Why Are You Reading This?

Go celebrate Christmas with your family!!

Merry Christmas, Dear Readers!

So I’m Not Crafty

But you all knew that by now, didn’t you?!

I emailed Wilton today–that’s the company that puts out the gingerbread house kits. I bought one last year with the greatest of intentions.

See? Over there! There’s the road to hell, and I’m paving it!

So this year I’m going to do my darndest to actually put the thing together. Wilton said it’s fine–just that the candy might not be as fresh as if it was newly made. Like the children will care!

I just got out the directions and am grimly reminded of why I didn’t do this last year.

Join one side wall to one peaked wall. Attach other peaked wall and side all panels. Press together. LET DRY AT LEAST 1 HOUR BEFORE PROCEEDING.

Attach roof panels. LET HOUSE DRY AT LEAST 2-3 HOURS BEFORE FURTHER DECORATING.

And all this time you have to keep the icing moist.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

That’s, like, a whole day between setting the stupid thing up, letting it dry (while keeping little hands away from it), putting more on and letting it set up some more.

I AM NOT CRAFTY, PEOPLE! I don’t ENJOY this kind of thing. I do it for the kids so they have some sort of happy memories of their childhood, that’s it!

Pray for me!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Stop reading this and go spend time with family. If you can. If not, spend time with God! Well, ok, spend time with God AND your family.

Planning Ahead

Have I mentioned that I’m a planner? Yes, I’m sure I have. Because it’s very closet to being a sickness with me. I can’t help it, nor, really, do I want to! It’s very helpful!

Since December and the whole Christmas deal only comes once a year, and I have the worst memory in world, I have made a Word document. It’s under my “Christmas” folder. It’s called “Christmas Ideas–read in Nov” Seriously. I told you it was like a sickness!

Here’s my list of things I need to know in November so I plan ahead and make my December much easier!

1. Hang string on the wall for cards instead of the card holder on the door (Ethan just bangs on it and pulls the cards off!)
2. Remember that I DO NOT like to cook late in December and budget for more meals out!
3. Get family picture taken in summer or early fall or Thanksgiving–no worries!
4. Buy larger bins for kids’ decorations. They have outgrown the shoebox size.
5. New Years Eve you will change your mind and want to hang out with the Stapleton’s eating appetizers. Plan early. Harry’s closes at 6 on that day.
6. Borrow folding chairs for dinner from the church.
7. Christmas Dinner: ½ ham, premade mashed potatoes mixed with 2 cups cheddar cheese, green beans, carrots or corn, rolls, pies for dessert (Ken always makes apple), Don’t forget extra butter and apple cider!

We learned #1 the hard way. Same with #2. #3 we’ve done for several years and it works really well. #4 is a problem that cropped up the end of last year and I didn’t want to deal with it until this year–this way I remember! #5 is another lesson learned the hard way. We wanted to eat, but nothing was open so we ended up running to WalMart for something to cook. #6 only matters if we’re hosting, which I think we’re not this year. Thank you, Jesus! #7 is my go-to menu from last year when I was incredibly busy.

What would help you with planning if you thought about it ahead of time?

What happened to November?

I walked into our local Super Wal*Mart to do my grocery shopping. Today is Monday November 3rd. What is the first thing I see when I walk in the doors?

A STINKIN’ CHRISTMAS TREE.

HELLOOOOO???? What happened to Thanksgiving? They’ve put away all the Halloween stuff, but they forgot the next holiday. I mean, really? Who buys Christmas stuff on November 3rd?

It’s like the election. By the time you finally get there you are totally sick of even hearing it.

Oh, and they are playing Christmas music in one section–where the garden stuff usually is but it’s now all Christmas thing.

November 3rd, PEOPLE.

I hate commercialism.