Countdown to Christmas 2018 ~ Week 2

We've been so busy, I haven't been doing a great job photographing our 

Christmas Countdown fun :(

Day 5 ~ We went to the theater to watch "Ralph Breaks The Internet"
{I voted to see "The Grinch", but was outvoted by the girls.}

Day 6 ~ Our annual Community Tree Lighting ~
Sierra was a helper elf to Santa again this year,
and the rest of us girls helped move the Santa line along.

Day 7 ~ Our new kitty, Miss Luna, had another vet visit,
so we took advantage of running into town, and picked up donuts.

Day 8 ~ Shopping with Friends

Day 9 ~ Church & Gingerbread House Decorating:

How have you been staying busy?

A Little Honesty, and a Lotta Christmas Goodness

 

We've been plugging along, counting down our days until Christmas.

 

Last weekend Jeremy and I got to take off for a few hours and board a brunch cruise. 

It was a Christmas gathering for the local telephone company that he volunteers for, but any time away is looked forward to, as it happens so seldom.

 

 

It was a dreary day, but the scenery was still beautiful.

{If you can ignore the muddy waters ~ we have had an ABUNDANCE of rain these last few weeks!}

 



We've also been busy with our Christmas Countdown crafts and activities.

 



 

We had plans to have friends over to decorate graham cracker gingerbread houses,

but all of the girls have had sniffles and coughs, so we postponed, not wanting to pass any germs along to others right before Christmas.

 

So we proceeded, just the five of us.

 

 

 

 

We're flitting about ~ just like normal

We're crafting away ~ just like normal

We're humming carols,

and baking cookies,

and decorating houses,

and visiting with friends,

and wrapping packages,

and watching Christmas movies,

JUST LIKE NORMAL.

 

And somehow, the last couple of years, it just hasn't felt as normal.

 

The truth?

The real truth?

 

~ I've been a little grumpy lately ~

 

*Sometimes I want to hole up the entire month of December, and just BE with my little family.

 

*Sometimes I want SNOW. {Possibly so that we can be snowed in and FORCED to ignore the outside world for a bit}.

 

*Sometimes I just want no bickering.

 

*Sometimes missing those we love and can't be with really, really, hurts.

 

*Sometimes the holidays make old wounds open wider.

 

*Sometimes I love online shopping so that I don't have to battle crowds. 

 

and

 

*Sometimes I HATE online shopping because packages that are shipped out the first of December, still haven't arrived, and you FREAK out that they won't make it in time for Christmas.  Which leads me to . . .

 

*Sometimes I wish we could rewind to 1890 and hand make all of our gifts. And be elated with a peppermint stick or an orange in our stocking.  And ya know what, I LOVE to buy gifts for people.  I love to pick something out that I think someone will love.  I love to wrap it, and give it!  It's not that I hate shopping.  But I am getting sick of Christmas gifts.  The excess. The lists. What ever happened to surprising someone with something that you picked out especially for them? 

 

Whew, y'all.  I'm just grumpin.

 

Time for me to get some Christmas spirit back!

 

Sending out lots of love to you, in case you have the case of the grumps too!