Getting Ready for Christmas?

How are the holiday preparations coming along? Three weeks until Christmas so time is running out. I have a Christmas newsletter about 25% complete, a shopping list with a lot of question marks, and one gift ready for mailing. Not a lot of progress for December 4.

There seems to be some resignation about Christmas this year- people concerned about their finances who realize they need to cut back. My worry each year is that I waste money if I buy a gift that the recipient doesn't like. Ideally, I'd prefer to find the "perfect" gift on my own and not have to rely on a wish list but at least a list ensures the gift is appreciated. I like gift cards because then the person can get exactly what they want but then I feel guilty, like I gave up without really trying. I'm overwhelmed by all the choices on the internet and this year I'm not ready to do the Polish gift thing. My solution at the moment is to procrastinate.

We haven't done any decorating yet. Maybe we'll get a tree this weekend; there are lots of tree lots around town but I have no idea what kind of evergreens they offer. Our traditional gingerbread house will have to wait until school vacation begins on the 19th. We'll make doughnuts (Ryan!) then, too, and cookies.

The ODC party is next Friday evening and will be a joint venture with one of the other embassy offices. A caterer will be providing the main dishes while families will bring desserts and side dishes. The ambassador will have an open house at the residence sometime this month and the language school that teaches the Polish classes at the embassy is having a party on Saturday. The days of sitting in Santa's lap are long gone!

I hope everyone is a little more prepared than I am and looking forward to a relaxing holiday, especially the moms, who usually shoulder the burden of planning, decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and cleaning.

Annual Advent Calendars

They are here! They are here! The Christmas season doesn't officially begin for the kids until Aunt Jane sends the advent calendars. With all her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, I wonder how many she buys every year! Tim was barely in the door from work with the mail before they were all over him to see if a package had arrived. He's making a face because he didn't get one, too! Every morning, the first thing they do is open the next window and pop that bite of chocolate into their mouths.

Construction in Front By, Michael

I thought our street was fine but the road workers think not. The road workers already finished one other street and it was very smooth. When the road workers were done destroying the road. HOLD ON, mom just said that the road workers were replacing the pipes! Now that's a whole other story. Well anyway the road workers are in front of the house.
Katy, me, and Kyle now have to go to the end of the street to get on the bus. Maybe mom and dad can't get out the drive way!

Last Snow in the Yard by, Michael

This is my snowman and it is the last snow in our yard. It took maybe 30 minutes to make it. But it is getting warmer and that is making the snowman melt. It was at least 3 feet high of solid snow but now it is just a few inches of snow. It took about 9 days to get to this stage of meltation. I'm not sure if meltation is even a word even though it sounds cool. I was the last kid inside and that's when I had my chance to make the big snowman. It still continues to get a bit warmer.

Oops

Sorry, the blog streak is over. Usually I update between 9 and 10 pm after I have tucked in Katy and Michael but yesterday I had been feeling sicker and sicker so I crawled into bed around dinner time and never got up again. When I woke up this morning, I realized I had forgotten the blog.

Luckily it's Saturday so I can hole up in bed with some books and my laptop.

Yesterday was another one of those great days when the kids have school but Tim has a day off. He enjoyed a sleep-in and then we went for a run. After lunch he worked a half day (the Poles and business industry were working as usual) and went to a reception, listing to the left under the weight of all his uniform ribbons, in the evening.

Today Kyle will be at school all day. He plays violin in a band that is accompanying the school musical Cyrano de Bergerac and they have an eight-hour dress rehearsal today. Katy will actively avoid homework and Michael will bounce from activity to activity (computer, TV, messing around with Katy, Rock Band, etc.).

Ugh. I'm too full to think or move

Nancy, Katy, Kyle, me, Richard, Michael, Andrew, (Tim- behind the camera)

What Are Your Thanksgiving Day Plans?

First, and most importantly, will be to prepare the stuffing and put the turkey in the oven. Then I like to do my traditional personal Turkey Trot run of at least four miles. Tim's sore foot may prevent him from joining me so I'll just take Muse (my most favorite band right now). Tim's office has been challenged by the Marines to a football game so he'll be gone for that for several hours. The kids will be doing homework because ASW is in session both Thursday and Friday (one of the drawbacks of attending an international school). I'm letting them stay home on Thursday but they have work due on Friday.

Early afternoon my friend Nancy will arrive bearing cherry pie, mashed potatoes, and whipped cream. Her husband is in Baghdad for a year so she and her son (when he gets out of class) will be joining us. We also invited all the Poles from the office but those RSVPs have been in flux so I'm not sure how many we'll have at the table.

Later, we'll call Ryan who is spending the holiday at Lisa's parents' home north of Atlanta and we'll try to set up a video call to the Mallinsons at Lisa's house.

And somewhere in there will be lots of cooking, eating, and cleaning!


The kids will be waiting for the last dish to be washed because my year-long ban on the humming and singing of Christmas carols ends then. I have this thing about hearing Christmas songs out of season because, for me anyway, hearing them during the year makes hearing them during Christmas a little less special. Perhaps it's silly but it's not the worst of my flaws!


Okay, this post sounds completely stupid but I need something to continue the blog streak. Please feel free to ignore me today.