***Please Read***

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Busy Little Elf


I’ve been such a busy little elf that I haven’t blogged in almost three weeks!
Thanksgiving came and went and then it was time to get ready for Christmas. In that time I had to help my youngest son with two projects. He left the “creative stuff” up to me because, “you’re good at that, Mom”, he sweetly informed me. Needless to say, he’s doing well and is getting straight A’s—no surprise there, the kid is a brianiac, but doesn’t have a lick of common sense! (I can say that because I’m his mom!)

My oldest son was nominated for “Snow King”. It’s where he and four other guys in the senior class have to choose a “charity” and whoever collects the most money is crowned “Snow King”. My son chose the “cause,” In Memory of Taylor, a fellow student who died over the summer. Her death has been declared “unknown” even after an autopsy. As a parent, I can’t even imagine how that family is coping! Bless my son for his thoughtfulness in remembering Taylor and I hope he succeeds in this contest.
Saturday night we wrapped up five boxes for the contest/charity (5 because each boy can pick 4 people to help him collect money). I decorated the boxes with big bows and used fabric paint to write his name and also “In Memory of Taylor”, etc., on the boxes. They turned out very pretty and they are unique. My son told me that all the others had coffee cans, so he’s the ONLY one with Christmas Present Boxes! (I told him so!) This coming Saturday is the “Snow Dance”, so he needs new duds—one of his FAVORITE pastimes is shopping--he should’ve been a girl, but I think I would’ve strangled him had he been!

I was also busy decorating our home for Christmas. When I worked full-time, I had to do all my decorating on the
weekends because that was my only free time. Now, however, I only work 15 hours per week, so I can take my time and decorate when I want to. I actually enjoy it now because there is NO stress. Although Saturday afternoon turned into a fiasco. A few years ago I purchased an artificial, pre-lit, pencil tree so that it would be “easy” for me. Well, this year the only lights that worked were on the very top and the very bottom. My husband and I sat—like dorks, I might add, and tested EVERY bulb in the two strands of lights, then replaced all the burned out bulbs. Dumb us –they still didn’t work. We wasted all that time, plus my finger tips were sore and my wrists were all scratched and red—almost like I was touching a real tree! I sent my husband to the store for new lights. I told him to buy Icicle lights, which he did, but I forgot the darn things have WHITE wires! He had to go back to the store and get regular Christmas tree lights. He didn’t complain once either—what a gem! Anyway, we re-strung the “pre-lit” tree. That darn pencil tree now has 550 lights on it but doesn’t look all that bright! Sigh-- oh well, I’ll re-string it better next year.


I want to share two of my favorite decorating areas with you. 


Number one is my main bathroom, because it just LOOKS so cozy! 


<< This is what it looks like when the light is ON








And this, when the light is OFF 


I just love glancing in there when I walk by! (I’m not just a dork when replacing bulbs!)















This is my China Closet. It’s filled with my Gone With the Wind collectibles, like ornaments, a few of my GWTW collector’s plates, and my GWTW figurines. It’s difficult to see them in this photo because of the flash. Again, the lights look so pretty at night, but this picture doesn’t do it justice, because the lights look like they are floating and the picture just doesn’t show that. At night I’ll sit in the living room and stare into the kitchen at the China closet while I listen to Christmas music, it’s so relaxing.

Every year I do a “home-made” gift. One year it was my brother and a shirt, another, my niece and earrings, yet another, my girlfriend and a cape, this year, it’s my dad and I can't tell you yet! I did take a picture of it, but if he reads my blog he would see it and I don’t want to spoil the surprise! I already screwed up a gift for my parents two years ago, I’m not about to do it again! I’ll post a picture of it when Christmas is over. My dad will really like this gift—and he’ll especially like that I didn’t buy it! He does NOT like when people spend money on him. I did have to purchase one part of it however, but, he’ll forgive THAT when he sees it.

I’m almost done with my shopping. My boys are cute. Neither have any idea what they’re getting because they didn’t give me a “list” and they know I won’t just give them money! I told them, I know YOU so I KNOW what to buy! And that’s what I like about Christmas presents—finding the PERFECT gift.

This is a happy time for me and mine, well everyday is happy, but I try to make the holiday especially happy and I’ve spent time with my husband when we went out for our Christmas gift. We also went to see a play Friday night for the
Bobcat Player’s Community Theater which my parents are actively involved with. It was a good play written by my mom’s friend and afterward we had a late dinner with my parents. We’ve also been playing Catch Phrase with the boys in the evening. It’s a fun game, although my boys have been beating my hubby and I and winning $10 each to boot! We bet them backrubs vs. $10 but we can’t seem to collect on those backrubs! Are we old or do we just suck at giving word hints? I don’t think I like either of those choices so I’ll just say our “minds” are on other things at the moment! Like getting out our yearly family photo card!
I waited until a few days before Christmas last year. Talk about being laid back, that was a bit much. Everything in moderation, even Christmas cards! I do believe I will print them this Thursday and address them Friday then mail them Saturday. That will mean they will be out one week, to the day, before Christmas!

As you’ve noticed this post is not about politics (and if you didn’t notice then maybe you’ve been drinking too much of that spiked eggnog) because I’m holding off on the political posts until after the New Year. Well, I’m going to TRY and hold off! I think I need a break. Maybe everyone does, except those holding public office—they need to actually WORK for a change!

Well, that’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed this pre-holiday post as it gives you a bit of insight into me and a bit of my Christmas traditions. Hope all of your holiday arrangements are going well!

9 comments:

  1. Good to hear things are going 'well'... The tree doesn't look that bad either :-) Gifting is ALWAYS an issue, and since I have two daughters, money is my gift of choice because there is no way I'm going to shop for them :-) Enjoy the holidays with family and friends!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Our house is decorated inside and out. (Its not my fault-the Mrs. is a
    Christmas decoration nut)
    We are still so traditional that each year
    we go through the process of bringing home a real tree and decorating it with about 25% of her huge collection of Christmas memorabilia (which should keep her busy for awhile, and which the new kitten will likely find amusing)
    Like Old NFO, my gift
    to the kids is $$$. No complaints-no returns. I like it all in spite of myself.
    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad to see you're thoroughly over your Halloween-time ailment. And everyone needs a break from politics now and then.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Merry Christmas Pam. Glad to see that you are enjoying the decorating and preparing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. lovely girly!..can hardly wait..countin down!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely post, Pam. Love those pictures of your favorite 'spots' in the house. Mine is sitting in our den looking through the double doors into the living room - where the tree is. For some reason, this Christmas is especially sweet. Maybe it's the cold (record breaking cold temps here!), maybe it's the stage our family is in...I don't know. But we've still got one who believes in Santa Claus (& I'm not talking about Otis!). She wrote a letter & everything...I LOVE that!

    Enjoy the sweetness of all the small moments. Have a very Merry & Blessed Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a wonderful project your son is doing. Like you, I cannot imagine the parents pain and can only pray He protects others from that grief.

    Sounds like you really have the holiday spirit - good for you. Keep making memories.

    Me, busy with work. My big girl out of state in school, youngest moved back home and it's wonderful having her around - when I get to see her!

    Merry Christmas Pam

    ReplyDelete
  8. You have a real flair for decorating, Pamela!

    We put up some decorations and we make it a family project complete with Christmas music. The kids love it, as do Mrs Silverfiddle and I.

    We actually got the giving and the shopping done early, so this week leading up to Christmas should be fun and relaxing, dedicated to watching Christmas movies!

    ReplyDelete
  9. thanks for droppin by WHT hun!..ho ho ho!!!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...