Holiday Whirl

How are we just 11 days out from Christmas.  I thought I was so a head.  I had my house decorated by Dec 1st.  I had pre-shopped in late Oct and early November.  I made my list and checked it twice and it looked like I was going to coast through the holidays.

But here I am making my list and crying over what is still left to be done.  And they are all fun things...

• going to kids Christmas concerts and plays.  Even if I have to drag all the kids out on a terrible snowy night, and then proceed to stand up through 6 grades of signing and bell ringing, only to realize my kid is so far in the back I can't even photgraph her.
• making and delivering neighbor gifts to the people I share part of my daily life with.  Who wave to the blur of a white SUV who flies and sometimes slides up and down our mountain road.
• designing and addressing 125+ Christmas cards to the people who have touched my life over the years and I want to stay connected with. And I get to use all my new digiscrapping skills.
• preparing teacher gifts to the 18 teachers who teach, influence, uplift, and nourish my children. Why do people think once a child gets in junior high their teachers become less important and don't deserve a gift.  My child may be the only one carrying gifts to school this week...but it I want to say Thank You with some small token for touching my childrens hearts and minds.
• Hosting, cooking and decorating for a youth ettiqutte dinner at my house this week.  Which my husband so thoughtfully blew out of proportion and turned it from a 3 course meal to a 10 course meal.  He thought he was doing me a favor by helping me feel like I was back in Texas throwing big blow out parties.  Hello not at this time of year.
• Hosting my hubbys family for the annual Vance Christmas dinner.  It's always a joy to fill my house with people we love who love us back. And to institute a new tradition a white elephant gift exchange.  I am a little worried about this crowd...but fun none the less. 

I absolutely love the holidays and I promise to smile all the way through the next 10 days becuase I know at he end it will be all worth the efforts and then as a bonus I get to board a plane to travel back to the people that shaped me, my beliefs, my world. 

JOYFUL..that is my theme next week.