It's begginging to feel a lot like Christmas

Should I do a second edition of My top 10 excuses for not posting for so long?? Okay, I'll spare ya'll!

Moving on...

I know that most of you have been in the Christmas state of mind for a couple of weeks now, but I have just joined. Ella's birthday is this coming Sunday and we had her birthday party on Saturday. I just can't seem to think Christmas until her birthday party has come and gone. Maybe it's because I go a little nutty with birthday parities? No, that's it! =) I usually hold her party a week early because of this. There were several times that my mind would go to Christmas and I would have to stop myself. But it's over and Christmas here I come! It just really felt like Christmas today for me. And what a great feeling that is, it's so warm and fuzzy.

Marty is going to be working 12 hours days 7 days a week for the next month or so. They have a job that they are running behind on. Though the extra money will be helpful this time of year, it's going to be hard not being able to do all of the Family Christmas events that we usually do. And he is going to be so tired. He has school for another two weeks, so that means 2 days a week, he will leave here at 5 am and not return until 9 pm. At least that's two nights a week that I don't have to make dinner! I'm making lemonade here =) Having the weekends alone with the kids will give us a lot of time for making crafts and other Christmas activities. There's that Lemonade again!

I am so anxious for our tree!!! There was hardly room in my house for Ella's party as it is and with a tree comes rearranging of furniture, which leaves less room. Anyhow, we usually take a trip up to the mountains to cut down our own tree. Last year, I was 6 months pregnant and Marty had to literally push me up the last 10 feet of the mountain, but I made it! So, with Marty not having a day off, it looks like we'll get one from a lot. Which will probably work better with a baby anyhow. Any advice on where to go? I can't justify spending any more than $30 on a tree, but I would like a nice one. This is why we like cutting our own! I'm not sure where to put our tree this year either with Alli on the move. She is pulling herself up on anything she can reach (oh, and she has stood all alone a few times for a minute or so, she'll be walking in no time! What a bittersweet feeling!) and I keep seeing her pulling the tree over on her. We like it right in front of the bay window so it can be seen from outside. A few people at Ella's party suggested putting it in the corner right next to that and putting either a baby gate (or two) or the love seat in front of it. Thoughts? Would the love seat look silly in front of it?

I'm not sure if we are going to put up outside lights this year. Marty won't be home in the daylight for quite some time and just the thought of clumsy me on the roof is terrifying! I may throw a few strands on the bushes and the porch, sounds pretty huh! Throw them on! Yea, I'll do that!

Christmas shopping, oh Christmas shopping! Damn all you people who are already finished and bought all of the toys that I was going to buy! I was browsing around at store today to get an idea of the prices of the items that the kids are asking for and all 3 of the things that I was looking for were gone gone gone! But I'm not panicking about that at all. It will work out, it will, it will, it will. Did I convince you? 'Cause I'm not sure if I convinced myself! I really am almost finished with the kids, except for those 3 things. And I'm sure that the white chocolate that Cole is requesting from Santa shouldn't be a problem. ;)

So, besides the tree and the lights, my house is all decked out for this fabulous holiday! I have festive Scentsy bars warming (Spruceberry and Sugar Cookie are my favs currently)and Christmas music playing in the background. We have the stack of our Christmas movies out, which are so fun to watch every year with the kids. They have such a different reaction each year as they grow older. The kids and I watched The Santa Clause tonight, I love that movie! It's magical! We plan to have another festive movie night with the second one when it's on TV next week and I am going to check out PPV for the third. We made homemade hot cocoa to enjoy with our movie, it was so good! We topped it off with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles!

I hope you all are enjoying the season!