I won't tell you...

that Christmas is less than ?? days away!

Told ya I wouldn't, because I don't think you would believe me anyway...the number of days is down to double digits, that is how close it is...YIKES.

We are still deciding what we are going to do this year. I mentioned to Ethan that we were only going to get 1 present and give the rest to those in need...he freaked a little, and then I told him to think of one thing he would REALLY want...that calmed him down.
So I think we might just do it.

Then there is the husband whom I love an appreciate so very much and I can never surprise the guy...seriously. I figure out something and then he happens to go buy it for himself before Christmas...UGH. So this year I need to figure something out that HE won't. Any ideas on any new electronics items coming out?? Maybe I need to dig down deeper and find something sentimental or something that you can't just go pick up at the store....hmm any idea on that either??

Fake vs, Live

I am not sure if I am happy to say it, but this is the first year I have experienced a fake tree.
I have always had live ones, even as a kid, I think we may have had a fake a few times before I left the house, but I was always against it.

My aunt is moving and her tree would have not fit in her new home.
So I took it.
First to save some money cuz I always fall in love with the pricier ones;)
And because not having to vacuum a million times a day, AND because with 2 FRISKY 6 month old kittens, I thought it may be a good idea.

Here is my pro's and con's list, picture to come tomorrow:)

PRO'S

*Very sturdy, kittens have climbed it, slept in the branches, I've leaned on it to hang stuff etc, not falling over!
*Because of all the above poking and prodding, you'd think there'd be needles all over...NOPE...I love it!
*I didn't have to wait for hubby to come with me to Home Depot (our traditional purchasing place) I drug the tree in and put it up all by myself, when I wanted to! (It was kinda heavy, but I managed)
*I can bend brnches to be in the places I want them to be while strategically placing the ornamnets, or bend the branches out of the way for the oposite reason!
*Because of above bending there is literally NO bare spots, and I don't have to trim uneven branches, like I am Edward Scissorhands.
*After Christmas, and when moving time approaches, I will not have to lug the tree throught hte house to the treelawn, while polluting my carpet with prickly needles.
*Becasue the tree was pre-lit (mostly) putting lights on was much easier.
*This is the biggest most beasutiful tree I have ever had!!!
*The darn thing is STRAIGHT, with out any fight!!!

CON'S

*No beautiful piney smell aroma when I walk into the room.
*When a tree is supposed to be pre-lit and you plug in all the plugs and there are strands out in different areas, you aren;t going to check all the darn bulbs to find the culprit, so your gonna have to string lights anyway...RRRR.
(It was free, can I complain??)
*I feel like a cheater.
*No beautiful piney smell aroma when I walk into the room...sigh.
(I don't think I can get past this, but for this year I will.)

Awesome way to GIVE

Hey everyone.
I just found out about this:



I am so excited because we have decided to GIVE abundantly this Christmas.
Josh really dislikes what the Christmas season has becomes and this prevents him from enjoying the holiday. I asked him ever so nicely to PLEASE be happy this Christmas and not be a grinch, for the sake of the kids.

I suggested we just really focus on what we want the kids to know about Christmas, giving, love, family, focus on Christ etc. So we agreed!

This is an awesome way to give without feeling like what you do have to give isn't enough to help or without having to choose who to give to.


Check out the link to see all the great bloggers behind this great idea=)

A thinking question...

With all this talk about Christmas cards (various blogs), I was eager to go in the attic and find the card I bought at a deep discount last year...cute ones I assure you!

I was going to address them and get them out, but then, I thought about it....scary I know=)

Is it more meaningful to get the card right after Thanksgiving, sometime mid December, or maybe the week right before Christmas?

This is my thought on each one, and to be clear, I have never thought about this before..so I am not judging your day after Thanksgiving Christmas card, don't worry;)

Right after Thanksgiving- You know that the person was really excited to start the Christmas season, or just wanted to get this daunting task out of the way before all the other obligatory holiday stuff came full swing.

1st or 2nd week in December- This is kinda when a lot of people send cards, so it's a normal time.

Week before Christmas or week of- I was thinking that maybe Christmas card giving was meant to send wishes to those you don't get to see at this wonderful time of the year. Friends and loved ones far away.

Do I have you thinking now??

PLEASE VOTE, in the comments tell me what you think about all my thinking.
I know there are more than 5 or 6 of you reading this, so I want to see some votes!

Great

Christmas was great.

Ethan was sick with a fever on and off all weekend. He was very whiny and crabby, but did enjoy opening his presents! It didn't matter what was inside of them he just wanted to open them.

Here is a picture from our visit downtown to visit the toy soldier.



Here is a picture of all of my brothers and their gift from me!
(They thought it would be funny to stand next to dad!)

Hope you had a great Christmas too!

A Little Fun

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, hand down! My favorite id Swiss Miss French Vanilla Hot Cocoa

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Wrap them! We wait until the kids are in bed Christmas Eve night and then bring them out and set them under the tree!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I like white most of the time!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but maybe I want to this year,i need to go buy some.

5. When do you put your decorations up? I would love to do it the day after Thanksgiving but Josh isn't a huge Christmas fan,so we usually don't get them all up until about 2 weeks before Christmas..we just got our tree last night, i haven't even had energy to do the lights or ornaments yet

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Cheesy potatoes,my Aunt makes one kind and my mom makes another..lots of carbs, but YUMMY

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Snooping around the house for our gifts..one year I found a receipt and ruined my whole Christmas=( I also like seeing the tree with all the presents piled up on Christmas morning.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My mom never lied to us! We don't let our kids get carried away with Santa, I don't want Santa being the focus of Christmas instead of Jesus. They can visit Santa and get pictures that is fine, but we don't go out of our way to lie about him

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I usually buy and ornament for them to buy...but we also have a family gathering on Christmas Eve so we get to open lots of presents!!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Silver, and white. I love snowflakes so the majority of our ornaments are snowflakes, and then there are ones thrown in from when we were kids and the kids first Christmas ornaments etc. You need a little splash of color!

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Only love it on Christmas Eve and Christmas, or if I don't have to go out in it!

12. Can you ice skate? Uh-huh! i went every Friday night for like 4 years+

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My Tanzanite and Diamond tennis bracelet on our first Christmas (He overdrew our bank account for it!! LOL)

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Trying to instill in my children a heavenly understanding of it and not a worldly one. I love to give gift to everyone, and spoil my hubby and kids.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pie

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Don't have many yet, I just like waking up early and getting the kids up to open their gifts.

17. What tops your tree? My tree s bare right now, but there will be a white glittery star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Both...if I just get one gift I am happy. i like the silly little things Merci picks out for me!!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? The Little Drummer Boy, the new version by some Christian artist, and that one song I don't know the name of... I will have to get back to you..LOL

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum Yum, I like the Spree ones, and other yummy flavored ones, not too fond of pepermint.

I am supposed to tag people, but I won't, because they won't do it anyway. but you can respond to some in the comments!