{Fa la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la}

Getting ready for the holidays.

There's never enough time.

No matter how well planned out I think I am or no matter how much I do or don't have

going on leading up to the holidays, I never seem to have time to get to everything. (Holy sentence!) Like cookies. I haven't baked Christmas cookies ... ever. But you can't do it all.

At least I've come to terms with the realization that I won't. It's not in my DNA.

My holiday goals early in the month were to:

* buy, wrap, box, and ship anything that had to be sent elsewhere

* get lights UP

* decorate the inside of the house

Missions accomplished!

Things looked a little shaky there for a bit.

David walked into my office to talk to me when I was in the throws of wrapping.

He stopped at the door ... paused ... and said, "Whoa".

I had to laugh. It was quite a sight.




But I made it out of there alive. My output didn't reflect the chaos, and order was eventually restored. Ahhh.

Lights. We had to have lights. There were four beautiful little kiddos staying with us for a

week in December, and I was determined for them to stay in a house with lights. But the bathroom remodel was taking up all the time that wasn't going to finals for me or work and running for David. So, we enlisted help, and it was awesome!! We totally enjoyed the house

all month.

We setup a new furniture configuration in the living room to accommodate all the company

coming later in the month (and because our old furniture had served it's purpose). It worked great, but it meant our tree wouldn't fit in it's usual spot.

The tree was also too big for the new spot. So, a smaller tree was in order. Thanks to Target, I found the perfect one for a hundred bucks.




It really grew on us.

Not literally 'cuz it's a fake tree -- bud-um-puh-chh!

I want to put both of them up next year -- if time and space allow. Do all our family and memento ones on our bigger tree and do the smaller tree in a color theme of some kind.

We'll see. I know I want to set aside a day or two to bake next year ... for sure. Maybe

hosting a cookie exchange will be in order. Hmmm....