eeeeeeeee!!

Eeeeeek! I have multiple reasons to squeal or squeak like an overly excited pre-teen... or like the giggly happy happy mamacita that I am, and here's why:

1. The semester is over! Classes just finished and all assignments are handed in and I have no exams. No exams! I finished the semester feeling way more confident than when I started, and I hope I can hang on to the studying/writing/school skills (that were somehow revived) over this upcoming break. Break starts NOW! and school starts again on January 12. I have lists of things to do, books to read, mini-projects to get to - so will stay busy... more on that later.

2. Palm-Spring-it-on-me! One of my very favourite people got engaged a month (or two?) ago, and is whittling down her wedding venue search next week in Palm Springs; come with! come with! she said, but airline tickets were (/are) expensive, and getting away from the kids and life here might be (/is) tricky. On a whim, I decided to look at Aeroplan, and availability didn't work. And then... and then! I'm sitting in class on Wednesday and get a text from Steve: check your email. So I do, and what's there? An itinerary to go to Palm Springs on Tuesday, returning Friday. I almost squealed! In class! I'm so excited! To see Shanti, to have a little vacay, enjoy some warm weather, free time, and step out of my mom shoes for four days. Yikes! I'll miss my little chickens (and my big chicken), but might enjoy the trip more. I have the best husband ever!!

3. Christmas! Is here. We have a fully decorated and eclectic, wonderful-smelling tree (decorated by the our famille and Liz, with new-from-neighbor ornaments), lights up on our house, stockings hung by the fire, Christmas goodies in the freezer, a beautiful advent calendar (made by my maman, a replica of the calendar we had when we were little - which brings back many a memory!), chilly weather and Christmas music. Watch out, it's getting festive!

Last night there was a program social - at a campus pub - and even though all I really wanted to do was sit on the couch and go to bed early (really!), I went, and it was fun (3 beers + late night + extremely whining (maybe teething) 2-year old + extremely recalcitrant 4-year old = me in my pyjamas at 6:36 and ready to go to bed now (8:08)). Plans for this evening include finishing this blog, reading a few magazines, blobbing in front of the TV and then finishing my book and going to bed. That sounds like a lot - maybe I should just see how it goes? First step, finish blog = done!