Thursday, December 08, 2005

Ho-Ho-Fucking-Ho

I'm feeling a little behind on the whole holiday season. Anyone else?

This morning I trudged to the giant closet (the old feed storage shed I de-mousitized and turned into my personal storage space) and drug out the boxes of Christmas decor. This weekend I'll decorate the barn loft (we don't do outside lights but I like to put a little something in the barn loft.... right now a scarecrow & a big corn sheaf are up there....) When we moved out of town we made a serious effort to simplify the holidays.... cutting down on the decorations, gifts, parties & general static.

The tree.... we are cheating about the tree.... last year we hiked about eleventy-million miles into the woods to get the perfect tree.... it really was lovely but my out-of-shape self almost DIED and there was no snow so we had to carry it out rather than skid it on a sled. We have another spot we can usually drive too that requires less hiking but with all the snow and cold this year (you didn't think I was going to let you forget it is -23 F here, did you??) we won't be able to get in there and it wouldn't be safe to take Sweet Boy.... so Hot Stuff's boss planned a thinning project for this weekend in an area with lots of Christmas tree-sized trees. So no big family event but we will end up with a great tree for the price of a $3 permit.

Last night I got groceries. Two work holiday parties this weekend to do potluck stuff for and candy-making things. I do fudge & caramels every year.... because it is really hard to screw up fudge and caramels (although one year we had "spoon fudge" on accident...) this year I'm branching out and adding rice crispy treats..... I know, I know.... hold me back! This morning I hit Target for that holiday stuff.... you know..... toilet paper & paper plates.... the stuff it sucks to run out of when you live 10 or more miles from Target and have guests.

Hot Stuff ordered our Christmas card photos last week.... can't wait to see what he picked. Yes, I do a form letter.... and, yes, I brag about my kid in it.... bite me.

Shopping. Well.... I have IDEAS for everyone... does that count? I'm about half way done. I plan to knock off a bit more of that tomorrow morning.... this is one serious advantage to having too much vacation time.... coming to work at 10:00.

Santa is bringing dental hygiene products for everyone this year..... this is one of those odd things that started when I was a kid..... Sweet Boy is getting a spiderman electric toothbrush & fruit-flavored toothpaste. He's also getting new crayons, mitten clips & a sticker book.

Oh hell, I guess I better confess now..... I over-shopped for Sweet Boy. I wasn't going to tell you.... after talking about simplifying and all.... he is getting a new toybox, a Shrek 2 dvd (which we've actually already opened and watched....), a Shark Tales dvd, a new big boy sled, a plastic backhoe (if I can find one....), Dr. Seuss books and a step stool/tool box (if I make it out to Home Depot before Christmas....). I was also going to get him a Lands End snowsuit but they are backordered until January.... whew, saved myself $65 there..... And you KNOW Hot Stuff will go out the week before Christmas and buy him a bunch of stuff.... we are OUT OF CONTROL.

So, how is everyone else doing with the howl-iday season??

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