To Do List - Dec 24th

This is for me.... I find I get more accomplished this way!

But while I'm working away here, I am listing to my friend Sara's You Tube Playlist! I am enjoying her selection of Christmas tunes! :) Some familiar, many are new to me, but are all wonderful, and point to the real reason for Christmas, the birth of Christ! Enjoy!! :)

So to do today...

• run dishwasher
• cook turkey
• peel potatos
• wrap Michael's gifts
• sweep floors
• bag up gift baskets
• wash whites
• fold and put away laundry
• have kids tidy their rooms
• do dishes
• clean up family room
• make peanut butter blossoms
• make rice krispie treats
• have a shower
• bath the kids
• make place cards if time permits
• 
  

For Today - Dec 20th

Outside my window... it's dark, and it might even be snowing, butI can't tell.

I am thankful...for my friend Lynn who is coming over to play, and for my husband who is going to babysit Lynn's boys so she can come :)

I am praying... for God to provide a job for Michael sooner than later.

I am thinking...about doing the dishes in the sink,maybe.

I am celebrating... the silence!

From the kitchen... sugar cookies, rocky road fudge, chocolate candy cane fudge, and buckeyes!

I am wearing... my comfy red sweats, white t-shirt, and pink super soft socks, and yes, I realize they don't match thankyouverymuch! LOL!

I am reading... nothing at the moment really, ok, my January Stampin' Success and Scrapbooks Etc. :)

I am hoping... for a cancellation so I can get a sooner appointment!

I am hearing...the kids trying to not make noise while they are SUPPOSED to be going to sleep!

I am creating... this really REALLY cool Christmas paper ball!! I will post photos in a day or so!

Around the house...a mess. I've been baking, and creating. I need to get tidied for Christmas!

One of my favorite things... pretty snowflakes

A few plans for the rest of the week...a little more baking, Christmas dinners, wrapping gifts, playing games with the children - we taught them DUTCH BLITZ tonight!

A Christmas Meme

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Yes, and am mostly done. Just want to make a couple of things, but if they don't get made, they don't :)
2. 
   
3. Tell me about one of your special traditions. We give PJs to the kids on Christmas Eve. Since my folks split up two years ago, all our family traditions will be changing. I do make cinnamon buns every year for Christmas breakfast :)
4. When do you put up your tree? Usually the 1st weekend of December.
   
5. Are you a Black Friday shopper? Since we are Canadian, that would be a no. I have often wanted to go to the USA to try it out! Gotta get passport!
   
6. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? Just to my Mom's a nd to Michael's folks... but that's only a few minutes in the van! LOL
   
7. What is your funniest Christmas memory? Hmmm, not sure!
   
8. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? The Grinch, the cartoon one! OH and Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation
9. Do you do your own Christmas baking, what’s your favorite treat? Oh yeah, I bake. I LOVE to bake!! I make rocky road fudge, chocolate chip cookies, shortbread with hershey kisses on top, and am wanting to try out truffles and biscotti this year. My favourite...I love it all!!
   
10. Fake or real tree? Fake. I'm allergic to real, and I would like to enjoy the Christmas season without a nasty 'cold' like thing going on!
    
11. What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done? I often feel panicky on Christmas Eve, wondering if we have remembered everything, and rushing about tidying things up!
    
12. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Sometimes, but not in a panic... might be something we saw last minute or forgot about. Michael does all the wrapping too, so that's nice for me! :)
    
13. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Hmmm, lots of stuff really... Christmas programs at school and church, going to see the Festival of Lights on New Year's Day with Popcorn and hotchocolate in the van :) Lots of stuff!
    
14. What Christmas craft do you like the best? For me, the stuff I make stamping... for the kids, glue snowmen!
    
15. Christmas music? I LOVE it! I would listen all year if I was allowed. Michael doesn't like turning it on before Dec 1, unless it is Trans Siberian Orchestra! I like it all, traditional, new, old, original or not!
    
16. When do you plan to finish all your shopping? Except for a few stocking stuffers, it's done :D
    

This is the man I love!

I started this post on May 31st, 2009. I will continue this evening, Dec 8th, 2009.

may 31st, 2009 - Yesterday morning, we learned that a good family friend had lost his earthly battle with cancer, and was now in the presence of the Saviour! While we rejoice that he is now at home, at peace, and pain free, we also mourn the loss to his family (his wife and two young sons) and to us, his friends.

December 9th, 2009 - The above info really brought it al home for me, just how much I love Michael. How much I rely on him, and how grateful I am that God brought us together.

I want to go on and on about how much I love him, what he does for me, for our children, for our family... I want to share how it makes me cry that he takes care of my Mom. I want to share how he has a pact with JA to tickle her only on weekends, and has had it for a long long time, but I only found out recently. I love that he has that special thing with her, even though it might be silly to others. As a result of that pact with JA, Z now has his own he made up yesterday - you can only tickle me on Monday's, and Tuesday's, ok, and a little bit of Wednesday too! LOL I love that he went outside tonight to plug in the Christmas lights for me just because I wanted him to. He let me listen to Christmas music in November, and only rolled his eyes a few times! :) He compliments my cooking. He asks about my weigh ins at Tops, and genuinely cares if I've gained or lost. He gives me tickle scratches, even when he is tired. He has not complained at all about not having a job this past 13+ months, even though I have gone through seasons of complaints enough for us both. He tells me he loves me every day, many times a day! He does dishes. He puts away laundry. He teaches me how to use my MP3 player. He wraps all the Christmas gifts!! He helps out at the church. He helps the neighbours. He laughs, a lot! He calls me 'n-o-f-u-n' which makes me laugh! He encourages me to get out with my friends. He watches the kids, and takes them places all by himself. He provides. He cooks. He rubs my back. He tickles me mercilessly sometimes too! He plays with our children. He volunteers with me at church in the AWANA group. He still holds my hand in the van, at church, and any time we are out. He sets an amazing example for our chilren, esp our son. He lets me nap every Sunday afternoon. He takes care of me when I am sick. He cleans up puke because I simply cannot. He likes my scrappy and card making results. He tells me I am beautiful. He shows me I am beautiful, even when I think I am not. I could go on and on and on. I have an amazing husband. I have an amazing best friend. I have an amazing God who gave me the most wonderful man ever!

Michael - He loves God. He loves me. I can't ask for anything more. I love him more every day, I love him forever.