Weekend Report

I feel like we've put a big dent in the Christmas preparations this weekend. On Saturday we got up early, headed to Walmart to: see Santa, donate some items to a food drive, shop for a boy and a girl from the angel tree, and get our oil changed which was almost 2000 miles overdue. We had some issues with the shopping though. We discussed it beforehand about some boys and girls not getting presents for Christmas. We picked out 2 children who were 4 and 5 years old and had similar likes to us: Spiderman, Cars, and Pet Shop. Oh, were there tears about the toys and the shirts and the jammies we selected. And then more tears when the kids kept asking where the gifts were when we left Walmart and I said we left them there so they could be wrapped and given to those kids. They just didn't get it. We had to do a little shopping for their classroom gift exchange. $3 limit so I thought the Target dollar spot would be a good place to find some fun stuff. I just picked out the stuff this time though because we couldn't take any more crying. I think every one including Daddy had low blood sugar or something because after we ate Pizza Hut Buffet they were all much better.

Our friends, Alison and her 2 sons, Ethan and Noah, came to visit for a little while on Saturday afternoon. Alison was the kids preschool teacher for the last 2 years and I really like her. We had fun and made plans to get together in a couple weeks again before Christmas.

Today Ethan got up at 3:30 am! I know, what is that about? I stayed awake until about 5 with him and then Caden got up and Aaron took over. I got up at 8 and fixed pancakes and bacon. Aaron had fallen asleep with Ethan for a little while and I think Addison and Caden had a sugar feast of cookie crisp cereal, candy cane kisses, and Reese's peanut butter cups along with whatever else they could find. So needless to say they were a little wild, or maybe should I say out of control. Aaron and I haven't seen anything like it. They were just crazy! I suggest that maybe we call his mom and see what she was up to and maybe they could go for a visit. Good luck was on our side and she said she'd take them for a little while and we got to go Christmas shopping and out to lunch kidless, oh the quiet and the calm and the ability to complete tasks easily and quickly! It was so nice. I'm already thinking toward the new year and Aaron and I getting away from the kids once or twice a month to do things is definitely going to be a priority.

This afternoon our advent calendar said to write a letter to Santa and drink some hot cocoa. We did it and Elfie will take our letters to him. Maybe Santa will even write us back!

Tonight I hope to work on my December Daily Book. Another Ali Edwards idea. She did one last year which is basically making a little scrapbook to document each day in the month of December. Of course I didn't get my book made ahead of time but Keely made me one, I think she made about 4 or 5 of theses total for herself and to give away. So I have the first page done and photos printed up until Friday. Here's a project I may actually finish!

I'm going to say that this holiday season so far has been so less stressful. I have my list of things to buy and things to make. The buying part is slowly going down but I really haven't started on making anything yet but this is the week and I'm really excited at this point, of course the fun of new projects for me is the starting and not so much the following through. Gonna try to push through to the end though!