Lately.

I made lame bruschetta last night. I gave myself three minutes to do it and didn’t bother toasting the bread. We were 20 minutes late to where we were going. It was still a hit, though, although not enough to not have leftovers. You’ll never guess what I’ll be eating for my bedtime snack tonight.

Every time I come home to dinner in the crockpot I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I made beef dip yesterday and tonight we have leftovers. Today it’s like I’m reliving my victory all over again.

My mom is coming to visit. Her flight gets in late Friday/early Saturday. Every time she comes our house looks different. This time the living room’s been reorganized and has new bookshelves, our office looks like a book bomb exploded, and we’re setting up the furniture in the baby’s room tonight.

For weeks I’ve been saying that I’m going to get the baby clothes washed and sorted but I haven’t pulled the trigger. I have Monday off and to myself while Mom visits family out of town, so that’s my goal. Now that we have a dresser for the clothes to go into I actually have a place to put them.

I’m also tempted to pull out the summer clothes. It’s too cold for shorts, but I wouldn’t mind seeing if I can fit into my old capris with my belly band. I will miss all the room in my drawers when that happens, though.

The beauty of houseguests is that there’s no more procrastinating the housework. We really do need to clean the bathrooms now and make the guest bed. Someone’s going to be sleeping in it tomorrow night. The bed, not the bathrooms. I could buy groceries or something, too, but it’s just my mom. She’ll understand.

This the beginning of a marathon of house guests. Mom’s coming for a week, leaving next Friday night, and Karl’s brother’s family is coming next Thursday until Easter Sunday morning. It’ll be a good test run. Thursday night we’ll have three extra adults, a toddler, and a dog all running around.

I finished painting our glider last week. I might be biased, but I think it’s gorgeous. The cushion isn’t my dream cushion but it’s good enough for now (or possibly ever). And the colour? It’s everything I dreamed it could have been. Painting a glider is no joke with all the little bits and moving pieces, but it was a labour of love and Darth Vader impressions in my respirator mask. Because I’m that person.

I am currently in negotiations for a KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment. I talked the seller down to $75 from $100 so I’m feeling pretty good about myself. And my new ice cream maker attachment. All I can think about is homemade blizzards.

Just add a bigger crockpot and a new food processor to the mix and boom, I’m ready to have this baby. Who needs diapers? Not me, I’ve got at least three kicking around somewhere.

It snowed again this week. Karl had to shovel twice. We got about 15 cm one day. Last year it snowed at the exact same time, although not quite as much. I remember how distraught I was. This year I’m handling it all much better. I thought that winter would be harder this year, being here for the whole long and agonizing thing. Somehow it’s not. I’m ready for it to be done but it’s not as traumatic as before. I must be getting tougher. I must also have more to look forward to. I must also have more windows.

I’m really looking forward to Easter. Karl’s brother’s family came out last year, too, and I gave them all an egg hunt. Our nephew will be 16 months old this time around so I’m not sure how much he’ll enjoy it but I’ve already gotten him a non-edible gift to hunt for. There’s also something fun about watching three adults hunt down plastic eggs like children. Like the adults are children, not like they’re hunting down children.

Company is also a good excuse to do some baking. Because I fear fancy dinner meals I opted for an Easter brunch last year instead of dinner. I’m going to do the same this year and use it as an excuse to make banana bread cinnamon buns. With respect to future Anna I’m trying to lay off the baked goods, but Jesus wasn’t crucified and raised from the dead for me to not celebrate, right? I will not do him that disservice. Since I can’t drink wine like the real biblical folks, cinnamon buns will have to do. And bacon. You know, as a nod to the fact that we don’t need to follow the old food laws anymore. He is risen indeed!

All this talk of food has sent me over the edge. I need to go eat a banana now.