holiday update

how is everyone doing with their decorating and shopping and parties and everything else? i've almost finished decorating -i looooooove having our christmas tree up! i haven't started shopping but i did make a list! (and this is the person who reminded everyone to shop early to avoid paying a million in shipping!) parties are coming - we just got invited to two last night so i'm excited. everything else is good - we are excited about the christmas eve service at our church. i really want to see a children's christmas play, too. how are you all doing? i love christmas!

I love Christmas too and LOVE having our tree up! My kids can hardly contain themselves! I like looking at my fireplace with the stockings hanging and I know why Christmas is my favorite time of year!



I am doing pretty good on the shopping, at least for my kids. I am having a terrible time trying to figure out what to get Russ' parents though. We haven't even come up with a good idea yet! But we are working on it. I am enjoying this holiday season and it doesn't seem quite as frantic as years past. Of course, I haven't even started my Christmas cards... but... I will eventually!



Glad everything is going well for you. Your enthusiasm gave me an extra boost! Thanks and happy shopping!

Robin

Claudia....



Thanks for spreading some holiday cheer my way!



Well, I did some major holiday shopping today...though on a huge budget...you all are going to laugh your behinds off at me, but my dad sent me $100 and I spent a lot of it on gifts at the dollar store.....OK...moan, moan....we are REALLY on a tight budget this year.....so please don't laugh at me...



But I found some awesome things...first off, they had an entire section of books for grown-ups...and many of them were award winners or even a couple of Oprah picks I bought three for my mom and one for Thomas...they are all perfectly respectable, good books......Also, they were selling these tera cota spice jars for 4 diff. spices...thyme, rosemary, mint and ...something else....a buck a piece...but they are very fancy looking....For my daughter, I bought at special child-sized book-carrying bag....and a series of 8 very colorful books to go with it....I found this really hard game for adults similar to chess....that is really neat..I've never seen anything like it before but there are two games in the package...and they seem fun and challenging...another gift for Thomas...



For my dad and his wife, I got the fake "Obsession" for him and her......and a book on tape about Clinton......(a topic he loves to go on and on about )



What else did I get...hmmm....some neat books for Alex....a toy for the dog....a "jewelry box" for Finny and a bunch of neat little beads and barettes for her hair ( she loves that stuff!)....



I had a great time looking through all of the aisles to pick out a few treasures....and I really felt good about it...even if it was the dollar tree.....the things are nice and I would have likely picked out similar things and paid more money for them elsewhere......



thanks agian for the upbeat thread......



Kris

[DCJenn]

We went to get our tree yesterday- from the same palce we wentr last year- and they didn't have any- nor were they getting any more. So, now I think I'll see if Walmart has any and get one on the way home from work. Can you believe it? As for the shopping, I did most of the shopping for my famly while I was in Ireland. We went to the PX yesterday and got the rest of the gifts for the in-laws. They are very difficult to buy for and Rick is such an unenthusiastic gift giver that he's a total buzz-kill at the holidays. They just didn't do the holidays in any bog way. His mom takes down the tree the day after Christmas. Oh well.



But we had a couple of the residents, interns and staff over last night for a big poker game. I'm sure there are some aching heads today. and we won most of them money- celebrated by ordering pizza tonight!



keep your fingers and toes crossed that we find a tree!



Jenn

[Meenah]

I'm having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit, but I'm working on it. Last night my oldest daughter and I painted little wooden sled christmas tree ornaments and put names on them. I have three holly trees in my yard, so we cut alot of holly & greenery and decorated. I'm also trying to blend Christmas and Hannakah, so I placed holly around the menorah!!!! Eat your heart out Martha Stewart!!!!!

Luanne