O my Christmas!

Well, the holiday season has kicked off! There have been parties for hosting (well, attending) and marshmallows for toasting (or floating in hot chocolate) and some really cute boys caroling us while they tossed toilet paper all over our front yard.

Thankfully, I am not feeling overwhelmed by our level of activity this year; if anything, the holidays are providing a break from our usually crazy schedule. Golf is over for the season and dance is about to have a 2 week hiatus before competition season kicks off. I think I am done shopping and I think I came in close to (maybe even under) budget.

It is a magical year. All the kids are into it, especially Sascha, who is very adorably into Christmas--she loves to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and may be slightly obsessed with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". (But only if you define obsession by 3-4 viewings a day.)

(Not that I let my kids watch that much tv.)

(And what is my apparent obsession with parenthesis?)

My mom and my aunt and I celebrated my aunt's birthday today with a pedicure and lunch and then did some shopping together. We always have fun together; in fact, probably my favorite thing about the 3 of us being together is that we get the giggles. Today was no exception--even picking out toenail polish had us laughing. In the end, just in case you care, we all chose holiday themed colors--mine was/is Very Merry Cherry.

On a blond note, I am not sure what my system for addressing Christmas cards was this season, but somehow I missed several. There is almost a pattern to it. I addressed them the same weekend that the Hogs lost to LSU, so perhaps, in my grief, I was unable to see straight. If you haven't gotten one from us and you usually do, hang on, round 2 is coming! (And if you get two, just know I really, really didn't want to leave you out and couldn't remember if I had. Have some Christmas compassion on me and maybe a bless her heart or two.)

The kids are finally out of school and I have tried to keep our schedule next week somewhere between not boring but still relaxing. I have a few craft projects planned--go ahead and laugh if you know me--and a few places to go. Mostly, however, I plan for us to stay in our warm pj's as long as possible each day.

Have a holly, jolly weekend!!