Progress

The mantle is done. Going to work on some of the rest today. No hurray except that I have to get all of the every day decorations I took off the baker's rack in the kitchen and mantle, to make room for the Christmas stuff, off the kitchen table so we can eat!

OK - thanks to blogger these photos are in reverse. Oh well - C was all about helping with the lights this year. This is *getting instructed* on how to test a string to find out which bulb is out. C was very proud to tell me when I came back from running K to youth group that it was HIM, not Daddy that found the bulb and replaced it. Man, he is getting so mature so fast.

Found the santa hats in the boxes....C sported the long one off to school today. When I told him he wasn't allowed to have hats at school, he reminded me, "we can wear a hat TO school, just not AT school" - I stand corrected. So I imagine it will spend the day in his cubbie.

And Duncan Bob Oodle resurfaced from the christmas boxes. Elf on a Shelf. He is supposed to disappear each night to report our activities to Santa and reappear in the morning someplace new. Duncan Bob did not move until I realized and remember this morning. Luckily no one noticed, not that anyone really believes he sees Santa anyway.......I actually bought him becasue he looks exactly like an elf my grandmother had out every Christmas. She claims her's came from the top of a box of chocolate one Christmas. When I saw this guy in the store he just brought back all that nostalgia, I had to have it.

The spirit is slowly creeping in. I think one thing that isn't helping is that we don't have to do much shopping anymore. Most of the stuff for the kids is electronics and can be ordered online. I ran errands yesterday and decided a side trip to Old Navy was in order. Bit of Christmas shopping, and over head music helped a bit. Ran into Toys R Us - yessss! I got to go in TRU this year - to look for something C asked for (by the way Nerf N Strike Vulcan is NO WHERE to be found - in case you are wonderin') I watching nostalgically as parent's of young children pushed their piled carts full of Little Tykes and Lego. I can remember pushing overflowing carts every Christmas, because at that age the toys are huge! That stage of our life is over, until grandkids come along a LONG time from now. It was sweet to remember though.
We are also having a hard time this year deciding on charity. There are SO many that need something, including our bank account not being as full as usual. Two families over at school, with sick kids, needing holiday help, the angel tree at church, Toys for Tots, families without jobs right now, soldier packages, shoeboxes to Africa....where to give and how much is really pulling at my heart right now. DO we give close to home where we may see the families enjoy the gift, or again to strangers we don't know who need it? I am planning on sitting with the kids and talking about it tonight. Let them decide.