Ready for Christmas

Well, I'm ready for Christmas! I finished the gingerbread garlands on Monday evening and if I do say so myself they look pretty neat. I worked today but as the 'boss' was leaving at 10 am he told everyone to try to get out of there early - so I left at 11:30. It was really slow and I had been there since 6:30 so I put in a good day. I stopped at Walmart to pick up a few things - didn't seem that crowded unless you were near the kids clothes or toys. The parking lot was horrible - there were plenty of parking spaces but the lines of cars leaving the parking lot were blocking all the lanes. Fortunately a nice young girl was letting a lot of people in front of her so I got out fairly quickly. I bet the people behind her were getting frustrated!

When I got home I wrapped a couple presents so I could finally put away all the wrapping paper and supplies. Then I baked sugar cookies - I cheated this year and bought the dough because I knew I would not get them mixed up myself. DH17 and I frosted them just a little while ago (Rhonda- I used your frosting recipe - that's my favorite!) We did about 2 dozen of them to take to DH's parents' house tomorrow. They are all in white frosting with red and green sugars and sprinkles. The rest of the cookies (I baked 6 dozen total) are packed in a tin and the frosting is in the frig. I can decorate a couple dozen as needed over the next week and they will look 'fresh'.

We will go to the Christmas Eve candlelight service tonight at 6 pm and then back home to open one present each - PJ's of course. My DH's family always gave new PJ's on Christmas Eve so we have carried on that tradition. I think that way they knew the boys would all have matching PJ's for the Christmas morning pictures. This year I got fleece ones for the girls and I. Snoopy for DH19, Tinker Bell for DH17 and Frosty the Snowman for me. DH would love something like that but I couldn't find them in adult male sizes. Last year I got him Simpsons sleep pants and he loved them.

After that we will all put on our new PJ's and watch A Christmas Carol. We always did that when the girls were little and they would camp out on our bedroom floor. That way I would know when they had fallen asleep and it was safe to put out their presents. Now I just get up early to let the dog out (5-6 am) and they are both still asleep. Have to fill their stockings but the presents are all out around the tree.

Tomorrow we will go to DH's parents house. His dad has been in the hospital but was to get home today. I am taking bread pudding (crockpot recipe) , a lettuce salad and the cookies. I had some brown sugar and cinnamon bread in the freezer that I am using for the bread pudding. After eating and presents, I will leave to pick up my sister at the airport. She will be here until 12/30 - our family Christmas get-together will be Sunday 12/28.

Time to get ready for church -- how appropriate to start our festivities with the church service - after all Jesus is the real reason for the season :-)
Joy and Blessings to All - Merry Christmas!