A full day

At the rate I'm going, I should have the house decorated for Christmas by Valentine's Day. Note to readers: Next year, please remind me to start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.

Even if I had the house decorated, there is still the problem of decoration boxes in the dining room. They need to be moved into the garage for now. Unfortunately, once in the garage we may not be able to find the boxes again. Yes, the garage is that bad!

Today I'm celebrating sweet potato fries. I baked the fries for dinner tonight and they were so good!

Checking things off my Christmas to-do list(s)

Felt Christmas tree hanging on the bigger tree.

I made the mistake of going to Target this afternoon. Since it was Monday (a work day and four days before Christmas) I didn't expect a crowd in the middle of the afternoon. I was so wrong. People were running into me with their carts and – worst of all – stopping in the middle of the aisle. Annoying.

On a more serious note, my heart breaks for Jimmy Carter and his family. How tragic that Carter's 28 year-old grandson died suddenly, and at this time of the year. We got word last night that Mr. B's aunt died last weekend. I think I only met her once at our wedding, which was almost 21 years ago. Her service will be on the morning of Christmas Eve.

Today I'm celebrating my family by hanging our Christmas stockings. With everyone out of the house except Mr. B, Rose and me, I'm also going to sit on the floor to finish wrapping presents.

The Sunday before Christmas

A close up of a little mitten I made for the tree,
as well as the construction paper garland made
by Dr. Mc.

Tomorrow begins Christmas week. It's going to seem strange at the house because Mr. B is taking Monday off of work. He'll be home tomorrow, but the McZams (Dr. Mc, Big Daddy Nick and TLP) won't be here because they are house sitting. They left this afternoon and won't be back at the house until Friday (Christmas Day).

I've determined that I only need to get two more Christmas gifts. That is a great feeling. I still have several gifts to wrap, but I've already wrapped most everything. This is also a great feeling.

Today I'm celebrating Christmas movies. I've watched two today, including one of my favorites: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I'm amazed at Chevy Chase's physical comedy, which always makes me laugh. Big Daddy Nick and I also watched the Texan's game. Good game resulting in a Texan's win.

One more day than I thought

Our Christmas tree covered with handmade
felt ornaments and construction paper garland.

Dr. Mc told me last night that Christmas isn't until this coming Friday. For weeks I've thought that Christmas was Thursday. I attribute my confusion to the fact that we usually have our family Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve, but this year we've switched to Christmas night. So instead of being ready with decorations, presents and dinner on Christmas Eve, which is Thursday, I've gained a day.

We have another Christmas party tonight. I was thinking I had nothing to wear, but alas, looking in my closet(s) I found several things that I haven't worn in at least three years. If it is cool enough I'm wearing a long velvet coat dress that is very festive.

Today I'm celebrating a finished Christmas tree. This morning I finished the last of the handmade ornaments and hung them on the tree. It's a very sweet little tree, if I do say so myself.

A little Grinch in the house

I receive emails about upcoming and ongoing estate sales in and around Houston. I enjoy previewing photos of what will be included in the sales.

This week I've been looking at an estate sale that started today. I was tempted to go because there was a photo of what appeared to be a framed print by R.C. Gorman, who was a Taos, NM artist. We have a Gorman lithograph in Pettita Casita in Santa Fe so I talked myself out of going to the estate sale today. I have other priorities rather than buying another piece of artwork.

Today I'm celebrating the cutest little Grinch. Dr. Mc found a green sweater with the Grinch's face on the front. TLP looks so cute in the sweater. Then again, he looks cute in everything he wears.

Summer haircut in mid-December

I was out of the house most of this afternoon. As I was getting in the car, I realized that I hadn't left the house in four days. This is how I roll.

I knocked out the remainder of my Christmas shopping this afternoon. I went to Highland Village, which wasn't crazy busy. I might only go to that shopping area once a year and am always surprised to see that stores have moved around. It was tempting to do some shopping for myself, but I refrained.

Today I'm celebrating a super short haircut. I had this haircut when I was 19 and it was cute. I'm not sure that the pixie fits my current face and body type. Thank goodness my hair will grow out!

Decking the halls

If only our house was twice its size, everything we own would fit inside. Since I haven't been able to find growth hormones for the house, I suppose I'll have to continue purging things.

Mittens (about 6" long) pinned and ready for
me to stitch together.

We have a storage unit that is also filled to the max. We got the storage unit a little more than a year ago. I have no idea what is in there, so I wonder how important the contents is to our lives. I know there are a pair of chairs that I should take to The Guild Shop to be sold on consignment. 

Today I'm celebrating handmade ornaments. I've cut out the fronts and backs of half a dozen felt mittens. After TLP goes to sleep tonight I'll stitch the mittens together. He is much too interested in the needles and thread for me to attempt sewing while he is around. His little fingers are everywhere.