Merry Christmas One and All!

I’m not sure what this week will bring with last minute shopping and then the wrapping, plus I will soon be spending time with my family and once that happens, everything else will be on the back burner! So, I want to send holiday wishes to everyone in the Blogosphere.

I hope that each and every one of you have a very merry, happy and healthy Christmas. But most of all I am hoping that you are spending it with the people you love and care for the most.

The holidays, to me, are about love—the giving, and yes, the receiving, of love, and I want each of you to experience that fulfilling emotion, because there is nothing like it. So, take your fill of ham, turkey and the trimmings, indulge in the cookies and pies, but most of all, OVER indulge in the hugs and kisses and the overwhelming emotions that only family and friends can GIVE!

Merry Christmas, my friends, and may ALL of you be blessed with all that you are hoping to receive this holiday season.

Busy Little Elf

I’ve been such a busy little elf that I haven’t blogged in almost three weeks!

Thanksgiving came and went and then it was time to get ready for Christmas. In that time I had to help my youngest son with two projects. He left the “creative stuff” up to me because, “you’re good at that, Mom”, he sweetly informed me. Needless to say, he’s doing well and is getting straight A’s—no surprise there, the kid is a brianiac, but doesn’t have a lick of common sense! (I can say that because I’m his mom!)

My oldest son was nominated for “Snow King”. It’s where he and four other guys in the senior class have to choose a “charity” and whoever collects the most money is crowned “Snow King”. My son chose the “cause,” In Memory of Taylor, a fellow student who died over the summer. Her death has been declared “unknown” even after an autopsy. As a parent, I can’t even imagine how that family is coping! Bless my son for his thoughtfulness in remembering Taylor and I hope he succeeds in this contest. Saturday night we wrapped up five boxes for the contest/charity (5 because each boy can pick 4 people to help him collect money). I decorated the boxes with big bows and used fabric paint to write his name and also “In Memory of Taylor”, etc., on the boxes. They turned out very pretty and they are unique. My son told me that all the others had coffee cans, so he’s the ONLY one with Christmas Present Boxes! (I told him so!) This coming Saturday is the “Snow Dance”, so he needs new duds—one of his FAVORITE pastimes is shopping--he should’ve been a girl, but I think I would’ve strangled him had he been!

I was also busy decorating our home for Christmas. When I worked full-time, I had to do all my decorating on the weekends because that was my only free time. Now, however, I only work 15 hours per week, so I can take my time and decorate when I want to. I actually enjoy it now because there is NO stress. Although Saturday afternoon turned into a fiasco. A few years ago I purchased an artificial, pre-lit, pencil tree so that it would be “easy” for me. Well, this year the only lights that worked were on the very top and the very bottom. My husband and I sat—like dorks, I might add, and tested EVERY bulb in the two strands of lights, then replaced all the burned out bulbs. Dumb us –they still didn’t work. We wasted all that time, plus my finger tips were sore and my wrists were all scratched and red—almost like I was touching a real tree! I sent my husband to the store for new lights. I told him to buy Icicle lights, which he did, but I forgot the darn things have WHITE wires! He had to go back to the store and get regular Christmas tree lights. He didn’t complain once either—what a gem! Anyway, we re-strung the “pre-lit” tree. That darn pencil tree now has 550 lights on it but doesn’t look all that bright! Sigh-- oh well, I’ll re-string it better next year.

I want to share two of my favorite decorating areas with you. 


Number one is my main bathroom, because it just LOOKS so cozy! 

<< This is what it looks like when the light is ON

And this, when the light is OFF 

I just love glancing in there when I walk by! (I’m not just a dork when replacing bulbs!)

This is my China Closet. It’s filled with my Gone With the Wind collectibles, like ornaments, a few of my GWTW collector’s plates, and my GWTW figurines. It’s difficult to see them in this photo because of the flash. Again, the lights look so pretty at night, but this picture doesn’t do it justice, because the lights look like they are floating and the picture just doesn’t show that. At night I’ll sit in the living room and stare into the kitchen at the China closet while I listen to Christmas music, it’s so relaxing.

Every year I do a “home-made” gift. One year it was my brother and a shirt, another, my niece and earrings, yet another, my girlfriend and a cape, this year, it’s my dad and I can't tell you yet! I did take a picture of it, but if he reads my blog he would see it and I don’t want to spoil the surprise! I already screwed up a gift for my parents two years ago, I’m not about to do it again! I’ll post a picture of it when Christmas is over. My dad will really like this gift—and he’ll especially like that I didn’t buy it! He does NOT like when people spend money on him. I did have to purchase one part of it however, but, he’ll forgive THAT when he sees it.

I’m almost done with my shopping. My boys are cute. Neither have any idea what they’re getting because they didn’t give me a “list” and they know I won’t just give them money! I told them, I know YOU so I KNOW what to buy! And that’s what I like about Christmas presents—finding the PERFECT gift.

This is a happy time for me and mine, well everyday is happy, but I try to make the holiday especially happy and I’ve spent time with my husband when we went out for our Christmas gift. We also went to see a play Friday night for the Bobcat Player’s Community Theater which my parents are actively involved with. It was a good play written by my mom’s friend and afterward we had a late dinner with my parents. We’ve also been playing Catch Phrase with the boys in the evening. It’s a fun game, although my boys have been beating my hubby and I and winning $10 each to boot! We bet them backrubs vs. $10 but we can’t seem to collect on those backrubs! Are we old or do we just suck at giving word hints? I don’t think I like either of those choices so I’ll just say our “minds” are on other things at the moment! Like getting out our yearly family photo card!

I waited until a few days before Christmas last year. Talk about being laid back, that was a bit much. Everything in moderation, even Christmas cards! I do believe I will print them this Thursday and address them Friday then mail them Saturday. That will mean they will be out one week, to the day, before Christmas!

As you’ve noticed this post is not about politics (and if you didn’t notice then maybe you’ve been drinking too much of that spiked eggnog) because I’m holding off on the political posts until after the New Year. Well, I’m going to TRY and hold off! I think I need a break. Maybe everyone does, except those holding public office—they need to actually WORK for a change!

Well, that’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed this pre-holiday post as it gives you a bit of insight into me and a bit of my Christmas traditions. Hope all of your holiday arrangements are going well!