Christmas Spirit

I had a great weekend. Mostly because it started on Friday. Brian and I shopped and shopped. It was fun. We stopped for lunch and had a sandwich and a pitcher of beer. This year I've felt a little stressed about the Christmas shopping. I'm not exactly sure why, but there was that lay off in my department and spending a lot of money right now just scares the hell out of me. Not that I've stopped as much as maybe Brian would like me to, but I think about it a lot.

This year the kids donated $50 out of their Christmas budget. So, whatever we have budgeted for them for their Christmas gifts they were going to donate $50. They have all made their donations and while we were shopping I was feeling a little panicked because we were buying so many gifts. At least that's what it seemed like. We went back and entered the amounts into the budget and they are all right on. We didn't go over at all. We spent less on their gifts this year than we did last year, which is what I wanted, and yet it still seemed like a lot.

I had to put it into perspective. It seems like a lot because there are four of them, but in reality they are only receiving about three or four gifts from us. And not expensive gifts either. They each made a list and we picked a few items off their list. And actually, their lists weren't even that great. Darby had the longest list and some of it was stuff she doesn't even want (like Lego sets) and the boys only had 4 things on their list. And Jordan got some of those things for his birthday. We told them to make new lists and all of them refused. Darby said that she would not make a new list. She had enough on her list and she doesn't want that much this year anyway. What the heck? Who are these kids?

I think they just realize how lucky they are as they get older. They may not get everything they want like some of the kids they know, but they never have to do with out. At least I hope they realize that.

On Saturday I went to tea with my co-workers. Mostly they were co-workers I like so it was a pretty nice time. We had a gift card exchange and I got a Sephora gift card. Score! I think it was the best one, though I may be the only one who thought that. Most of the other women are older and some didn't even know what Sephora was, so it all works out. I love this tea place. It was so cute. I need to take my girls for tea sometime. I didn't even know it existed until now.

On Sunday the kids had a Christmas pageant. It was pretty cute. Riley had a speaking part, which was unexpected I guess the original Ahab didn't show up. He did pretty good. Jillian stood up on the stage and didn't seem nervous or shy at all. She was one of the sheep. It was so cute. Jordan and Darby didn't have lines. They had standing parts. The kind where they just stand there. They really should have given Jordan a part with lines. I think he should have been King Herod, but whatever. I'm not in charge of casting the Christmas pageant. Thank goodness.

I'm back at work now. I wish I didn't have to work. Blah! But I'm excited for Christmas and I love Christmas parties and planning Christmas parties and going to Christmas parties. It's so fun! Sometimes it's the only time of year I see some of my family. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I can't tell ya! Ha, ha. Just kidding. Kind of.

Okay, if I don't write again for a long time Merry Christmas!