back home now

After three and a half days without power, the kids and I were able to come home last night.  This morning, I’m trying to get motivated to clean my kitchen and throw out all the spoiled food.  Thankfully it isn’t much, as I was due to hit the grocery store soon anyway, but it still hurts to throw out any food.  Especially stuff that was frozen and would have easily kept another six months or so.  I’m pretty bummed about that. 

But, Aaron comes home this evening, and hopefully he can help out with some things, because I’m totally not ready for Christmas yet.  I haven’t started wrapping gifts yet!!  I was also going to make some cookies and candies (like Oreo truffles – YUM!), but after losing three days at home, I just won’t have time.  Maybe I’ll make them for New Year’s.  In either case, I’m just glad I finished my gift shopping. 

The power went out the morning of Ben’s birthday, so I was unable to bake him a cake.  He ended up opening presents by candle light and eating a cake my dad picked up from Walmart.  It was definitely an interesting birthday.  It was also the day I discovered that I truly, TRULY love my speelight.  I was able to get perfectly exposed, crisp, clear (but a little noisy) pictures of Ben, his cake, and him eating his cake, at 7pm on the day of a blackout.  There were literally five candles in my mom’s dining room, and the SB600 did the rest.  LOVE that thing!  I would have missed out on having such a great record of Ben’s first birthday if I hadn’t bought it. 

And, Ben being one year old?  Makes me want to bawl. 

Did I mention Chloe is completely potty trained now?  She mastered it in two weeks flat, once she figured out what she was supposed to do, and I’m betting we’ll be able to start going diaper free even at bed time pretty soon.  I’m so proud of her!  She’s been so stubborn about it for such a long time that I was starting to think it would never happen, so I’m SO glad she got the hang of it. 

I need to quit stalling and get off the computer so I can get some stuff accomplished….