Moving on - day 2

Day 2. Back to summer-ish weather here. Hot, sticky. Or maybe I feel that way because I tried to take both kids to Mass this morning, without M, and then to the Pancakes w/ Santa breakfast afterward. What a fiasco. A still can't make it past the homily without losing his mind, so we inevitably end up in the vestibule or cry room. We were also waaayyyyy overdressed (I thought it was going to be cool like yesterday) so that accounts for the "hot" part. Then the syrup dispensers were leaking, so that might be the "sticky." Plus it was smack dab in the middle of A's major nap time -- don't deny that boy his nap! -- and you have hot, sticky, whiny, kicking fun. I know it was the first Sunday of Advent, but I couldn't tell you a single thing other than that. Isn't that terrible? Thank goodness that D is now and has always been an absolute angel in church. I think I've had to hush her once in five years. I'm ashamed to admit that A doesn't usually go. Since almost all the mass times coincide with either sleeping or feeding times, M usually takes him for a long walk while D & I are at church. It works out well for us, at least until A is old enough to behave in church. Or be bribed. Whatever works.

So Packing Day 2 was the main reason I was taking on both kids today. M's made some great headway -- both the garage and the attic are cleared. He's even tossing some old Law School books and papers that he hasn't needed for the last 8 years! The art room is starting to fill up with boxes - it's our staging area - and we tackle the pantry, laundry and dreaded hall closet next. On Tuesday I'll start on the china and crystal, Wed. & Thurs. will be the major kitchen packup and then the bedrooms and bathrooms next Friday - Sunday. Gulp. For fairly anti-materialistic people we sure have a LOT of stuff. Also, I have 15 years of National Geographic that I can't bear to part with even though they weigh well over 150 lbs. (when we moved here 7 years ago they weighed 76, so I'm estimating they've about doubled) and take up 3 boxes of their own. Also taking up room is my beautiful, preserved wedding dress. It's also in an enormous box of it's own, carefully wrapped in acid-free packaging. I know the odds of D (or anyone) using it are teeny, but I can't bear to part with it. So maybe I'm a wee bit packratty too.