All ready, just waiting!

I'm all set for the big day. Today I will do some prep work for the Mexican spread we are having tomorrow but otherwise I'm set. There is one more gift I might work on today depending on how things go. The children (read Rob, Tanya, Scott and Bri) are trying to get me to allow them ONE present tonight! I'd swear they were still little instead of adults!

To everyone in blogland a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Blessed New Year!

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE!

Gail

Getting ready....

I've been very busy getting ready for Christmas. Even though I scaled back on the baking and gift-making I am behind, sigh. I feel just slightly off kilter, and it seems like everything takes twice as long as it should! Today will be better, I hope. I only have one errand to run today, the bank. I have to go deposit the check I received for the Van (sold it yesterday) and get a new ATM card--there was weird internet activity on it so the bank called and we canceled it. It's nice to know someone is watching out for that stuff.

I took the boys to see Santa last evening when I picked them up from daycare. Which is exactly what we did, saw Santa. I took them to the Bass Pro shop as that's where Larry and I took Brayden last year and it was empty. Apparently, word had spread as the line to talk to Santa was about a half a block long! Brayden announced that he only wanted to see Santa not talk to him so we did! (I can get behind not waiting in line while holding a 24 lb Kolby! Silly me, didn't think to take the stroller.) They always set up a train, a remote controlled car, some coloring pages etc so we enjoyed those. Kolby was just all eyes taking in everything. After about an hour we headed off to the Cracker Barrel for some food (Brayden thought there might be a toy in it for him--he was right!) I had forgotten how much work it is to take little ones out to dinner! No wonder we ate at home! Well, aside from the fact that we were broke when ours were little. When we finished eating (and shopping) it was already time to take the boys home! It's work but it sure is fun!

Holiday shoot!

No one ever plays with Brayden!

Kolby never gets any love!
Kolby, Granna Gail and Brayden

The "injured bear" a Larry Story

Larry collected Teddy Bears, well I bought them for him he was after all my Teddy Bear. A couple of times each year I take all the bears off the shelf and run them thru the dryer with a damp towel to dust them--they don't get icky that way. A couple of years ago Larry happened on me emptying the dryer of his teddies, oh boy you'd have thought I'd have wounded him personally! He grabbed this bear up and proceeded to tell me I'd broken his arm and quick he needed soft fabric to make a sling for it! So one scrap of a cleaning diaper became his sling--all the while Larry's telling this bear how sorry he is and how he won't let me hurt him again. What a goof! The little bear was never hurt but I haven't the heart to take off the sling.

Catch up on me

As you can tell from the previous posts I've been busy decorating for Christmas! Then cleaning up the mess of decorating for Christmas. I've been working over my finances as I have an appointment with my financial advisor tomorrow, so my least favorite thing to do but I must! Today, I had an appointment with my primary care doctor. Checking out my blood work and getting referrals. My Cholesterol counts made her happy so I guess I'll be taking that medication for a while (like the rest of my life, it could be worse.) She gave me several refill scripts and will take care of some referrals must importantly for the carpal tunnel release on my right hand in January. The cortizone Dr Elton gave me last summer has definitely worn off and I am having strength issues with it--I won't put it off as I want to be sure I don't have permenant damage. I'm keeping very busy doing some stitching and lots of shopping. It finally turned cold (really cold for here tonight's low -3 F), the storm dropped a little snow and the wind dropped the 'feels like' temp even further. I love it when it's cold!

My Tree

For the first time I have a tree in my bedroom. It's only a tabletop as I don't have room for anything bigger! Some of the ornaments I had purchased for the years I used a live Norfolk Island Pine tree in the livingroom and a few are new this year. I think it's fuller than the one in the living room!

Christmas Decorating!

These are the two new North Pole Cottages; Jolly's Jigsaw Puzzle Factory and Santa's Beacon. They are displayed on the top of the bookcase/hutch in the next photo. There are also cottages on the top of the pie safe. I love the way these light up a dark end of my living room and am always sad when I take them down.