Togetherness

I love my family.

There are very few activities that don't become just a little better when we do them together.

Today I was reminded of one.....

Comfort and Joy

These two words from my favorite Christmas carol describe this week between holidays perfectly.  I  love Christmas, but the week between Christmas and New Year is my very favorite.

I love the joy of a day spent with family, the look on faces when they open new things they have been dreaming and wishing for. I love the comfort of no more rushing, no more wrapping and no more wondering.....

What did I get?
Will he like his present?
What if it doesn't fit her?

Now is the time to watch epic movies (LOTR is a favorite anround here), read new books (I've already finished one), eat up those cookies so you never have to see them again (until next year) and play with new toys. 

I am even looking forward to this weekend, when to start my new year I will be taking down all our Christmas decorations with Gone With the Wind playing in the background all day.  I have done this for years, even the girl is looking forward to seeing Scarlet and Rhett.

So party all night and nurse your first hangover of the year on 1/1/12 if that's what you love to do, but frankly I don't give a damn...

And then it was done....

Christmas was wonderful....

The joy on our daughters face when she looked at us was worth every minute spent in a mall. 

We shared our day with family and had laughs and tears. We held a brand new sleeping puppy and marveled at his cuteness. We ate delicious things we only eat once a year ( my sister-in-laws Christmas pudding) and we came home tired and happy to put on new Christmas pajamas and watch the best movie ever made, It's a Wonderful Life.  I cry every time Mr, Gower hits poor George's bad ear and each time I see his friends and family come together to help him at the end.

May we all be as blessed as George Bailey...

Freedom…

…is that moment when you admit to yourself you will not get those knitted slippers done in time for Christmas.


Ahhhhhhhh…..



They will keep his feet just as toasty warm for New Years.

Wordless Wednesday

Ten On Tuesday

10 Things To Do Before Christmas

1. Giftcards - I leave these to the very end because I hate them. I understand they are easy, but something about them just rubs me wrong. They never seem like enough, $25, really? But when I have to buy 5 of them at once and shell out over $100, I am annoyed.
2. Watch 13 Christmas Movies - We are woefully behind on our holiday movies. I have no excuse, other than our level of laziness must have decreased from previous years. We have a Christmas chorus concert tonight, so I am going to have to do nothing but sit on my ass all day and watch Rankin & Bass if we are gonna pull this off.
3. Stocking Stuffers - Another little thing that annoys me. After 24 Advent gifts and paying out the national debt in chocolate chips to make every melty, peanut butter treat on pintrest, sticking a shiny new penny and a clementine in that stocking seems like a good idea.
4. Knitting - I have 1.5 slippers to knit and felt. I have 5 secret knitted gifts to finish for my aunts and a hat to line and finish.....by Friday (this is where those movies come in!)
5. Christmas Cards - My cards are done and have been for weeks. They are sitting on the back sit of my car, sorted and ready for stamps. See gift cards and stocking stuffers.....annoyed.
6. Christmas Lights - All month I have wanted to go see the Christmas light show at the lake. Now we are into the last week before Christmas and I am running out of opportunities.
7. Christmas Eve - We are having people over, I guess I should have a plan....
8. Be Thankful - I desperately want a moment to sit in the glow of the tree lights and appreciate all that we have. I am too busy making it happen to enjoy it.
9. Bruggers Bagels - These bagels have been a tradition since my mom died and my dad used them to replace a big Christmas morning breakfast. Our local shop was chased out of town by Tim Horton's and their crappy bagels. My husband will have to get us some from the "big city"
10. Pickle Present - Every year we hid the pickle ornament in the tree and the kid gets an extra present if she can find it. It still must be hid and a special gift selected.

Well, I thought I was pretty caught up until I started this list. Thanks a lot, Carole.

***Update***

I HATE THE POST OFFICE. I finally psyched myself up to go in and buy $30 worth of stamps for my Christmas cards, only to be told EACH CARD required another .20 cent stamp because they were too small!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! This is why snail mail is dead. I will not be sending the "too small" cards at .64 cents each. To all of my friends and family who are waiting by their mailbox for our annual card, go inside and have a cookie and hot toddy because that shit ain't coming....

All I Want For Christmas Is You.....

I made these this week.

I found them on pinterest.

I have decided Santa can keep my presents.