This Christmas tree is mostly bare; it only has some decorations at the top and bottom, and the bin of ornaments is setting by it…and I’m happy because when i look at it I remember that the ornaments on it are the ones my little granddaughter could reach to hang and the ones she told me to put at the top. I laugh remembering that I fought the Grinch for 30 minutes and thank goodness found a copy of the instructions on ebay so I was able to get him stood up and working (I hadn’t put him out fir years!) – and she loves to make him dance and sing!

Archie hasn’t had a bath, and I haven’t cleaned, but Archie loves me and is my faithful companion, and the kids won’t care that there are some things out of place.

The couch pillows and TV tray are everywhere haphazardly, but that’s because Janeesa is home from Brazil, and we’ve been couch potatoes, watching movies and snarfing all the yummy food.

The table is a wreck, but the baking supplies are out, and the flea meds are ready for the dogs tonight, and that gift is too heavy to move so I wrapped it on the table and that’s where it’s staying, and that’s okay!

I have the gifts all wrapped, and this year’s budget was smaller than the past three years…and there aren’t any *big* WOW!!! gifts, but I don’t think the kids will care. They’re looking forward to seeing each other and all of us spending time together, and I loved shopping for them all this year.

I still need to embroider my son-in-law’s and granddaughter’s names on their stockings, and I want to make cheeseballs and a yummy brown sugar caramel pound cake tonight, but I know if I don’t it’s not a big deal. The traditions the kids all care about are ready – stockings stuffed, Pajama Fairy jammies ready for all of them, and ingredients for Land of Nod cinnamon rolls ready for tomorrow morning. Even the dogs and cats have a little treat ready for them for tomorrow.

For the first time at Christmas since Gramma Izzie died, I am happy and content and full of holiday spirit! The kids will all be here tomorrow, and I have been looking forward to Christmas since October (not just going through the motions and slapping on a smile to appear happy so nobody worries about me). I’m so excited for Christmas to be here this year!