Sometimes Scarlet and I live in an opera. If you're familiar with the Wonder Pets, you really understand my meaning. It all began with the Wonder Pets theme song. I'm pretty sure Scarlet is the one who started it. Instead of "the phone, the phone is ringing . . ." she busts out, "I want, I want some breakfast . . ." and instead of "there's an animal in trouble"- I sing "do you want some eggs and cheese?" all in the melody. It is so much fun. That happened for awhile, and now we do our own melodies. It's pretty funny and I absolutely love it. We do it all the time.

The other night Greg and I went to bed, only to find Scarlet there, sleeping in the dark. We couldn't believe she just made her way to our bedroom. It was really sweet, actually.

Brighton is screaming like someone is torturing his body. I've never heard these screams before. He's just been having troubles going to sleep. I don't know what his deal is. I'm pretty convinced it's just a horrible phase. I'm really sick of it, that's for sure. It's hard to relax at the end of a long day, if your kid is shrieking in the background.

On Sunday, we were at the Transit Center and we went to a little store there and loaded up on candy. Like $40 worth. I'm sure it sounds weird to buy things on sunday, but it's only at this place, we only go on sundays and these american products are only available there. So we buy things on sundays occasionally. Anyway, we loaded up on christmas candy for stockings and such and then I really went buckwild and got a ton of Ritters thinking I'd pig out for the holidays. Um . . . yeah, most of it will be gone this week. We have been chowing down. Especially me. But I don't even care. I am exhausted and at the end of the day, I want a Ritter. They are good.

I finally have a cleaner and it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Our house is actually clean now. She does a great job, I really like her and trust her. It's just been so nice. It's such a stress relief to not have the cleaning always hanging on me. This house is just too big to clean and gets so dirty so fast.

I also have our babysitter coming twice a week now, too. It's been so great. I used it to literally lay in bed the whole time, this month, because I was so sick. But now I'm all better so I can actually leave the house, or work out or read or SOMETHING to decompress.

I'm all better. Just like that. I really felt so horrible for a straight month and now I'm back to normal. So wonderful. I actually enjoy my life now. I pretty much wasn't the last 30 days. I really didn't like feeling that way.

We put all our christmas stuff up and it's been great. The kids love it. We have Elf on a Shelf and that has been so fun. It's been fun to move him around. We bought a little calendar of the nativity scene and the kids LOVE pulling a character out each morning and pinning it on the scene. We've been singing lots of Christmas Songs. I can't believe how many Scarlet knows already. She loves them. It's been so much fun. We also got a Little People Nativity Scene, so the kids can play with it. They love it! We used it for FHE last night, and now they can play with it all December. I'm really excited about the traditions we've started/are starting. I know they'll change as the kids grow older, but it makes me happy all the same!

And I got my daily count down bags put up just in time. It's not all perfectly timed out, as I wanted it to be, but it's totally fine. The point is just to have SOMETHING to remind us it's christmas, everyday. And by the way- it's nothing extravagant. I bought a bunch of books about christmas, so a lot of the days it's just a book and a coloring picture about christmas. Towards the end, it gets more crafty and the very last week it's all about the birth of Christ and I'm actually going to read a scripture that goes with a craft. So one day it's a star, one day it's the wise men, one day it's Mary, etc. I'm really excited about it. I've been really surprised how much we've been able to talk about the real meaning of Christmas. I feel like we're talking about it everyday. It's been really important to me to teach that to her, that's probably why we talk about it so much. I mean, my whole life- even adulthood- I honestly think of lights and santa and candy. I KNOW the true meaning of Christmas, but I don't think about it until I'm in church and they're talking about it. I know, I know. I don't want it to be that way for Scarlet. I want her to know the difference. ANYWAY. It's been nice, because now I am thinking about it too.

I got the idea from a friend/old client and she does the same thing for her kids. I was blown away by the idea, but absolutely loved it and decided I have to do that when I have kids. I got some of my ideas from her. Certain books, movies, activities. I loved Christmas growing up and I feel like I've lost a lot of the joy in my adulthood. It's been really nice feeling the season again.

Greg and I are feeling the need for a vacation. It's been 6 months almost to the day! I'm missing all the pretty trees and flowers. Kyrgyzstan doesn't have many beauties, outside of nature and you have to leave the city to get to that. Speaking of which we need to get to the mountains! It's been forever! Hopefully this weekend. We'll see if it works out.

It looks like the mix up about our move out fees and collection agency is going to work out just fine- thank goodness. I was beyond livid last night. I could not calm down inside. I was just so mad. I'm so glad it's being taken care of, and so quickly. Things get tricky abroad. Like MY DRIVER'S LICENSE IS GOING TO EXPIRE AND I HAVE TO RENEW IT IN PERSON!!!! So hip hop hooray, I get to take the tests all over again, this summer in the states. YES! Super fun! I'm sure it will be no big deal but I can't help thinking, "What if I fail?" I mean honestly, it will have been a year since I got behind the wheel!

I've really been missing my family.