Hiding Out

I didn't forget about you. Really. It's just been - well - busy and boring (sometimes simultaneously) around here.

My boss is retiring at the end of the month and attempting to tie up all loose ends before he leaves, which means my work load has increased significantly - at least for the time being. I have no idea if "my services" will still be needed when his replacement is hired (seriously, who needs to hire someone in this day and age to transcribe 2 faxed sentences because they don't know how to type an email?!) so I'm trying to make the best of it all while I can. The kids and husband aren't always entirely supportive ("you're working AGAIN?"), I've met with my boss more times in the past 3 weeks than I have total since I was hired 2 years ago, and at the end of the day when I just want to curl up and watch The Office and 30 Rock - I have another pile of faxes to type. It's been very stressful and I have to admit, I haven't been balancing all my plates very well.

The boys are officially on their 3 week winter break. Yes, you read that right - THREE WEEKS OF VACATION. Last year, the school district spaced out the vacation nicely and we had the 3rd week of vacation take place during the first week of January. For whatever reason, this year the vacation begins a week earlier so Santa will have one week less of shopping time before the holiday - cuz you know I'm not draggin' those 2 out shopping with me unless I absolutely have to. It's hard enough just going to Safeway with them to pick up stuff for dinner without one asking for the moon and the other complaining he wants to go home. The thought of heading out to do holiday shopping with them makes me want to curl up in a ball and swear off all commercialism - which isn't really a bad idea considering the state of our current financial affairs...

But life isn't all me complaining (although I think Tonester would disagree with that statement lately) and we played hooky from school one day this week to check out the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The planetarium show blew our minds, the rain forest was unbelievable and the aquariums were out of this world. We enjoyed lunch outside on a gorgeous and VERY sunny SF afternoon, marveled at skeletons, pendulums and laughed at the very entertaining penguins. At times, I couldn't tell who was more excited to see something, the adults or the kids!

Here's a few photos of the fun.