New here and on the downhill slide to Christmas!

[hillfarm]

Hello, everyone. I'm new here and other than the intro post, this is my first one.

 

I spent much of my day today trying to figure out exactly where and when I am supposed to be for the next several days and what I'm supposed to bring to each location! I had most of the gift stuff done, but dh and dd got a little stir crazy and wanted to go to town to people watch, so we did go into the little town about 30 miles away for a couple of hours earlier. It was a bit more active than normal (I guess, how would I really know though, I'm usually never off my property after dark, especially in town!)

 

It's late and I'd love to stay up a while and wrap a few presents, but am not sure I have the patience for it right now. I still have a load of laundry I'd like to get done and a few other things. I will probably sequester myself in my bedroom tomorrow afternoon for a while and get a bunch wrapped then.

 

I am trying to keep the focus on our religion this holiday season and so far have had a couple of nice talks with my 14yo. Still, it can be so hard not to get caught up in the busyness of the logistics and accidentally forget the main purpose.

 

Tomorrow after church I will bake a cake, do a few small last minute gifts, and then load up for an evening at my bil's house. I will have fun, I will smile and make small talk. I will not smack a couple of people that will probably be begging for it.

 

Monday I will bake during the day, finish up a few odds and ends, and then load up for a big get together at dh's aunt's home. I found some very old family photos that I plan to take to see if any of the older ones there can identify for me. I like to dabble in genealogy. After that late afternoon event, we will stop by my mother's for a brief Christmas Eve visit. She doesn't like holiday celebrations much since my dad died. I can't force her to participate, but don't want to leave her alone entirely on the holidays, so I settle for a brief visit with her here and there throughout the days.

 

Christmas morning we will open gifts at home, then my mother and mil will come for a nice brunch and to see their grandaughter's Christmas gifts. After that, my goal is to collapse for a few hours. Then we will load my mother up to drive her around to see the Christmas lights in the area. Since we live pretty far out and most places are closed on the holiday anyway, I will have to prepare a "car picnic" of snacks and hot chocolate to accompany our tour.

 

What kinds of things are you doing for the holiday?

Edited December 23, 2012 by hillfarm

[themartianchick]

Whew! I'm tired just reading your list! Welcome to Mrs. Survival, Hillfarm!

 

Like you, I still have a lot of wrapping left. My side of the family celebrates Christmas during the weekend before the holiday so that my sisters and I can all be in our own homes for the actual holiday. Today is the day, but I do have all of those gifts wrapped. However, I have none wrapped for my household and grandchildren. I'm hoping to spend a couple of hours wrapping this afternoon and will (hopefully) finish up tomorrow. Otherwise, I will grab a bunch of birthday & anniversary gift bags at the dollar store (Probably all that's left!)

 

I only have to bring a couple of dishes for today's dinner, but I'll be cooking up a storm tomorrow so that I can enjoy Christmas Day. I haven't driven around looking at lights in years...That sounds like a fun way to spend some time since we finally have a white Christmas!

[Annarchy]

You sound busy, hillfarm. But you also sound like you enjoy it.

 

Today we are expecting a young man to visit, BBQ and take it easy. Around my place, I do not make long term plans. They will always change. Monday, we may or may not go shooting and drive around to see the lights. Then, Christmas will be another BBQ to smoke the meat for Christmas dinner, while talking on the phone with our family and friends to wish them a very Merry Christmas.

 

Nothing spectacular. Just a nice quiet time, to thank God for all His blessings.

[The WE2's]

Welcome Hillfarm! Sounds like you're as busy as many of us are...as Mountain Man says..."busier than a one legged man in a toe stompin' contest".

[hillfarm]

Just back home from the first get-together. It went better than expected. Didn't need to smack anybody after all.(I reserve the right to revise this after checking to see what they have posted on FaceBook)

 

I had resurrected an old recipe I hadn't made in years. I was afraid I overcooked it, since I couldn't remember what it was supposed to look like when done. But it turned out fine and was quickly gobbled up. It was a gooey cake. Not for anyone watching calories or with a preference for healthy food, but really yummy.

 

I did get most of my wrapping done this afternoon, so I am really pleased about that. I don't want to have to stay up late tomorrow night, like I have had to do in the past.

[themartianchick]

I got no wrapping done yesterday, so I have scheduled some time this afternoon to watch a movie or two and wrap at the same time. I'm hoping that it will make wrapping less painful. My daughters are planning to help me cook later this evening. However, they have never "helped" before. We shall see if they will be a help or a hindrance. I think it will be kind of fun, though. Merry Christmas Eve!!

[hillfarm]

Christmas Eve went fine. One uncle is dating a Vietnamese woman who makes the most amazing egg rolls. I wish I had a freezer full of those! I love it when she brings them to family get-togethers.

 

Had a nice, quiet visit with dm on the way home. I was really tired, but glad we took the time to stop by. I hate to think of her being alone on the holidays but can't figure out how to get her to come to any of the family events since Dad died.

 

Wow - Christmas morning with a 14yo is so much different than it was when she was 4. Back then, she was up at the crack of dawn, ready to open presents. Now she slept until almost 9:00. We opened gifts and then cooked like crazy to do brunch for dm and mil. That went well. But next year dh will probably have to go get mil and bring her out to our house. Although it is an easy drive and not complicated, she gets lost very easily now.

 

Hope everyone had a great holiday morning and is able to rest a bit now.

 

I'm going to put everything on charger that can be charged and then take a brief nap. Then I'll institute our possible loss of power procedures since we might get some ice and wind from this storm system coming in. (BTW, it disgusts me that someone is trying to make winter storms named storms like hurricanes are. Oh please, storms are not rock stars - neither are weather reporters) After I get up, I'll do up a couple of loads of laundry, inventory the contents of the refrigerator, perhaps make a big pot of soup, etc. Then I'll go around the house and clear the floors of any low light tripping hazards.

 

I doubt we will get that much from this storm, but tomorrow early morning may be a bit nasty with ice and wind. Only for a couple of hours, but that is enough time to bring down some trees or limbs to damage power lines. Then it is supposed to warm up to lots of rain that could cause some low land flooding and finally a few inches of snow by late tomorrow night. Glad it held off this long.