White Russians Are Sooo Good

These last few days have been quite busy for me at home and at work.

At work, we have kids all day so it is non-stop and I feel like I don't have much time to get my "to-do" list done. With work busy, I am reminded why I never became a teacher because dealing with children all day really makes a couple drinks after work hit the spot. However, I would rather not need 4.5 white russians to stop hearing the children in my head. Not to mention my office is a hell hole! I leave work everyday either in a rush to get home because we have plans or I have just told a kid to "stop saying shut up", "say please", and/or "get the hell off the mother f-ing pool table please" for the three thousandth time and I only have enough energy to grab my bags, planner and book it out the doors. Sometimes I remember my keys, sometimes I don't.

But...it is only a 4 day work week this week and next (and the week after) and I am SO happy for that. I need some down time. This year for the holidays we are going to spend full days with both of our families and Sissy and Lil Bear are coming home for a visit and I am so excited! I will even get to spend time skiing with my family AND we get to welcome the new year with Sissy. I couldn't think of a better way to finish off the year!

At home, I have been wrapping and re-wrapping presents. Our dear Buk took to unwrapping presents one day because he is bored. Yes, he is bored because his mommy and daddy don't love him and didn't take him to exercise for like 3 or 4 days but comeon!

I also finished our Holiday letter this weekend and I got most of them mailed out Monday. The letter explains what all of the Pepperworths have been up to this year and how we all fared with 2011. If you would like your own recap, you can see it here, here, here, here, here and here. Don't worry, you don't have to read them all, there will not be a test.

Here is our picture this year. After a week of trying to get Mr Pepperworth in a new photo, it never happened because he was too busy saving us thousands of dollars by fixing up the van. So this is our way of still sending a silly picture but not actually having to take one.

 I hope you all are looking forward to your holidays!

Love The Pepperworths

Holiday Picture Outtake 2008

While I am away...

I am leaving you with this. It is one of those things I watch once everyday right now because it is just too effing funny to me.

Newt Gingrich - Bad Lip Syncing

Oh and I will leave you with another previous year out-take picture tomorrow. It will be my gift to you.

I'm busy

I am working on the Pepperworth Holiday letter. Therefore, I am busy. I must put all of my creative work into the letter. Plus, I am wrangling all the animals for the picture. I am also convincing Mr Pepperworth to be in the damn picture. So just give me a minute here. Please.

Outtake from 2009; although, it is perfect!

Carma*

I grew up in a middle class household. Both of my parents save money (and let's be honest, other crap). They believe in providing well for my sister and I. If I had to be thankful for one thing in my life, it wouldn't be my babies, it would definitely be my parents and their ability and planning to make my life easier by providing for me until I was graduated from college (and then sometimes after). I don't have loans or debt because they helped me along the way and they taught me about investing and saving. I am so so so grateful for that!

I will say that I did work in high school and throughout college. I am not a total spoiled piece of shit.

Anyway, in high school I may or may not have been as grateful for their love and support. I may or may not have thought of it more as more of an expectation. I knew that I was eternally grateful but I didn't act like it per se. Something that I am not so proud of is the fact that wanted/demanded a car. Actually, I didn't demand a car, I just demanded that I didn't drive a certain car. Well, van.

We had a white dodge van, still have, and I would have rather been caught dead then drive that thing to school. My hatred for driving that thing made me cry (literally) whenever I had to drive it. Looking back, it is the dumbest thing ever but I can still feel the hate for driving that thing. I much preferred driving the new PT Cruiser, which looking back is the dumbest thing ever!

I have had 10 years to forget about the van, although I still have driven it on certain occasions (ie Ragnar). Nowadays the van has some quirks, like when you put a tape in the tape deck, it makes an awful screeching noise and when you go over 15 miles/hour and the doors lock, one lock doesn't work and makes a machine gun noise. It is pretty great. But, if I was 17 years old, I definitely would still cry.

But, I better get my shit together because guess what, I am going to have to start driving a van again. Really, a Vanagon. A VW Vanagon. It isn't too embarrassing though. It is more classic and cool. Although, yesterday I drove it and it WAS embarrassing to be at a stop and not get the damn thing into first gear. (Something Mr Pepperworth will be working on today.) So yes, Mr Pepperworth and I have bought a new van. Most likely, I will be driving it when we need a second car. Mr Pepperworth LOVES the thing though and right now it is all taken apart so he can clean, fix, and re-do some parts. It is the first time he has asked to use the carpet cleaner. He must really love his new purchase! 

So, in conclusion, the Pepperworths have a van. We will have many adventures with the van and have the space to haul all the needed camping gear. It gets about 19 miles/gallon apparently which isn't too bad for a 1986 van. Mr Pepperworth says it will last another 10 years. It damn well better, that's all I gotta say.

*I am giving the idea for the title to my mother. When I texted her about our purchase, she texted back that one word.