How Did We Get Here?

At one of our craft nights to prepare for Christmas, Cara and I wore our pj’s.  It was just one of those days and we were tired.  Joanne couldn’t wear hers because she didn’t have any suitable ones.  Joe (Superstore) has really nice fleece pjs and they are Cara’s favourite but she couldn’t find them this year.  Last Friday I found them at the Superstore for $8.49.  They didn’t last long as they were gone in a couple of days.     I got all three of us matching jammies.   Here we are at our annual cookie exchange last night.

Lydia decided a while ago that she wanted to buy everyone gum for Christmas.  So today we hit Dollarama and bought lots of gum.  Tomorrow I’ll give her scrap pieces of wrapping paper and some tape and she can go at it.  Should keep her busy while I bake. 

Speaking of independant, yesterday she told me it was time to clean up the kitchen and that I needed to help her.  This morning she told me that the gifts I wrapped last night needed to go under the tree and that I didn’t do it “pawperwy”

I buckled down and got some sewing done last night.

I made a stack of pillowcases last night. 10 pillowcases and 3 gift bags. Need to find the other page to cameron’s cloth book and make a couple more diapers and then I am done sewing. Why I don’t do this earlier, I’ll never know.
Finally figured out a gift for fil, girlfriend and her son. Whoonu- already had it in the gift box, a tin of sweets and some pictures framed.
Other than that, I am finished with gifts.  I’ve finished shopping and ready to wrap.  Tonight is a baking night and I need to label 50 cd’s.  Over the past few weeks, I’ve been recording our circle time at playgroup.  Dh burned it onto cds for me and they’ll be handed out to the kids at the Christmas party and potluck tomorrow.  How cool that they get to take home their own songs to sing along with.

I just got a card from my bestest buddy from Jr high.  Her boys are handsome.  Good thing they live so far away from us.  I might have a problem with Hannah if we saw them more than every few years.

I came across this advice today.  Sounds good to me.

It doesn’t really matter how much you want to accomplish today; your pace will likely be set by circumstances that are beyond your control. The best you can do is remain clear about your abilities and your limitations. If you don’t overcommit, all should work out okay. But if you take on too much, even the simplest jobs could suffer. Pace yourself, work hard, and don’t apologize for what you cannot do

Days until Christmas. 

By now I’ll be in the kitchen, getting the turkey in the oven.  We’re usually up by 5:30.

So does the 2 week crunch send you into a tailspin?

Try this as a destresser

Paint your toes red and go barefoot around the house.  The shiny toes will brighten your day.

 Do you like my Christmas countdown?  I stole it from Family Fun.    It’s not on the mantle though.  I’d have to have a higher mantle and matching socks.  I think I’ll try and collect Christmas socks in January.

 I’ve been crazy busy.  Our Home and School did a pasta fundraiser and it was going well so we decided to do one for our church as we are sponsoring a refugee family of 11.  I’ve learned that when you suggest a project, the project is yours. :)  The pasta was ordered Thursday, arrived Tuesday and I sorted the 180 bags during nap time.  Getting it out of the house tonight.

Tonight is a birthday party for Jesus at the church.  I made individual cakes for the kids to decorate.

Lots left to do.  Sort and wrap the kids gifts and pick up a couple of items.  I know, I know Helen, I should have it wrapped already but I need to visualize it.   I need a meal plan and list of holiday recipes.   Saturday, a friend is taking the kids for a couple of hours to make sugar cube castles.  I think she’s crazy but since I can’t remember us going Christmas shopping together, I won’t tell her.

I have my brother and sil’s gift ready to mail to Atlanta.  Cara is taking it to mail in the US. Faster and cheaper.  I need to pick up some more Christmas flannel to make more pillowcases as gifts.  Secret Santa gift is ready for the mail tomorrow.  My mom’s gift is done.  Mil’s is thought of, just need to get it.  Sisiters are done.  Nieces and nephews, just about.  Fil, no idea.  Teachers, need to wrap.

BTW, I ordered two Knights of The Lunchtable; The Dodgeball Chronicles to donate to ds’s school on behalf of his teacher and TA.  They came damaged from Scholastic.  I called the company on Friday and replacements arrived on Tuesday.  They have a 100% guarantee.

 Dear Santa

I am three years old.  Do you remember coming to my birthday party?  That was fun.  I would really like to have a Rose Petal Cottage to play in with my friend, Kate.  If it won’t fit in your bag,  I also like Groovy Girls.  The Christmas one or the rockstar would be nice.

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Merry Christmas Santa.

Dear Lydia Claire:

Hi, my name is Pepper Minstix and I am the special elf who helps Santa with all of the email he receives during this busy time of year.

No matter how busy Santa gets at the North Pole, I know he takes time to read all of his letters! You can expect to get an answer from Santa within the next few days.

Thank you for writing to Santa and please write to him again next year!

Happy Holidays
Elf Minstix

Do you ever want to get off the merry-go-round of life?

I only wish that weekends were nice and calm and boring.  Nope.   I’ve got so much to do between now and Monday that I feel ill just thinking about it.    Tonight we have Kid’s Club and Youth Group.  Thursday is judo.   Friday is my birthday but I’ll spend it geting ready for Parker’s party on Saturday.  I need to find a gift for him.  His birthday is Dec 28 but I agreed to have his party a month early.    There’s a craft fair this weekend but I know I won’t have time to go to it just like I missed the last one. Saturday will be dh getting groceries while I do laundry, judo, party and then Lydia is going with a friend to see Franklin’s Christmas.  Sunday is church with a meeting afterwards, getting homework done and fitting in a family movie night?  Oy.  My head hurts.  When to start the Christmas baking or find a couple of hours to do some shopping?  Do I make myself a cake or not?

Off to tackle Mt Washmore so it’s done by Saturday and I just have to put the 20 million loads away.

That’s 48 hours worth of laundry.

No matter what your personal or religious beliefs, you’ve got to admit that Christmas has become over commercialized.  Christmas is no longer what it started out as and it’s so easy to forget the true meaning of the season.  I’ve come across this video lately and thought it was good food for thought.  As I am part way through my Christmas list, it reminds me not to overinduldge.  I’m going to make every effort to refocus on our family this season and not the external forces around us that are saying spend, spend, spend.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU

Need some help on quality gifts from the heart?  Check this out.

http://www.rethinkingchristmas.com/

That’s what they say in the movie business right?

I just came up with a new holiday tradition for our house.  I’m going to gather up the Christmas movies and wrap them.  We’ll celebrate the Sundays of Avent by watching a family movie together.  But when I suggest movies, there’s always some bickering over who wants to watch what.  Now we’ll just pick one without knowing what it is.  It’ll be a great way of winding down a busy weekend .  Kids in their jammies, an easy supper and some popcorn.

Here’s some of my favourites.

The Polar Express

I’ll take suggestions if you have a favourite holiday movie.