim in it--and, when she finally did reclaim her spot, talked very loudly in Syrian on her phone while aalternately complaining just as loudly that they should open another register. Despite the fact there was no other register, thereby making it impossible to open one. But she did hold my spot for thirty seconds while I ran to get something, so that was nice. Though I'm starting to see why maybe there's some upheaval in that region of the world.
6. Texts at 3 and 4 a.m. from my personal shoppers to tell me they got me what I wanted in their Black Friday shopping extravaganza. Kind of defeats the purpose of staying home in bed if you can't stay asleep there during all the madness.
6. It seems my kids aren't actually asleep, but were only fooling me.

But, as you can see, there is a lot less that sucks than is awesome.

So I guess make that number 11 on my list.