December

So I look down at the calendar and realize I have exactly 15 days left to shop for Christmas. Holy crap - how did this year fly by so fast? I actually thought I had a handle on things this year and would be hitting the mid-December time frame ahead of the game. NOPE!!! WRONG!!!! Suddenly the countdown is ticking in my head and I realize I'm not close to being done. I do admit that I am probably farther along than I am at this point most years. I have done the Christmas cards, wrapped the gifts I've already bought, the house is decorated, the tree is up but there is still much to be done. I have gifts to mail to relatives out of state. I haven't really gotten anything for Cameron yet this year. Most of the stuff I bought for my dad - I had to give to him for his birthday last week (not a shocker - I do that every year). The real blessing is that the kids are pretty much done. I have one more thing to get the E man and he's complete. A turned out to be a very expensive person to shop for since she only wants electronics and clothes. She wanted a digital camera and I am pretty sure I'm getting a new one for Christmas so I plan to give her my current one. She also wants a laptop and although I don't argue with the idea that we need a 2nd computer in the house - I just cannot bring myself to spend that kind of money on one. Maybe after the holidays. Finally, she wanted a Nintendo DS and since I nixed everything else - I am giving in on this one. Her brother overtook the Game Boy she got for her bday year before last so I think it's a reasonable request. It's the clothing costs that are killing me. She needs tennis clothes and those are not cheap. E was easy to shop for this year - all toys - all boy - all on sale!!

I know I'll get it all done in the home stretch - I'm just grousing that another Christmas has snuck up on me when I wasn't looking. Seems to happen every darn year. Hopefully, next year will be the year that I actually get it all done early so I can sit back and enjoy the meaning of the season w/o stress chomping at my heels.

Merry Christmas to all!!