Should have posted this yesterday

I will still have a job after Christmas.  I was a bit worried because that is what I do.  My boss saw no reasons to let me go so I will still be working part-time for 2010 until we meet our goals, preferrably by the end of October.  I said Thanksgiving previously but R is hoping for a end of October quit date for me.  I do enjoy my job and would like to stay on but this year's Christmas season was a bit rough on the family and that comes first.  I imagine next year will be the same or worse so I will continue on with the plan as it is now....always subject to change though :)  just the way it is for us anymore.  I intend on leaving there on a good foot so I can go back when both kids are in school and possibly work something out with before school and after school care for the kids.

We had a fairly lowkey Christmas with my parents this afternoon at their house.  It was nice.  I am glad they downplayed it more this year than in years past.  It has been an overabundance of gifts in years past and this year was much more tame.  Although I did miss the big dinner and all the trimmings.  Mom had to work last night and didn't feel like cooking a big meal (we still had a pretty decent meal of prime rib, baked potatoes, and corn). 

Tommorrow is our little family Christmas.  One gift each for R and I from the girls (slippers for me...shaving set for R) and the rest is about the kids.  Then we go to the inlaws for Christmas with them. 

Saturday is my most favorite day of the year.  The after Christmas sale day!  I love this day.  It is also my mom's birthday and it is a tradition for her, dad, my brother and I to go shopping.  I am not sure if my brother will be going this year but the rest of us are.  The kids will stay home with R.  We hit the stores and then go out for breakfast.  I am looking forward to it.  On my list this year is wrapping paper (I ran out!  Shocker!), some of the bath sets that are clearanced (they had some really cute ones that I will not pay $10 for but I will pay $5..make great birthday gifts!), some ornaments (still have to get the 2009 year one for the girls but I wait until after Christmas to get them).  I really want to get O a train ornament of some sort.  I wanted to get her a Thomas one (the kids LOVES trains!) but after seeing her eyes light up at even just a train on the tracks not moving, I figured that any train ornament will do.  K has been big into Hannah Montana this year so I would like to get one like that for her.  A new tote box for just ornaments.  I started collecting ornaments for the girls when they were born, 2-3 each year, and have amassed quite a collection now.  I get them each one with something they are into (trains, barbie, hannah montana, etc.) and then one with the year for sure and usually they pick out one or two when we visit the thrift store.  Our tree is a hodge podge of different ornaments, some mine, some K's, some O's.  It's pretty cool though.  I am also looking for a bigger fake tree but that is not necessary.  Our little 4ft Charlie Brown fake tree is ok but every single branch has at least one ornament on it this year.  You can hardly see the actual tree (which might not be a bad thing!).  I bought that tree the year Liv was born.  Our other tree got ruined in the basement and Rodney has just changed jobs.  We didn't have a lot of money and that tree was $10 at Family Dollar.  It was all I could afford to spend so that is what we got.  Even if I do get a bigger tree, I will probably keep this one and put it up but not fill it so full with ornaments OR I will not get a different tree, still put this one up and just get some garland to hang around the livingroom and hang ornaments on.  That would work too.  That is about all that is on my list this year.  If I see some other good deals I will probably snag some more gift type things for next year but I might hold off on that until later, when JCP, Old Navy and Sears do their big clearance sales in January/February.