Today's To-Do List

1. Drop off gifts at school

2. Whole Foods shopping

3. Organize teachers' gifts

4. Clean out car, which means really pay someone to clean it

5. Ask my husband to put away Christmas boxes, take Goodwill bags to the car, and take out the recycling

6. Wrap kids' stocking stuffers

7. Make cookies for art fair staff cookie exchange

8. Fold laundry

Last Night's Supper

1. I was physically and emotionally drained from a long day of decorating, (2.5 hours on trees, 1.5 hours on house, and 2 hours of cleaning up and putting boxes away while also wrangling 2 toddlers) so my husband brought home Penn Station subs for dinner. God bless him.

2. He had the 10" Philly Cheesesteak with just the meat and cheese

3. The kids shared a 6" grilled cheese, and I warmed up tomato sauce for dipping purposes

4. They also had fruit- blackberries and a clementine for R and strawberries for W

5. The kids and Andy had Baked Lays

6. I had my favorite- an 8" Grilled Artichoke with added mushrooms, lettuce, and pickles. Delicious.

7. I also had Terra Chips- sweet potato and beet- which are the ultimate chip for me and ring in at a full serving of vegetables for 15 chips, so you'd better believe I ate 15 chips.

8. The kids drank Bolthouse Farms Green Goddess juice

9. Andy and I had Soarin' Strawberry Lemonade Kool-Aid (don't judge- we are in our 30s, don't let our kids drink it to be ultimate hypocrites- but it's my guilty pleasure in life to partake in the occasional 2 quarts of heavenly drink)

Numbers: Christmas Edition

1. 3- trees in our house, 2 big and 1 small

2. 5- stockings hanging, because we don't leave out our sweet doggie

3. 70- approximate number of Christopher Radko ornaments

4. 20- days until Christmas

5. 11- presents under our trees right now

6. 5- people on my list I still need to shop for

7. 5- giant snowflakes hanging from my ceiling

8. 23- childrens Christmas books we have

9. 11- days until we celebrate Christmas in Arkansas

10. 5- "Chatham Angels" ornaments I have

11. 26- candy canes hanging on the trees

12. 3- gifts I bought for my husband

13. 16- actual Advent calendar things I put in, because I got a five day late start and we will be out of town for four days

14. 9- Christmas parties/events we have on the calendar for December

15. 0- days I would like for it to snow

16. 19- beautiful crocheted ornaments I have from my beloved, sweet great-aunt Mert

17. 53- balls I use decoratively around the house, not counting the ones on the tree

18. 2.5- hours it takes me to decorate the trees

19. 2- angels we have out made from paper plates

20. 4- members of our little snowman family on the bookshelf

21. 4- nativity sets we own

22. 3000- nativity sets a woman in Denton, Texas owns

23. 6- choices of wire ribbon for gift wrapping

24. 5- poinsettia plants I want to get- I miss working at the preschool that sold them as a fundraiser. They were inexpensive and huge.

25. 1- Christmas card we've received so far. Score one for the Swanns and their cute photo card.

26. 4- Christmas crafts I have planned for the kids

27. 3- lit evergreen garland strands I have used

28. 6- times I've limited the kids to pressing the play button in a row of the little dancing snowman/penguins thing from Hallmark that sing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

29. 27- days until I take down the Christmas trees

30. 3- gifts we buy each of our kids

31. 1- little baby born a long time ago that often gets put in the background of all the craziness

Sunday

1. Went to church this morning

2. I had baked eggplant and and seasoned, wilted greens for lunch

3. The kids broke in their new indoor swing that Dad installed

4. I am going to decorate the trees and wrap presents today

5. The kids are going to watch Mickey's Christmas Carol today

6. Quesadillas for dinner

7. Hot chocolate for dessert

Things That I Saw Shopping Today That I Liked

1. These lounge pants

2. This tee

3. Jeans

4. Cute skirt

5. Plaid shirt

6. Sweatshirt

7. Interesting leggings

Smells I Don't Like

1. Damp Cheerios. When I worked in the baby room at a day care, I thought I needed a gas mask during snack time.

2. The car after fast food

3. My clothes after Mexican food or coffee place

4. Coins or my hands after I've touched change...

5. Barbecue sauce

6. Lunch meat

7. My childrens feet when they don't wear socks

8. That plastic-y/chemical smell on some toys that I consequently do not purchase

9. Kentucky Fried Chicken

10. The Disney Store, which is really all of their perfumes and whatnot. It's horrifying.

11. Tires

12. Winter-believe me, it does have a smell, and I resent it.

13. Books you check out from the library

This Weekend

1. The kids are spending the night out so I can go out with friends tonight. I really need a girls night out.
2. I'm going to use my free Friday morning to take a long nap.
3. Andy's work Christmas party. Never much fun, but at least I have a cute dress.
4. I am going to make some delicious buckeyes.
5. I am also going to cook cheesy quinoa patties.
6. Hopefully, we'll get our Christmas trees so that I can finish up my decorating.
7. Crafts at the Greentree Advent Workshop. It is such a fun event!
8. Christmas shopping with Missy
9. I have to get the advent calendar up and full of festive activities
10. I'll watch at least one Christmas movie- Love Actually, maybe?