stop the press!!!

I truly have nothing exciting to report ... as usual, but thought I would note what I have been busy with.

I have spent most of my time over the past few weeks doing my Christmas shopping. Got a whole lot done and now its just a few teeny things standing in the way of my being completely finished. I wrap everything the day I buy it or the day that it is delivered to my house, that way there is no huge four hour wrap session.

I have also spent a good chunk of the weekends decorating for Christmas. It's a bit like the North Pole in here. I love Christmas decorations. I think our tree is perfect again this year - we really enjoyed continuing our tradition of putting it up on our anniversary. Hmm I should upload some pics as a matter of fact ...

This is Fred!! 

Fred is the first ornament on the tree each year.

He is my favorite and has been in the family since before my parents were married.

I hang him in our bedroom all year long until his big holiday debut!! Haha. 

Also, I sometimes apologize to him for the hook that I stuck in his head.

  

 

 

And that's that. It's pretty festive in here these days. Some nights I light about 15 tealight candles, each glowing red or green or burning a chocolate peppermint scented wax tart. Mmmm ... North Poley.

Recently, we decided to have our 2nd annual Christmas Eve party. Last year we invited both of our families over for snacks and drinks and it went very well. It is the only time during the year where our families are together and we all had a nice ol' holiday time. I am now trying to figure out what cookies to bake and what cake or pie to serve and just how I shall decorate my cupcakes. Fun stuff, but I seem to obsess over it nonetheless. More importantly I am concerned with the chair situation. Twenty five people invited and I think we have seating for ten or twelve. HA! Oh well. Maybe I should tell them there's a dancing contest! Sitters lose.

I have been watching or DVRing every holiday special on television. From Rudolph to the Grinch, Charlie Brown to "the little mice with the clock one" hahaha. I thrive on tradition when it comes to the holidays and these shows make me more nostalgic than anything else. I can picture watching them with my mom from when I was a little girl until the year that I moved out of her house. She still watches them too. :o)

My sister-in-law had a Christmas party last weekend for my nephews and the family/extended family. Santa and Mrs. Claus were to show up at 7 p.m. All of the kiddies were running around with their big, bright smiles. Excitement. It was pretty adorable to say the least. Watching the kids climb up on Santa's lap, telling him just what they would like this year. Each received their own little gift bag (courtesy of my mother-in-law who organized the meeting with her friends - the Clauses). There were so many cookies and snacks, not to mention a slammin punch that was made for the kids but ended up in glasses of blackberry vodka instead. Hence my sister-in-law's hangover the following day. But MAN was that a good drink.

What else what else?? We celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday on December 9th. She is in wonderful health and other than some yucky arthritis she's going quite strong. We got together for her favorite chocolate cake and some laughs.

 

And I guess that about does it. I am really looking forward to Christmas with Gregg and our families and just trying to finish up all of the running around and "prep work".

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday this year. Soon, it will be in the past so let's all take the time to enjoy it. Happy Holidays! Eat, drink and be merry and safe!!