Anybody want to tackle Christmas together?

[SKL]

Just thought it would be nice to share as we make a list and check things off as we all survive the Christmas season.

 

On the "stressed" thread, I was pretty stressed but now the excitement is taking over.  Nice to be getting some things done as we get closer to the big day.  :)

 

So far I've accomplished:

• Operation Christmas Child boxes
• Christmas parade - the girls decorated and rode horses in it - followed by pot luck
• Finished Christmas shopping (except for some candy)
• Church/school Christmas program
• Got one OK photo of the girls (and 100+ bad ones)
• Kids bought little gifts for people
• 3 or 4 Christmas parties with the kids (depends if you count the one I didn't attend); included 1 gift exchange & 1 cookie exchange
• Kids did Christmas caroling 2x
• Shared 2 new Christmas classics (DVDs) and 1 new book with the kids
• Survived tests in every subject at the girls' school this week.  (Last day today.)
• Scheduled online donations and bill paying since I'm out of town the last week of December
• Signed the girls up for several Christmas camps and to see the Nutcracker with their aunt
• Cleaned the house pretty OK
• Got ahead on a lot of my work (not enough yet)
• Bought books to share about the countries we'll be visiting beginning Christmas Eve
• Started packing
• Planned school work for the "vacation"
• Planned Miss E's birthday celebration for the day we return
• Almost completed my continuing education requirements for CPA / law licenses
• Come on, there has to be more than that.

Still to go:

• More getting ahead on work (year-end and other stuff).
• Send Christmas cards
• Check the travel document requirements at our destination countries (and get / copy needed documents)
• One more Christmas classic movie to watch
• Debating whether to decorate and bring up the festive books or skip it this year (skip it)
• Wrap gifts and make photo ornaments for extended family
• Finish Professional Responsibility course
• Go to my folks' a couple days before Christmas
• Do all laundry
• Wrap gifts for my kids
• Most of the packing for the trip
• Get my computer loaded up with files so I can work on the trip
• Tell the post office to hold delivery
• Supervise badge work for my kids' "travel" and "international heritage" badges
• Have Christmas at home on the 24th
• Pack the kids' school bags for when we return
• Clear out perishables and garbage
• Fly out
• Go with the flow for 10 days
• Probably 100 things I'm forgetting

[momto10blessings]

I'm just going to run away from this thread while screaming

[SKL]

LOL I guess not then!  :P

[SKL]

This is the third time today that I busted out laughing while reading this forum.  And no, I am not sampling the Christmas wine.  :)

[wendy not in HI]

Things I love: to do lists!!

(I'm afraid this looks more like a rocket or maybe a weird bell than a tree.  Unfortunately that is the kind of thing that happens when I try to be crafty!)

 

Christmas to do:

 

*

wrap

puzzle

ice skating

stocking stuff

see  the  Hobbit

gingerbread  house

church  holiday  party

plan  Christmas  dinner 

stick to  holiday  budget!!

plan  meals  for  next week

watch   It's a Wonderful Life

bake  cookies  with   cousins

See Stubby Pringle's Christmas

do  my  own  maker-ing   (sew)

have  grinch  floats  with  cousins

watch   Muppet   Christmas  Carol 

play  music  at  church   on    Sunday

lay out gifts to see  if everything is even

send New Years package to missionary dd

prepare violin trio for Christmas eve talent show

help kids get going with making gifts for each other

plan and enforce limited electronics from Dec. 23-26

Christmas crafts: danish hearts, cut snowflakes, tree garland

:

Fa la la la la

 

[SKL]

Fun!!

[heartosunshine]

Tonight's focus is on getting the USPS boxes (10 of them) out by tomorrow's deadline. I need to:

 

Assemble boxes

Wrap the homemade baklava & add to boxes

Add other misc small items

Make it pretty & seal

Add shipping labels

Schedule pickup

Have a glass of wine & breathe a sigh of relief!

 

There's plenty more to do but I'll think about that tomorrow...

[momto10blessings]

Things I love: to do lists!!

(I'm afraid this looks more like a rocket or maybe a weird bell than a tree. Unfortunately that is the kind of thing that happens when I try to be crafty!)

 

Christmas to do:

 

 

*

wrap

puzzel

ice skating

stocking stuff

see the Hobbit

gingerbread house

church holiday party

plan Christmas dinner

stick to holiday budget!!

plan meals for next week

watch A Christmas Story

bake cookies with cousins

watch It's A Wonderful Life

do my own maker-ing (sew)

have grinch floats with cousins

watch Muppet Christmas Carol

play music at church on Sunday

lay out gifts to see if everything is even

send New Years package to missionary dd

prepare violin trio for Christmas eve talent show

help kids get going with making gifts for each other

plan and enforce limited electronics from Dec. 23-26

Christmas crafts: danish hearts, cut snowflakes, tree garland

:

Fa la la la la

I enjoy making to do lists. I just don't enjoy doing the things on my to do list :) I've never made a tree shaped to do list though. Maybe it'll help me cross off items quicker?

[hornblower]

Things I love: to do lists!!

(I'm afraid this looks more like a rocket or maybe a weird bell than a tree.  Unfortunately that is the kind of thing that happens when I try to be crafty!)

 

 

It's a lovely tree!!! Mine would have turned out like a penis. I've learned one thing from Cake Wrecks: no rockets.

 

My list:

 

MAKE LIST

 

 

Sadly, I'm still stuck on that one....

[Alicia64]

We moved this holiday season so I could use the support of this thread. I'll be back tomorrow to post.

 

I asked dh to do a bunch of wrapping while I was on a necessary trip, but doubt he did. So . . .

 

I need to wrap.

Buy him See's candy and fancy tissues (he has bad allergies).

Wrap kids' favorite breakfast cereal. (Sugar that they normally don't get.)

Bake cookies.

Prep cinnamon rolls for the big morning.

Make a gingerbread house.

A thank you note/cookies to neighbors for Thanksgiving.

 

That'll have to be it.

 

Alley

[PuddleJumper1]

My list:

 

MAKE LIST

 

 

Sadly, I'm still stuck on that one....

 

Yup! I have an appointment with a large cup of coffee, a pad of paper and a pen tomorrow morning. It just suddenly occurred to me today at dinner that I really, really should get organized. I do have some things done but I'm not even sure what's done and what's not  :001_rolleyes:

[candicane]

- Fill mason jars with candy to pass out at Christmas dinner (which is just finger foods ugh) at aunt's house

- Get the fixings for Christmas dinner

- Wrap gift for mom and gift for dad, sign cards

- Have Christmas?

 

Since we moved and we have no room for anything, we're not having much of a Christmas at all on the actual day and as I mentioned in the list, the dinner we're having with family is on new years and it's only 'finger foods' which I'm still not sure what that consists of in these peoples opinion.

[wendy not in HI]

It's a lovely tree!!! Mine would have turned out like a penis. I've learned one thing from Cake Wrecks: no rockets.

 

My list:

 

MAKE LIST

 

 

Sadly, I'm still stuck on that one....

 

Whenever my dh finds my list, he will add a "Make a list" to the top and cross it off.  He thinks it's hilarious!  

 

he does not appreciate the joy of list making... 

[Luckymama]

What's left to do:

 

--last day of Nutcracker performances (today :D)

--buy stocking stuffers for ds (I only have one thing for him, yet eighty bazillion for his sisters :lol:)

--finalize Christmas Day menu w dsis who is hosting

--decide on desserts to make for dh's family's Christmas Eve dinner

--make remaining gifts, two adult beverages: an "eggnog" liqueur and a caramel cordial

--bottle said boozy gifts

--create labels for those gifts plus the limoncello and cranberry liqueur already made and bottled (dh will do this)

--wrap (dh likes to wrap, bless his heart ;))

--plan meals for the week

--grocery shopping

--make the desserts for Christmas Eve

--make stollen for Christmas brunch

 

After Christmas:

--make sure I have everything for dd's birthday (the 30th)

--have dh wrap her gifts...

--plan the party we're having in the New Year :D

[SKL]

Well now it seems like I might be coming down with the flu or something.  Fabulous.

 

OK so I sent my photos to Walgreens to be printed.  And bought the Christmas candy.  Can't check these off my list since I forgot to put them on it ....

 

Waiting for the custom Christmas cards to arrive.  Not sure what's up with that.  They were supposed to arrive yesterday.

[stephanier.1765]

Now that my lost gift drama has been sorted I still have left:

 

1. wrap gifts

2. fill stockings

3. shop for Christmas dinner groceries

4. cook my part of the Christmas dinner

 

I think everything has been bought, except for food, so it's just a matter of getting busy on the rest of it.

[Jenny in Florida]

A good number of the things I normally do during the holiday season got dropped this year, either because the kids on whose behalf I did those things (gifts for dance teachers and activity leaders, baked goods for parties and receptions held by various groups, etc.) are no longer living here or because I got lazy. (This will be the first year in forever that I'm not sending cards. I have them. I even bought stamps. I just can't work up the ooomph to write, address and send them.) We're also not having company except for my daughter. So, my list looks pretty wimpy compared to the ones some of you are posting.

 

But here, in no particular order, is what I still have left to do:

• Clean the front room/dining room so we have a place to eat Christmas dinner.
• Decide on and buy stocking stuffers for my husband's stocking.
• Buy the rest of the stocking stuffers for both kids' stockings.
• Sew/personalize pajamas for both kids. (Family tradition - As of today, I broke down and bought bottoms for my daughter, because I ran out of time to order the fabric I wanted and decided that, if I was going to have to go with generic flannel anyway, I might as well buy pants.) I have to sew the pants for my son and somehow embellish or personalize a t-shirt for each of them to coordinate with the pants.
• Sew the skirt for my daughter for which I bought fabric a month ago.
• Sew the vest for my son (ditto).
• Finish the book-inspired trinket box for each kid, into which we are tucking a B&N gift card. (These have been painted, decoupaged and lacquered. Once they are dry, I just need to put in the felt linings and put the hinges and clasps back in place.)
• Ponder the question of whether I should try to find one more gift for my husband (probably) and, if so, get it.
• Wrap everything. (There is literally one wrapped gift under the tree at the moment.)
• Decide what meals we will eat between tomorrow and 12/26, and then do the necessary grocery shopping.
• "Help" our Elf on the Shelf get into trouble for another three nights and then bake the cupcakes in the cute liners I found so he can leave them behind on Christmas morning.

I have most of tomorrow available to finish the crafting and sewing projects. I'm working pretty much all day Monday, and my daughter arrives that evening, after which we will go into celebrating/hanging out mode. I'm working a short shift on Tuesday afternoon, but my husband is off all week (except for some interviews for a potential new job), and my son has nothing on his calendar after his alum appearance at his local choir's concert tomorrow evening. So, anything I can't get done tomorrow or finish is 10-minute hide-outs in my bedroom likely just won't get done at all. 

[Sherry in OH]

My list for the next four days:

 

·      Church

·      Grocery shopping

·      Pick up an extra roll of wrapping paper

·      Do I want to pick up ‘just in case’ I-tunes cards?*

·      Library

·      Bake more cookies

·      Attend Christmas concert

·      Laundry

·      Read Christmas stories

·      Piano Lessons, take small gift for instructor

·      Karate

·      Clean

·      Compile detailed list of specialty food and other last minute items for dh to pick up

·      Christmas Eve morning church service and birthday party

·      Prep Christmas Day meals

·      Watch movies and/or go for drive to look at lights

·      Wrap gifts and stuff stockings

 

*I am still waiting for two items.  One should have arrived yesterday and will probably show up in the next day or two.  The other was in California on the 18^th.  The tracker hasn’t been updated since then.  

[littlebug42]

I have been living in denial of all I still have to do so maybe this thread will help me sort it all out. 

 

Finish food shopping today. 

Finish wrapping gifts (although Boo Boo will help with this). 

Bake banana bread for Sweet Pea's voice teacher

Bake cookies

Bake two desserts for Christmas Eve dinner with in laws

Make macaroni and cheese and a salad for same dinner

One more stocking stuffer for Sweet Pea

Call tomorrow to set up piano and guitar lessons for girls that go with their main Christmas presents,  a digital piano and a guitar

Plus, I have to work Monday and Tuesday nights.  Yikes.  I should get motivated. 

[Jenny in Florida]

• Buy the rest of the stocking stuffers for both kids' stockings.
• Finish the book-inspired trinket box for each kid, into which we are tucking a B&N gift card. (These have been painted, decoupaged and lacquered. Once they are dry, I just need to put in the felt linings and put the hinges and clasps back in place.)

 

My husband went out this morning and pretty much finished the stocking stuffer shopping for the kids.

 

Barring disaster while they dry, I think the trinket boxes are done. They are lined and reassembled and just waiting for the glue to dry.

 

I cut out the pajama bottoms for my son and started sewing them, but he came home from church earlier than I expected. I had to put them away. Hoping to get back to them once I drop him at the other church for choir warm-ups.

[blondeviolin]

I am done shopping. Yay!

 

My list involves a lot of cleaning while kids are on break:

 

Wrap ALL the gifts.

Mop floors

Clean out game closet

Wipe down walls

Buy an anniversary gift

Make gingerbread houses

Tell my siblings I'm pregnant (I'm not even sure how at this point. Lol)

Make reindeer crafts with kids

Make snowflakes with kids

[AK_Mom4]

So far, I have:

Made airport runs (two)

Made extra three hour drive when the only ride DS18 could find home from college brought him almost but not quite home.

Bought candy canes

Listen to choir rehearse for Christmas Eve service. I don't sing but Dd20 is this year. I'm just a fan.

Watched DD13 put up the tree and decorations

 

Still to do:

Watch football with DS23 and enjoy having my Air Force kid home for a break

Buy some candy for stockings

Maybe do some shopping if I get some time

Listen to my muscal kids good around playing duets trios and quartets just for fun. It is very noisy but wonderful!

[OnTheBrink]

What I've accomplished so far:

 

• Items purchased and delivered for the family our office is sponsoring for Christmas (side benefit--saved more than I spent with Kohl's cash, sales and coupons!)
• items purchased, wrapped and mailed to family.
• Used coats washed and delivered to veterans charity for the State coat drive. 
• games planned and played for office holiday potluck
• plans for Christmas eve made and agreed upon by family (no email outlining anyone's duties needed!)
• All gifts and stocking stuffers purchased.
• Have viewed White Christmas, The Holiday, Charlie Brown Christmas and various other holiday movies on Netflix.
• Decided to embrace the notion of NOT sending out Christmas cards this year.

 

What I still need to do:

• Take car in for new brakes tomorrow
• Finish wrapping gifts
• Stuff stockings
• clean the bathroom for Christmas eve gathering
• finish grocery shopping
• View It's a Wonderful Life, The Family Stone and A Christmas Carol.
• Annoy children with my digital fireplace dvd. 

[Mommy22alyns]

It's a lovely tree!!! Mine would have turned out like a penis. I've learned one thing from Cake Wrecks: no rockets.

 

My list:

 

MAKE LIST

 

 

Sadly, I'm still stuck on that one....

 

 

Must not eat or drink while reading the forums...

[SKL]

It's nice to see everyone's different lists.  :)

 

I am going to edit my original list by crossing out things I finished.

 

Still no Christmas cards yet.  I ordered photo cards in connection with the parade in which my kids rode horses.  So I really want to wait for those cards to come rather than send generic ones.  But there is some mystery about what has become of them.  So I don't know ... if they don't come by the 23rd I will have to skip sending cards this year because I'm out of town from the 24th to the 6th.  But man will I be bummed ....

[Luckymama]

Updating!

 

What's left to do:

 

--last day of Nutcracker performances (today :D)

--buy stocking stuffers for ds (I only have one thing for him, yet eighty bazillion for his sisters :lol:)

--finalize Christmas Day menu w dsis who is hosting

--decide on desserts to make for dh's family's Christmas Eve dinner

--make remaining gifts, two adult beverages: an "eggnog" liqueur and a caramel cordial

--bottle said boozy gifts

--create labels for those gifts plus the limoncello and cranberry liqueur already made and bottled (dh will do this)

--wrap (dh likes to wrap, bless his heart ;))

--plan meals for the week

--grocery shopping

--make the desserts for Christmas Eve

--make stollen for Christmas brunch

 

After Christmas:

--make sure I have everything for dd's birthday (the 30th)

--have dh wrap her gifts...

--plan the party we're having in the New Year :D

[momto10blessings]

I'm just going to run away from this thread while screaming

Ok. I think I'm ready for this.

 

Wrap all presents

Bake/decorate a million cookies with the kids

Sew stocking for new baby

Sew scarf for hubs

Thaw steak/cheesecake for Cmas eve

Help kids paint their 2014 ornaments

Clean

Mop floors

[Luckymama]

Another update!

 

--last day of Nutcracker performances (today :D)

--buy stocking stuffers for ds (I only have one thing for him, yet eighty bazillion for his sisters :lol:)

--finalize Christmas Day menu w dsis who is hosting

--decide on desserts to make for dh's family's Christmas Eve dinner

--make remaining gifts, two adult beverages: an "eggnog" liqueur and a caramel cordial

--bottle said boozy gifts

--create labels for those gifts plus the limoncello and cranberry liqueur already made and bottled (dh will do this)

--wrap (dh likes to wrap, bless his heart ;))

--plan meals for the week

--grocery shopping

--make the desserts for Christmas Eve

--make stollen for Christmas brunch

--prep dips and dippers (veggies, baguettes for slicing) for Christmas dinner

--make any sweets or salty treats

 

After Christmas:

--make sure I have everything for dd's birthday (the 30th)

--have dh wrap her gifts...

--plan the party we're having in the New Year :D

[DawnM]

Good gravy people, it is VACATION!!!!!!!

 

I plan to finish buying Christmas dinner items, just potatoes, yams, and canned cinn. rolls.....yup, you heard that right......CANNED.  I just don't have it in me to make them this year.

 

Other than that, we are just trying to get our house back together after the construction workers made a huge mess of everything (including the things they were supposed to have fixed.)

 

We are just trying to recover.

[SKL]

Haven't accomplished much in the past day.  Been hanging out at WTM too much!  Now I'm going to try to get my work work caught up today - ha!  It is so stressful.  One of my clients has a deep pile of tax and audit and bank yuck, and I am in the middle of it.  I just hope all heck doesn't break loose the day before we have Christmas / fly out.  Ugh ugh ugh ugh....  Just once I would like to have a "vacation" that does not involve a heads-will-roll emergency when we're halfway around the world ....  Of course if I were a better person this all would have been resolved a long time ago - never mind the delays of the auditors, tax preparers, lawyers ....

 

OK, back to our regularly scheduled cheerfest!

[sunflowerlady]

pick up book from library-DONE

buy "gifts" for pets-DONE

buy a little more candy for stockings-DONE

wrap two last gifts

clean house

work- in progress

bake cookies on Tuesday and Wednesday

buy stuff to make salad for Christmas dinner

bake pie

make rice to take to Christmas Eve dinner

[SKL]

Oh yeah, I also have to drop off the library books that are going to come due while we are gone.  And figure out how we're getting to the airport.  Last time we called a cab it didn't show up and we all had a mass heart attack.

 

I hear we're in for interesting weather on Christmas Eve.  I hope it doesn't prevent us from flying out.

[SKL]

The client emergencies have begun, right on schedule!  Combine the sudden departure of a client's Big Boss, an IRS crisis, and a frustrated banker.  It's always like this.  Chaos has no respect for holidays.

 

Still no word on the Christmas cards.

 

I have 2 hours to finish my daily work, take a shower, pack up a carload of gifts and head over to my parents' house.

 

Either I'm gonna lose it, or I'll have a couple more things to cross off my list tonight.  :)  Oh hell, this is gonna be funny when I write my sitcom.  Laughter is the best medicine.  :)

[Sherry in OH]

Updating:

 

·      Church

·      Grocery shopping

·      Pick up an extra roll of wrapping paper

·      Do I want to pick up ‘just in case’ I-tunes cards?

·      Library

·      Bake more cookies

·      Attend Christmas concert   performance was lovely

·      Laundry – last load of day is in dryer

·      Read Christmas stories – today’s selection has been read

·      Piano Lessons, take small gift for instructor

·      Karate

·      Clean – ongoing, I tackled a pile of papers and receipts today

·      Compile detailed list of specialty food and other last minute items for dh to pick up

·      Christmas Eve morning church service and birthday party

·      Prep Christmas Day meals

·      Watch movies and/or go for drive to look at lights

·      Wrap gifts and stuff stockings

 

One of my missing gifts was in today’s mail.  Other item is presumably somewhere between California and Ohio.   

 

[Luckymama]

Updating again :)

 

--last day of Nutcracker performances (today :D)

--buy stocking stuffers for ds (I only have one thing for him, yet eighty bazillion for his sisters :lol:)

--finalize Christmas Day menu w dsis who is hosting

--decide on desserts to make for dh's family's Christmas Eve dinner

--make remaining gifts, two adult beverages: an "eggnog" liqueur and a caramel cordial

--bottle said boozy gifts

--create labels for those gifts plus the limoncello and cranberry liqueur already made and bottled (dh will do this)

--wrap (dh likes to wrap, bless his heart ;))

--plan meals for the week

--grocery shopping

--make the desserts for Christmas Eve

--make stollen for Christmas brunch

--prep dips and dippers (veggies, baguettes for slicing) for Christmas dinner

--make any sweets or salty treats

 

After Christmas:

--make sure I have everything for dd's birthday (the 30th)

--have dh wrap her gifts...

--plan the party we're having in the New Year :D

[Jenny in Florida]

• Clean the front room/dining room so we have a place to eat Christmas dinner.
• Decide on and buy stocking stuffers for my husband's stocking.
• Buy the rest of the stocking stuffers for both kids' stockings.
• Sew/personalize pajamas for both kids. (Family tradition - As of today, I broke down and bought bottoms for my daughter, because I ran out of time to order the fabric I wanted and decided that, if I was going to have to go with generic flannel anyway, I might as well buy pants.) I have to sew the pants for my son and somehow embellish or personalize a t-shirt for each of them to coordinate with the pants.
• Sew the skirt for my daughter for which I bought fabric a month ago.
• Sew the vest for my son (ditto).
• Finish the book-inspired trinket box for each kid, into which we are tucking a B&N gift card. (These have been painted, decoupaged and lacquered. Once they are dry, I just need to put in the felt linings and put the hinges and clasps back in place.)
• Ponder the question of whether I should try to find one more gift for my husband (probably) and, if so, get it.
• Wrap everything. (There is literally one wrapped gift under the tree at the moment.)
• Decide what meals we will eat between tomorrow and 12/26, and then do the necessary grocery shopping.
• "Help" our Elf on the Shelf get into trouble for another three nights and then bake the cupcakes in the cute liners I found so he can leave them behind on Christmas morning.

 

I've reluctantly decided to give up on the skirt and vest. 

 

I have decided on another gift and a couple of additional stocking stuffers for my husband and will just need to run out tomorrow to pick up the items.

 

The trinket boxes are done and almost dry enough to wrap.

 

The kids' PJs are well underway. I finished the pants for my son and have almost finished personalizing the shirt for my daughter. I am currently suffering from a lack of ideas to personalize the shirt for my son. But I feel good about the progress.

[sunflowerlady]

I have maybe an hour or two left and I'm done the Christmas board game I'm making. (http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/537003-please-help-me-with-costumesphotoshopping-for-christmas-present/?hl=%2Bboard+%2Bgame+%2Bwerewolf) 

 

Oh my, this year was a hard one. TONS of photoshopping, 27 big cards, 27 little ones (At least the same as the big ones), 2 shields, 6 extra tokens. 

 

Print them

Laminate them

Glue them onto cardboard

Laminate back of cardboard

Cut them all out

 

SO much cutting. 

 

I have totally completed 2 versions, I have 2 more to complete and then I'm DONE. 

Wow, I am totally impressed.You made a board game? I am such a non creative person. This is awesome to me.

[SKL]

You guys really impress me.

 

I love the variety in everyone's traditions.

 

I finally got the Christmas cards.  They are very nice - worth the wait - but now I want to send them out early in the work day, which is conflicting with the fact that clients are sending me last-minute urgent requests.  Decisions, decisions.

 

Our mini Christmas at the folks' yesterday was nice, although the girls seemed a little disappointed because it was not as big and chaotic as usual (only half of the family was there, and most of the exchanging will happen on Christmas day.)  And I forgot to bring the little gifts my kids had bought everyone.  Plus my folks didn't have their tree up.  My dad hurt his foot and isn't into putting up a tree.  Hopefully my siblings will help get it up before Christmas (for the rest of the family to enjoy).  But on the positive side, they have some great new toys to play with tonight before bed.  :)

[sunflowerlady]

SKL, I am glad you got your cards. I was just wondering about you and how it was going with work and trying to leave on your trip. I hope all goes well and you have a great time.

[SKL]

SKL, I am glad you got your cards. I was just wondering about you and how it was going with work and trying to leave on your trip. I hope all goes well and you have a great time.

 

I got the Christmas cards out, took my kids for a haircut, and a few other things.  I still have quite a pile of work to do.  I guess I'll be up all night.  I hope my back holds out.  :)

 

[wendy not in HI]

I'm feeling pretty good about my Christmas tree.  There are still a few things to do on the list - some I will do, and some I won't!  I like to think of a to do list as a wish...

 

We are saving ice skating until next week, and I think we will go see the Hobbit on the 26th.  We watched Stubby Pringle's Christmas instead of A Christmas Story, and I don't think there's time to fit another movie in.  I made gingerbread dough today and may bake it into a house tomorrow.  Maybe.  Not a big deal if I don't.   I haven't had time to get a package together for dd, it is not necessary, as I sent a couple in December, but I know January can be a bit of a let down, so I'll try to get a package out to her next week.  I HAVE stuck to my holiday budget!  Yay!  I'll cross that off the list tomorrow, unless something happens and I go crazy!

 

AND I haven't had a chance to sew, but I am going to head downstairs right now - I'm just making a few little cloth bags for bathroom items for the kids - just something simple.  But we have a little tradition of making things for each other, and I don't want to be the one person who doesn't do it.  My son's fingers are sore from all of his rubberband loom creations he has been making for his sisters and cousins!  That's why I'm posting this - if I write it here, then I really have to do it!  I'll check back later!

 

edited at 11pm - finished my sewing!  Made 2 cute little puffy zipper bags for small things like makeup or collectables, and one little wallet with a key chain loop.  So cute!  And now I'm off to bed!

 

 

 

 

 

Things I love: to do lists!!

(I'm afraid this looks more like a rocket or maybe a weird bell than a tree.  Unfortunately that is the kind of thing that happens when I try to be crafty!)

 

Christmas to do:

 

*

wrap

puzzle

ice skating

stocking stuff

see  the  Hobbit

gingerbread  house

church  holiday  party

plan  Christmas  dinner 

stick to  holiday  budget!!

plan  meals  for  next week

watch   It's a Wonderful Life

bake  cookies  with   cousins

See Stubby Pringle's Christmas

do  my  own  maker-ing   (sew)

have  grinch  floats  with  cousins

watch   Muppet   Christmas  Carol 

play  music  at  church   on    Sunday

lay out gifts to see  if everything is even

send New Years package to missionary dd

prepare violin trio for Christmas eve talent show

help kids get going with making gifts for each other

plan and enforce limited electronics from Dec. 23-26

Christmas crafts: danish hearts, cut snowflakes, tree garland

:

Fa la la la la

 

[Sherry in OH]

I am impressed by all the hand-made gifts. 

 

My delayed package was in the mailbox this afternoon.  All gifts are now accounted for and those not going in stockings are wrapped. 

 

Dh was supposed to go to Whole Foods alone.  Instead we all went.

 

Just a few light tasks tomorrow, mainly food prep and general tidying.  We will go to a family church service and children’s party in the morning.  The weather report isn’t good, so probably no driving to see lights in the evening.  We will watch an extra movie instead.  My hardest task will be getting the boys to go to sleep so dh and I can set out the gifts.   

[Luckymama]

It's the feverish Mom update :(

 

--last day of Nutcracker performances (today :D)

--buy stocking stuffers for ds (I only have one thing for him, yet eighty bazillion for his sisters :lol:)

--finalize Christmas Day menu w dsis who is hosting

--decide on desserts to make for dh's family's Christmas Eve dinner

--make remaining gifts, two adult beverages: an "eggnog" liqueur and a caramel cordial

--bottle said boozy gifts

--create labels for those gifts plus the limoncello and cranberry liqueur already made and bottled (dh will do this)

--wrap (dh likes to wrap, bless his heart ;))

--plan meals for the week

--grocery shopping

--make the desserts for Christmas Eve

--make stollen for Christmas brunch

--prep dips and dippers (veggies, baguettes for slicing) for Christmas dinner

--make any sweets or salty treats

 

After Christmas:

--make sure I have everything for dd's birthday (the 30th)

--have dh wrap her gifts...

--plan the party we're having in the New Year :D

 

I am so sad that I'm sick.

[SKL]

Feeling sleepy ... might sneak a tiny little nap ... may not be a good idea ... hmm.................

[SKL]

I know this is old and stale, but I just had to check back in on this.  I got most of the stuff on my list done.  The rest I am doing here and there during my "vacation."  Hoping to get the professional responsibility course out of the way tonight, and maybe some January 1 invoices.

 

I ended up with 1 hour to wrap presents on Christmas Eve morning, so I did my best.  I packed some gifts so the girls would have something to open on Christmas in Argentina.  By the time the girls woke up on the 24th, it really felt like Christmas.  We did all the usual stuff and they watched 3 Christmas movies in between checking out their new stuff, while I worked and packed (and ate candy).  We didn't have an actual meal until about 4pm at the airport, but nobody cared.

 

12:00 a.m. 12/25/2014 was spent on a Miami runway, waiting to take off for Argentina.

 

Buenos Aires is a lot different from a US city on Christmas.  Very muted in comparison - outwardly, at least.  Almost everything is closed; we couldn't even get food at our hotel (nor any amenities such as being allowed to swim in the pool).  We walked until we found a very nice little Italian restaurant which happened to have really excellent food (and Christmas lights too).  Mostly we slept the day and night away.  So that was our Christmas.  Whew!