HO HO HO! Christmas Chaos

I feel like this time of year amounts to one big "To Do" list for me.  A list I want to get done ASAP!  The shopping, making presents, wrapping presents, baking, parties and extra "stuff" that is crammed into this time of year kinda stresses me out.  Plus, this year, not feeling 100% (or even close to it) is taking its toll as well.  On the other hand, I love to be busy!  And I absolutely love selecting gifts for people.  To a certain extent, I do it to myself.  I tell my husband he is in charge of a certain task, then I just do it myself.  I can't help it.  There is something wrong with me. 

Good news is that the house is decorated, tree is up, shopping done, presents are wrapped, and the lights are on outside.  If you happen to drive by my house, I do apologize for the light display this year.  It is truly pathetic.  We have 5 of those round light ball thingies that you hang from a tree.  That is it.  And that was only done to appease Miss Gracie.  As we would be out driving this time of year I would hear from the backseat, "Mommy, look at all those pretty Christmas lights.  I sure wish we could have some lights on our house.  Because we don't have ANY."  EVERY CAR RIDE.

Our visitor, Buddy, is back this year.  And I love Buddy.  So do the kids.  The kids love finding his new hiding spot.  They think he is just sooo silly.  However, he is not really working as a deterrent to poor behavior.  And he is getting into some mischief himself this year, which isn't really setting a good example for the kids.  Such as pulling a bunch of tissues out of the kleenex box so there is room for him to sit there.  Or stealing Baby Jesus from the navity.  Naughty elf!  Sometimes Buddy even forgets to pick a new hiding spot.  First thing in the morning this is what happens at our house. 

Grace "I have to run downstairs and see where Buddy is!"
Mom "Uh, hold on Gracie, lets get dressed first.  Dad, do you think Buddy has a new hiding spot or was it too cold to fly back to the north pole last night??????"

To add to the fun this year, Gracie is in school.  Which means we have school stuff to do too.  Teacher gifts.  Helping with school parties.  Bringing "stuff" for the school party.  Shopping for the advent tree (which I love doing).  And these fun things that come home with Gracie...

1. Put a cotton ball on Santa's beard every day of December until Christmas.  When Christmas comes, he will have a full beard.  Oh what fun!  Now Mom gets to go shopping for cotton balls.  And clean up cotton ball messes.  And promise a distraught Gracie that "tomorrow" we will totally remember to glue the cotton balls onto Santa.  We haven't been so good at that.  As you can see.  Here we are on the 17th of December, and we only have 4 on his beard. 

2.  I have this little bag of fun floating around my kitchen for 4 weeks.  Look!  Its reindeer food!  Just sprinkle on your lawn on Christmas Eve and the smell of the oats and sparkly glitter will guide the reindeer to your house.  Fabulous!

3. Don't forget 18 Christmas themed paper napkins for the K4 party.  (NOT paper plates, which is what I bought.)

To top it off, the house is filled with pine needles.  And I had just gotten all of them cleaned up from Christmas 2010!

Bah Humbug. I know.