It's that crazy time of year when I am being pushed to the edge of sanity by all things Christmas.

Not a day goes by that I don't think to myself: I can't believe Jakob just said that! I really should blog...or Satchel truly has lost his changing brain, he is out of his little hormonal mind, must blog...but then 2 weeks and four allergic reactions go by and...nothing. Sorry.

So in the past couple of weeks both boys received their reports cards and did very well (thank GOD!) and Satchel's teacher wasn't the blood sucking horror he made her out to be, in fact she seemed...well rationale - as rationale as one could be teaching a class of roughly 30 brain-changing 12 year olds.

Paul continues to do well on the SouthBeach diet, me too now that wine has been added back in on a regular basis - oh who am I kidding, like it ever left. But I am down to 130 pounds and really that's as low as this near 5'10" frame needs to go. Paul won't weigh himself until Friday so I have no idea how much he has lost but I think it's closing in on 15 pounds - and he's looking pretty darn good I might add.

I've had FOUR ALLERGIC REACTIONS in the past 2 weeks to what I think are sulfites (except for wine - again THANK GOD) and have an appointment with an allergist in January to find out what the hell is going on. I'm wondering if it has something to do with me approaching menopause, maybe my system is being thrown out of whack. But it's really pissing me off. REALLY PISSING ME OFF. Because I'm just too busy trying to deal with Christmas and Jakob's birthday to be hiding out in public washrooms waiting for the benedryl to calm the fiery sunburn-like rash that has taken over my face.

But onto things that are much more fun than crazy children and hives the size of Barrie.

We had a children's Christmas party at my office and I decorated the most fabulous gingerbread man. So fabulous that it put Paul's, Satchel's and Jakob's to shame. And being the mother that I am, I let them know that mine was vastly superior and to stop rolling their eyes because they will get stuck.

I also bought a package of circle stickers at the one of a kind craft show and decorated Jakob's entire wall with them - and they are amazing! And a bit addictive, I'm now pouring through the small catalogue I was given to see what else I can to do our house. Perhaps a wall-sized black chandelier is exactly what we need in the dining room.

I'm a bit behind in my picture taking so will photograph Jakob's wall to show what you too can do to a room in your house for all of $33 and also my gingerbread man - which I sadly ate because I could not come up with a name.