Bah. Humbug.

This little rant is an attempt to clear my head, have my tantrum, and get over it and move on. If you are fully enveloped in the Christmas spirit, you might just forgo reading this post.

There are a few things I need to quit being surprised about, quit complaining about and just embrace.

#1- This time of year, especially the last week of school before vacation, is a frantically paced go Go GO. The minute I stop, I get sick. It might be a cold, could be a sinus infection, but usually I'm blessed with both. Two doctors have said sinus surgery. I'm hold out hope for something that isn't sinus surgery.

#2- I've told my girls, "There is nothing you could do to make me not ache with love for you. I love you. I'm over the moon for you. Daddy and I are head over heels for you." However, I guess they don't believe me? For every time school lets out for vacation, they test me with the whiniest, clingiest most annoying behaviors that haven't shown themselves since ...... well ....... the last time school let out for vacation. Newly added to the mix just in time for 2012 ....... drumroll ............ fighting with each other! Hooray! Both are equally antagonistic. I guess I should look at the bright side. My head is so plugged with fluid I can barely hear what they're screaming at each other. And this morning at Walmart, no one seemed to notice.

(The next two on my list aren't regular visitors. I guess this is just my year.)

#3- Something is wrong with my computer. It's so slow that every time that little rainbow colored beach ball starts to spin before me I get all red in the face and have to talk myself off of the ledge. I know it's just my computer doing its thinking. But I swear, last night as the ball was spinning, it flipped me off. And as I calmly set my computer down and walked away to pour myself some Christmas spirit, I heard it laughing at me.

#4- My good camera doesn't work. Just in time for Christmas. Awesome.

#5- Right now I'm a slave to my To Do List. It's long. It's my own fault. And this morning I started crossing things off without doing them. I'm just not going to get to everything I wanted to. Yesterday, Shane and I took the "divide and conquer" approach. He took Libby. I took Peyton. As we were running around town with the other 500,000 people I said, "Peyton, I love spending the day with you." She replied, "I like being with Daddy the best." Faaaaaaantastic. After that, we just listened to the Christmas music on the radio much louder.

#6- Two artists I really can't stand are Gloria Estefan and Aaron Neville. All year long I don't listen to them. They both have a Christmas album. Apparently every DJ loves them.

Last but not least, Libby asked me this morning why I call Ella, "Ella Boo". I said, "Well, sometimes when you love somebody you give them a nickname. It's why we call you Libby Lou. It's why Peyton is Peytie Pie, Pea Pod and (Daddy's favorite) Pey-TONE! Peyton responded with this loud rant: "DON'T CALL ME PEY-TONE! I DON'T LIKE YOU CALLING ME PEY-TONE! I DON'T WANT YOU TALKING. I DON'T LIKE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ME!

At which point I'd heard enough. I yelled, "Hey! Stop! That's enough!"

"Mom?"

"Whatever you're about to say, it had better be nice!

"Mom?"

"What!?"

"I love you."

Maybe my little rant worked. The girls have been quietly playing together for the entire time it took me to type this. I think I'll poor myself some Trader Joe's candy cane tea, turn on the tree lights and work on our Christmas cards. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..........