this & that & pictures

i know it's been awhile. my work schedule has been a bit mixed up in order to accomodate me taking the day off today so that i can go to the david gray concert tonight. (!) i also had sunday off this week and we spent it up in temecula with the whole stewart clan. i think it's kind of funny how there are so many people around, and yet the only photos we seem to take are of the kids. anyhow, we did have fun with EVERYONE there. it was nice to hang out with family and eat good food.

andy and cara and sarah will be here in ONE WEEK! i just got off the phone with my mom, who was telling me all of the cute things sarah is doing right now. i can hardly wait and am so excited about it that i get tears of anticipation in my eyes when i think about it, if that makes any sense.

something is seriously wrong with me. it started this morning when i was on the phone with my mom. my toes got really really itchy and kind of swelled up a little. now my legs and fingers are itchy too. all i've had today so far is peppermint tea. perhaps i'm allergic? i'd better add claritin to the shopping list today.

our plans for our trip to the uk in spring are coming right along. the flights are all booked and now we're looking at bed & breakfasts in the lake district for our day of travel from scotland to england. it really isn't so far away at all anymore, and i am getting so excited!

work is fine. it's getting a whole lot busier now that christams is coming. i'm looking forward to the christmas rush. it always make the work days go faster. right now i've been getting to the store 2 hours before we open just so that i can get all of the christmas boxes opened and the nativities and things set out. (i'm kind of ashamed to admit this, but i also play christmas music when i'm there alone!) it's kind of peaceful without any customers around and i really like it that i get home a couple of hours earlier than normal, which means i get to make actual real dinners for my husband (instead of cop-outs like grilled cheese or hot dogs). one thing i'm really bummed about work right now is the new dress code that will begin in 2 weeks. white blouse and black pants or skirt. i own exactly one white blouse. does this mean that i have to do laundry every day, or merely empty my savings account in order to buy myself a whole new wardrobe? i don't think it's fair at all. josh thinks i should write a letter to home office. does anyone else think that a one time clothing allowance should be provided for a change like this? i don't know if i'm just being a pain about it.

so, list of things to do today: pick up groceries, wash bathroom and kitchen floors, do laundry, make apple crisp (it feels like an apple crisp kind of day to me), and call my dear friend leah d. she called me a couple of nights ago when i was extremely grumpy and wasn't feeling well. i really do need to call her back. she's due in just one month! i always seem to be out of the country when leah has her babies. when she gave birth to olivia, i was in kenya. when she had ben, i was in england. and now with little no-name-boy, i'm in the usa. okay, i don't like the sound of no-name-boy. i think i'll just refer to him as tom right now until leah and fern come to an agreement on a name. (IF they ever come to an agreement!)