Wrap Up Weekend

Yes, I am planning on getting all the wrapping completed. That means all of the shopping needs to be finished today. I still have a few small items to get and need to pick up oats for the no bake cookies. I also have the last of the decorating to do and some Christmas movies to enjoy with the boys. It is doable as I have been working on it during the week. I also need to do some cookie baking so I can get the cookie ribbons up on the wall before dinner time.

The surprise tonight was "The Twelve Days of Christmas". We have several versions and Joe and the boys did some research on the internet today about the true meaning of the gifts from the twelve days. The boys enjoyed their first cookie from their cookie ribbon tonight too.

Finally Friday

This week I am finishing up my wrapping and decorating (yes I still have a box of stuff that I want to display). With the Christmas Countdown complete, I am working to streamline my house this weekend so it can survive the fun in the weeks ahead, following the Housework Holiday Plan that CEO also designed to go along with her book. I have just a week left until our Christmas Vacation.

Tonight's surprise was Arthur's Perfect Christmas, by Marc Brown. If things don't work out the way you plan, maybe that's okay.

A Purple Crayon

Wow! I still have a lot on my life list. It is a good thing I feel that at least parts of it are under control. I keep telling myself to focus on what I have accomplished and then do what I can to get anything else done by priority.

Last night the three older boys went out for haircuts (Thank You!!!!) and then did some shopping. They didn't even set out until after six o'clock and they go to some macho guy sport styling salon. The little boys went to bed at 7 after opening up their next countdown surprise, the book "Harold at the North Pole" by Crockett Johnson. This is the same Harold and his purple crayon that Johnson wrote. I turned in early myself, and I was probably out before the boys.

Daniel is collecting the notes attached to each countdown surprise. The surprise basket is getting lighter each evening.

100th Blog!!!

What a milestone it is for this blog, and I have enjoyed placing my thoughts into this format during the past eleven months. I do have plans over the next months to develop some new ideas, so I hope you stop by often to see what is new. God willing, I will have the time and means to continue in this journey to stay connected to people in my life and to organize my life.

It was Daniel's turn to open the countdown surprise and in it was the book, "Merry Christmas Mom and Dad" by Mercer Mayer and starring Little Critter who tries to help his family prepare for and celebrate Christmas.

Cats in the House

Rain and snow are in the forecast for the rest of the day. We are expected to get snow until this evening, with just a couple of inches of accumulation but lots of blowing around. There was no day out of school for a snow day here.

The Countdown Surprise tonight was the book "Christmas Cats". Daniel could read many of the pages after I read it to the boys.

Another Surprise

A chill is in the air and the decorating continues, although slowly. We are supposed to get freezing rain and then snow in the area, and the kids at school were talking about a snow day tomorrow.

Tonight's Christmas surprise was the book, "Arthur's Christmas" by Marc Brown. Raymond was really interested in this one, and was a bit disappointed when he found out it was not on the Accelerated Reader list at school.

Tree Trimming and Shopping Time

We have been wrapping up the decorating and shopping today. Joe did not go out hunting this morning so we took advantage of having him home and did some shopping with the little boys. They did all of their shopping for their brothers today. They already had their shopping for cousins and school done just after Thanksgiving. We decorated the tree today while Joe and all the boys were home, too. It really turned out nice and I don't think I did much at all to help. Joe took charge of putting the lights on. We skipped putting garland on the tree, and Richard took charge of the boys putting on the ornaments. The boys also enjoyed peanut butter cookies baked by Rick and eggnog.




Tonight's countdown surprise was the collection called, "Christmas Stories and Poems". It has a definite Old English influence.