Home for the Holidays!

Well, I’ve got to start cleaning up again!  My mom, step-dad, and brother are coming down here for Thanksgiving! 

This will be my first year hosting Thanksgiving.  When Hubby and I got serious enough while we were dating that we wanted to spend our holidays together, we made the decision that we would alternate holidays.  While we were dating we somehow managed to always still go back to my hometown and be with my family.  (I swear I didn’t pressure him in any way!)  Last year was our first year as a married couple and we had Thanksgiving at my parents’ house.  Then, Hubby and I hosted Christmas with his family (our house is big enough, and it’s neutral territory), and it was fun and turned out really well, but I missed my family. 

This year though, my family is coming down here, and his family is coming over, and we’ll all be together!  I’m super excited to be cooking for everyone, but I’m not looking forward to having to clean the house so my mom can stay over.

I will freely admit (and I believe I already have admitted this) that I am not the best housewife.  I'm lazy.  I'll clean my kitchen, because that's where I spend most of my time, but I hate ironing, vacuuming, scrubbing showers and toilets, sweeping, mopping, etc.  I would so much rather lay on the couch with Hubby and watch our shows.  (That attitude also says a lot to explain our expanding waist lines...)  BUT, I keep up with the housework as needed, I don't want us to live in filth.  Our house may not be as clean as some others, but I don't think our house is nasty, and as long as I'm keeping Hubby happy and people are still fine with coming over to our house, I'm comfortable with the state of our house.

My mother, on the other hand, thinks differently.  Her house stays clean, because she works at it, but I wouldn't say it's spotless, and neither would she.  But, I remember the first time she came over I had spent a week cleaning our house from top to bottom.  I was so proud of how clean the house was, and just knew she wouldn't be able to find anything wrong with it.  After they got there, we were cooking dinner together, and she points to the back of the stove, where the clock is, and says "You know, you should wipe this off every once in a while..." 

Recently my cousin has had some personal family problems.  My mom called her up to let her know she loves her and if she needs to she can always come stay at her house any time.  She goes on to say "You can also go down to Suzanne's house.  You can bring your dogs because she has a dog and two cats.  But of course her house is filthy!"  I don't know why my mom decides she has to call people up to tell them how dirty my house is. 

So, Hubby and I have some cleaning to do!  We both have tomorrow off from work, and we're going to make it a fun, relaxing day off together.  But, thrown in there, we're also going to take our slipcover from our couch to the dry cleaners, and we're meeting an exterminator at our house at 2:30.  (Last night we heard something scurrying around in our attic, and I've had the hibby jibbies ever since!)  Hubby says he just wants me to get all the cleaning done as quickly as possibly so I can actually enjoy the holiday and having everyone in our home.  And I plan to!

The Girl Who...

I just finished reading the trilogy by Stieg Larsson: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.  They were amazing!  The first one, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, was pretty slow to get into, but once it picked up, it was extremely suspenseful!  The second one didn't start as slowly, so I had trouble putting it down right away.  Then the third one picked up right where the second one left off!  I hear that several other books were written or at least outlined before Larsson died, and his editors are finishing them off.

I cannot wait for the movies to come out.  I think the entire trilogy will be instantly successful.  Salander, the main character, is such an interesting and unique character that I can't wait to see how she transfers over onto the big screen.

Although, I'm usually disappointed when a book is made into a movie.  I refuse to see movie version of The Notebook -- I love the book too much!  It's mainly for 2 reasons: 1) Key events that happen in the book, don't happen in the movie.  For example, in Gone With The Wind, Scarlett had another child in the book that wasn't even thought of in the movie!  I understand that if every detail was captured, the movies would probably be twice as long, but still.  2) I always have characters and scenes pictured in my head while I'm reading, and then seeing whoever is cast for a part is disappointing when they don't look like I would picture.  For example, in The Divinci Code, I would've never cast Tom Hanks as the lead!  He's nothing like I pictured!  Oh well, I'll have to wait and see how this series will turn out.