TIS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

? Did I say..."It's Beginning to Looking A Lot Like Christmas?

What I meant to say is... it's the night BEFORE Christmas and it looks like

Santa threw up in Nana and Papaw's house.

Does that bother anyone here? No sir it doesn't because that is a normal state in this house. What is beginning to bother a few people, Nana included, is all my presents are getting mixed up under the tree. (not unusual either). This year though I thought I had a fool proof system. I made my list early and it went every where I went, even to church. If you ask Papaw, he will tell you what a professional Christmas list maker I am. Each person has several lines under their name and the items I wish to purchase are listed under their name. As I purchased my gifts with loving care (and sometimes I had to exchange a gift item because I found a more perfect one), I put a check by the gift and stored the bags in secret places around the house (uh, maybe this could be a clue). Then as I wrapped a gift I put a star beside that item and put it under the tree. As I completed each person's list, I cross them off. Here's where the problem(s) started this year.

Right in the middle of my quest for the perfect gifts, we acquired two new families (eight or so) to buy for who weren't on the original list. These gifts needed to be purchased and wrapped much earlier than Christmas so I switched to another list and in the process I left my original family list on a counter at Wal-Mart. I panicked...I even called the store to see if the cashier had found a three page list with a bunch of names and gift items that had been crossed off or stars placed beside them at her register. (how on earth do you explain my system to a stranger?) Of course no one ever came back on the line to put my mind at ease. Papaw drew the line when I told him I was going back to Wal-Mart at 9:00pm to see if anyone had turned it in. The only thing left to do was try to remake the list. Now I have a "second edition" and there are checks and stars and gifts under the tree. I'll have to let you know next time if everyone got what they were suppose to get. I guess so long as the guys don't get the girls gifts and vice versa we will be okay.

I've completed the necessary things for Christmas Day and still have another week to catch up on what still needs to be completed. That will be the easy part though. (no list needed).

This has been the shortest four weeks in Christmas history. Hunter and I shopped, I wrapped late each evening after they went home and papaw went to sleep. Tonight, December 24Th, Christmas Eve, I still have a couple gifts left to wrap for tomorrow morning, but it's quiet and peaceful for a few hours. Even though we won't have everyone here on Christmas Day, we will only be as far away as the wishes in our hearts that you will all know we love you and would love to see you. I will leave you tonight with this thought...

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight"

p.s. Okay, so now it's the night AFTER Christmas and I hope to get this blog posted before NEXT Christmas. I hope everyone had a wonderful day and will be looking forward to a wonderful year.

Maybe soon I will post some pictures taken with the camera Santa brought me. Love you all!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

****Nana and PawPaw's... A Month Before Christmas*****

We start pulling out the decorations and memories the day after Thanksgiving.

In years past, we took trips to tree farms, cut down our own tree and after having hot apple cider and a ride on the back of a diesel driven tractor, drove home. By that evening everything was done. The Christmas dishes were in the cabinet (the regular ones, you know the Styrofoam ones, put away), the tree is up with all the decorations shining from each branch, our three little trees with the snow and nativity nestled under them is in place in the front window, cookie jar out, bathroom candles ready to be lite. Ask Kaela about that one. She scraped red wax off the toilet and floor until she looked like she was bleeding. The floor still has red wax on it this year. We would even have a few presents wrapped and under the tree before going to bed that night...then the kids grew up and moved away.

We have had Christmas mornings (actually some of our best) when we would wake up to coffee brewing and muffins being warmed, fruit and cool whip ready for Christmas breakfast. We've also eaten Christmas breakfast at Denny's and IHOP and shopped at Cracker Barrel. We've decorated table-top trees with ornaments and celebrated in hotels. It's not been all about "getting it right". We have always told the kids it's the spirit of giving and believing that lives inside us ( the spirit of the One in whom we believe and who gave all) that makes it Christmas.
(the two pictures below were about thirteen years ago)

(This picture, was at Connie's about three years ago)This year, paw-paw grew the tree a couple days before Thanksgiving (no lights until the Saturday after though) Then on Wednesday Zackary and Hunter came over and helped with the small trees and nativity and put some of the Christmas Around The World keepsakes out while their mom and dad went to class. When they got back we had supper and watched Rudolph while we decorated the tree. Before we were done, we had egg nog and cookies. I'm not sure how far Hunter made it before losing his egg nog.

Boxes are still sitting around in every room, the left over polyester snow is still on the floor and there is no centerpiece on the kitchen table yet. We have the snowman dishes in the dishwasher and the regular ones on the counter. It is now three weeks before Christmas, but we are still working on it. When Zackary comes in now he says "okay, Nana, your best decorationer is here". In the next day or so we will be done, all except watching the stars in their eyes.

We've had snow and a fire and a few extra days off work (for paw-paw). Nana has been making her "list", checking it and re-making it, and probably having as much fun as any of the little ones. Even though we will not have our family Christmas this year until after Christmas I'm looking forward to getting together with everyone as often as schedules allow.

As this season progresses and gets more hectic, I pray we will all take a few minutes each day to reflect on the blessings of family and friends and on the true Reason for the Season, Jesus.
Love to you all,
Nana