or is it? Don't get me wrong I la,la,love Christmas.... and even more so now that I get to experience it as a mother! There is no way to fully explain the joy a parent gets watching their child's excitement at Christmas time... Just look at that HUGE smile on Nora's face when she found her "Hermie" from last year packed in the top of the first box she opened! ;)
but I cant' help but feel a little OVERWHELMED with all there is to do to get it ready. Decorating, selecting gifts, going to buy the gifts or order them on line, and least I dare mention printing photos, preparing and mailing out Christmas cards?!?!!? (those of you who got one from us are laughing b/c I set a new record of being late - but let's not mention when OK?) LOL
This weekend we had planned to spend it decorating the house... but for one reason or another it didn't get done. Not that we just sat around here and twiddled our thumbs...we didn't! But rather we were on the go and hardly home.
Friday night was our town's Christmas parade. Diane (my helper) came after school and was here when David got home from work. We gobbled down some chili while we waited for her parents, Deacon Hector and Cindy along with their college son Stephen to met at our home and then we all left from here to go. It was a lot of fun - and VERY cold... well cold for us here in SE TX.
I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have any photos (((yet))) of the kids at the parade - but when I get copies from Deacon Hector I'll share them in a Wordless Wednesday post.
I just love how they love our family and are always so willing to help hold a baby. Olivia and Stephen took up and were best buddies for a good part of the parade... however Ms Cindy also got to hold her all bundled up in a blanket to keep her nice and warm while Paul Thomas sat on top of David's shoulders for most of the time. Olivia La-La-LOVED anything passing by playing music! Especially the bands!!! and there were at least 3 or 4 local school's bands.
anyway back to the story...
well Saturday was gonna be our day, but again we weren't home.. instead we were invited to have Breakfast with Santa again this year at my friend Heidi's church. ((again no camera with me but my girlfriend Bev had her camera so I'm hoping to get copies))
When Nora got her turn with Santa - Guess what she asked him to bring her.... a "WOODEN TRUCK"
It was the first time I had heard her mention anything about it. I did a double take and shook my head... "a what???" I was so sure she was gonna ask for this
TALKING DOLL HOUSE which we saw on TV a week ago and she hasn't been able to quit talking about ever since!!
and since I hadn't' made it to the grocery all week after returning form KY I just HAD to go Saturday...so needless to say nothing much was accomplished around the house to prepare for Christmas...
So today, Monday, David took a vacation day (he'll loose them if he doesn't use them before the end of the year) and we dedicated the day to decorations! well almost.
First, I took Nora to school, then met Heidi at a park and we walked 5 miles then I came home around 8:30am. After breakfast with the kids, then David and I got down all the Rubbermaid totes out of the attic and then carried them all downstairs and stacked them up in the foyer as we always do until we "get to them."
This year with the twins, we have to be especially careful not to leave anything out within their reach... but after everything was downstairs, it was time for their morning nap so upstairs they went. We actually got a lot done while they napped. :)
We have an artificial tree that we bought 12 Christmases ago... before the "pre-lit" days.. or if they had them back then we were too poor to buy that kind. So every year David and I join up in a team effort to put together the tree. He shapes up all the branches and puts them on the pole while I zig-zag all the bright lights up and down each branch as we go. It's a real wonder that tree isn't naked already with the numerous needles that end up on the floor each year!
In past years, we've been known to have up to 2000, yes TWO THOUSAND lights on our tree... but I haven't done that in a few years.. it takes too long. and each year several of the strands don't work when I plug them up so that has depleted our light inventory... and this year there were several more stands of lights that didn't come on that I trashed..... and so...
And everything was going good... until about 4 rows to go BEFORE the topper piece I RAN OUT OF CLEAR LIGHTS! Talk about a mood killer! :( so off to Wal-Mart I dashed to go get more... but when I came home it was time to get ready to go to church. (today was a Holy Day) 
So the tree will have to wait until at least mid week b/c tomorrow night David and I are getting a babysitter and we are going to a Christmas dinner with his ASSE people.
I have mixed emotions about going tomorrow night... yes nice to have a night out without kids... that is such a rare occasion! But why does it have to be with a bunch of strangers? Can't David and I just have some time alone? I won't know a single soul there... well not during the first 10-20 minutes anyway :) I'll do my best to have a good ole time, for David's sake. ;)
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