The Week Before Christmas

Ya know how I wasn't posting all that much just before leaving for Christmas? That's because it was crazy busy around here! Let me give you a little run down on what was happening...

Monday was a day for finishing the neighbor gifts. Clear back at the beginning of December, I found these great glass jars with an image of the Nativity. See, I'm all about Christmas being about Christ, not Santa. While the man in the red suit does visit us (because we've been ever so good), the focus should be on the birth of our Savior. The jars were perfect. Originally, the plan was to fill them with cookies or fudge but as the month wore on and my To-Do list kept growing, I opted for store-bought candy. But they still sat on my bedroom floor, all empty and lonely. That afternoon, da Boo and I filled them up. I made tags (from 3 different kinds of paper because I am completely insane) and they were ready to go! But I didn't have time...there were still Christmas cards to make, address and mail!

Monday night was the Wasatch Winds Christmas Concert.

Here is the Man at the timpani, one of his favorite instruments. Since he is quite the percussionist, three orchestras and bands have been trying to woo him. He likes WW so there he stays. The concert was fun! Aunt Denise and the Co-Ed joined us. Afterward, we exchanged presents with them and our buddies. I had made cookies for this gift exchange but then neglected to take them out of the oven...they were a little dry.

Tuesday, da Boo was very upset about a hurt finger. The tip of her index finger blistered like it had been burned. She insisted she didn't touch anything hot. I couldn't think of anything that she had been around that would have caused the damage. So I wrapped it in Dora bandages, gave it a feel-better kiss and thought nothing more of it. I was distracted by the fact that I had to teach the Boy's preschool and got two cavities filled.

Wednesday, we finally were able to deliver those neighbor gifts and received a few more. I love neighbor gifts! It's like getting an Oscar... "You love me! You really love me!" Wednesday was also a day for massive loads of laundry in preparation for the trip. And it was da Boo's Christmas Program so I was baking a cake and putting together mushrooms.

Thursday came all the packing and gathering and making lists and ignoring those lists to post on my blog and packing some more and wrapping gifts and trying not to collapse into an exhausted heap on the floor. I was staying up until 2 am nearly every night trying to finish what I couldn't do while playing referee and judge for the kids. The Man was putting in late nights at work trying to get everything done before he was out of cell phone range. No fun! At least I had all those neighbor goody plates to keep me full of sugar.

See? Now, aren't you tired just reading that? Imagine having to go through it! Then came Friday, the day we had planned to leave...