Tis the season

December 15, 2005

Well it's been a little busier around here than usual this week, I guess that's all part of the season. For the most part this month has been very enjoyable. Since we are not going anywhere or expecting family we can basically relax and not be too busy with preparations. Not that I would of minded preparing for family visiting! So, this month we have really enjoyed all the sights, sounds, smells and traditions of Christmas preparation. Then this week hit.

Monday was really the worst day and the rest of the week has calmed down. First thing in the morning I baked muffins so the kids would have a portable snack when we went to open gym with our homeschool group. After gym we spent 45 minutes at the post office mailing Christmas mail and packages. We stood in a line 10 deep, then had the wrong customs forms, then Brienne had to go pee (no bathroom at the post office of course - so a quick trip to the hotel lobby across the street). Finally we got out of there and it was already lunch time but we still had to get cookie ingredients before the afternoon. So, lunch was a grocery store bagel while we wandered the store getting white sugar & butter (stuff I don't usually have at home).

Back at home we made a double batch of Christmas sugar cookies for a cookie decorating party we were going to on Tuesday morning. Just as the last batch came out the oven we took off to Celine's dance class (her 2nd class - and she's loving it!). Then back home again, but wait... it was already 5:30 and no supper had been prepared. So, I left the kids at home with Damien and went again to the grocery store (I wasn't thinking about supper the first time around!) to buy pasta sauce, while Damien boiled water and cooked pasta at home. Finally around 6:30 I collapsed at the supper table with a well deserved glass of red wine.

Earlier this month I volunteered to help with our church Christmas Eve service. That is now coming back to haunt me. What we're planning is a brief reenactment of the Christmas story to an aucostically played worship song - nothing fancy but I still have to choreograph the movement, round up & organize about 20 children 10 & under, plan and coordinate 2 small rehearsals. Yesterday when we were talking about it I asked Brienne if she wanted to be an angel and she said yes and "I need to talk to Jesus to see if I could have real wings to fly".

So that is my latest project but thankfully everything else is done - the gifts, the decorating, the tree etc... Oh almost forgot we're trying to plan a vegan Christmas feast at our house Christmas day with a small group of friends. We'd love to do this as we've never hosted and prepared a feast like this before.

So, 10 days till Christmas. We're going to a living nativity this weekend and our first Hanakah party on Saturday. Damien has 3 staff parties between Friday and Monday. One of which I will join him for. Next week doesn't look too busy but I'll need to get ready for Christmas Eve at church and Christmas day at our house. Next Thursday Damien is coming home at lunch and then won't go back to work till Jan 2nd - yehaa! Can't wait to have all this family holiday time together.