Fa la la la la . . .

You know it's Christmas when:

1. Carrie and Ashley are in bed together singing Christmas carols
2. Dan is making one last trip to the grocery store
3. Carrie is learning to make Favorite Salad
4. Cleaning up for company coming tomorrow
5. Making breakfast egg casserole for Christmas morning
6. Wrapping the last gifts
7. Watching for the FedEx truck
8. Running out of Christmas bows
9. Making a gingerbread house
10. Going to the Heltons!!!!

No Christmas Eve service tonight due to expected rain storms.

"We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas!
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a happy new year!!!!"

Sending love and best wishes to everyone this Christmas and always!

Poem Inspired by Carrie's Friend, Jamie

Gritty eyes
No surprise
Its 4 a.m.
Flannel sheets
Draw me back
To the land of zzzzs

http://whoajamie.blogspot.com/ check out her blog!

"Not a creature was stirring . . ."

Except for a mouse! I hear at least one in the attic, but hopefully it will find one of the traps recently set up and die. There, I said it. Yes, I hope for the quick demise of the little things. There is not enough room in this house, attic or (God forbid) otherwise, for both of us. Making Mrs. Hayter's Christmas baked egg casserole this morning to take to work for our table party - food all day long. Glad it isn't raining as I ran through the drops yesterday with Mike's birthday cake in hand. Tomorrow I'm off and I can't wait! Today will go quickly as I prepare to be gone until Monday. Merry Christmas everyone "and to all a good night!!!"

4 a.m. Musings

So, I wake up today for the weekly 4 a.m. teleconference only to find out that they moved it to tomorrow! And, strangely, now I am wide awake. I predict that I'll be doing a total faceplant today around 6 p.m.! Oh, well; perhaps I met my sleep quota for the weekend (finally) and am ready to face the day. Things I could do: make Christmas cookie dough, make Christmas cookies, tidy up the house (company coming on Thursday), start my layered jello salad for Christmas eve dinner, sew or read. And, I never did get to the Sunday paper yesterday! Well, it is a busy season, isn't it? I did get my Christmas shopping done, so feel much better about all that. The mall was crazy, but the prices at Macy's were sale upon sale. That was great! A couple of packages to wrap and some cooking and I'm all set. How about you? Are you ready to experience Christmas at its commercial best? Let's remember that we are celebrating the birth of a King, our Lord and Savior, Almighty God, the everlasting Father and, best of all, the Prince of Peace. God bless us every one.

Brrrrrrrrrr

Well, we had some wild weather today. Wind gusts and rain and very un-So Cal. My office window looks out at the ocean, through pine trees, and it was all I could do not to just stare out the whole day today. Couldn't wait to get home and get the fire lit and enjoy some warmth. Tonight I am making magic cookie bars for tomorrow's all-lab potluck. And, am trying to get the Christmas cards done. Hope you are snuggled up by the fire tonight, too.

All Bound Up

Sue finished Karen's quilt and sent it to me to do the final binding on it. Frankly, it is gorgeous. I love the colors and the fabrics and the design - even if the pattern was wrong and Sue had to trim parts to make them fit. She did a beautiful job and Karen is going to love it. It's all boxed up and Dan will mail it tomorrow.

It was a sewing weekend and I do love being in my office/sewing room during the winter. It gets the late sun and is lovely and warm during the colder days. Last night we went to church and then out to dinner with Nancy, Scott and Vi at Famous Dave's. Ashley went to Chris' work holiday party and she looked fabulous in her cranberry red dress and heels up to there. Don't know how she walks in those things, but the effect was certainly worth it.

Now, on to Christmas cards and final shopping. Tuesday my work has its annual "grade and graze" - it sure is fun being in the lab and enjoying their activities. Apparently the two top guys flip pancakes in the morning for everyone. Can't wait to see that. Oh, and we'll grade some diamonds, too. Friday is the all-work holiday party, then the Helton's annual Carol Sing. It'll be a good week.

Tough day

It was a terrible day at work today as 150 co-workers were laid off. My team was "safe," but some very dear friends were affected. I had to leave mid-day for a dr. appointment, but left with such a heavy heart. And, frankly, I feel like I missed a bullet. Plus will be taking a 10% pay cut with my 40-hour work week. My team will work 9 days out of 10 and not be paid for the day off. But, at least we have jobs and hopefully will have them going forward. My biggest regret is that my former assistant, Dani, who has been a manager for the past three years, got axed. What a loss. She is one sharp cookie, though, and I know will work through this difficult time with grace. Good luck, Dani, and don't forget you have a friend in me.

'Tis The Season

The garland is up, the stockings are hung, the Yankee holiday candles are out, and the snowmen (of which we seem to have an army) are placed just so. Yes, Christmas is up at our house, thanks to Miss Ashley. Dan's been sick and now I have it. Ashley was down with it on Saturday, but got better much quicker. (Oh, to be young again.) Now we just need to finish shopping, baking the cookies and signing the Christmas cards. Thanks, Ash!

Happy December

Thanksgiving was great. Ash and I went to Thanksgiving eve services and sat with Chrissie and Matthew. We traveled to Aunt Coni's for the Tilton gathering to celebrate. Carrie came home for the weekend. Then, Friday, Ashley's Chris came over and helped hang Christmas lights on the outside of the house and stayed to share our second Thanksgiving dinner and we played rounds and rounds of baseball - Greg's card game. We shopped, saw Australia - go see it! - and decorated our Christmas tree and relaxed. It will be a busy month now that December is here. That said, let's remember the reason for the season - the birth of our Lord. 25 days and counting!