Erin and Shannon stayed home sick today. I left a check on the counter for the sprinkler guy and told Shannon to tell grandma where the check was so she could pay him.

On the way home from school Ryan said, "remember the Saint project I told you about a long time ago, well it is due tomorrow." This Saint project is a report along with a Saint made out of a soda bottle. Lucky for us my family is addicted to Pepsi so finding a two liter bottle is a piece of cake. Whipping up the rest required a little more effort. Ryan chose St. Anthony, his middle name is Daniel but someone else was already doing theirs on St. Daniel. He said he chose St. Anthony because he is the patron Saint of lost things. He wanted to glue soccer shoes on the bottom of the Pepsi bottle because St. Anthony finds his soccer spikes for him every weekend along with his shin guards, jersey and everything else that my little angel may need. We passed on the soccer shoes. Normally I would sew a costume for a project but this time I cut a hole in the fabric to fit over the soda bottle and stapled the rest. Did St Anthony have arms?? I'm thinking not!!

I asked Kelsey to load and unload the dishwasher and I asked Ryan to carry the trashcans back to the garage while I was gone buying the supplies for St. Anthony. I now believe in miracles, the trashcans were in the garage. I only got one Christmas miracle today, the dishes were still piled high in the sink. Ryan had burnt popcorn so the house smelled like burnt popcorn with a hint of febreeze. Erin sprayed the kitchen to try and get rid of the smell. She even opened the microwave and sprayed febreeze in there. I'm sure every one of her siblings will think of her with warm thoughts next time they eat a piping hot bowl of "mountain fresh" spaghettios.

I cleaned the kitchen after I finished St. Anthony. While I was unloading the dishwasher that Kelsey finally loaded and ran I noticed I had a clog. There was about a half pound of spaghetti clogging up the bottom of the dishwasher. Kelsey said "grandma said I don't have to wash all the food off, the dishwasher will do that." I reminded her that she also told Ryan to brush his teeth with water. I don't think grandma meant that it was ok to take a half pot of spaghetti and just turn it upside down and run the dishwasher. My kids still haven't even mastered which side of the sink they put their cereal bowls in. (the side with the disposal.) On a good note, I finally finished my Christmas card, I pick them up tomorrow.

My mom gave me the bill for the sprinkler guy. Shannon gave her the message about the check after the guy left. She saw the check on the counter and thought I left it for her for the barbie she picked up for Maggie for Christmas. The memo said sprinkler,(maybe she thought it was sprinkler barbie) She made it out to herself for $13. She is all finished with her Christmas shopping but she can't stay out of the stores. She keeps picking up bargains and asks if I want to buy them from her. That happens when you have all of your gifts wrapped by Nov. 15. Maybe she can pick up her gift for herself from me this year!!