Rambling again

Well, I haven't been feeling myself lately, but, I'm up and around again today, so thought I'd say hi. I still haven't found a Christmas present for Jeff, mainly because his list is a little tricky this year (I'd really like to tell you his main request but it's too embarrassing -think Star Wars), and frankly I'm scared to go to the store this close to Christmas. I know I'm going to have to buck up sooner or later, but right now it's looking like later. Internet shopping anyone? I'm also terrified that it's going to be a disappointing Christmas for my kids. I think I get it from my Mom. I always remember her looking anxious Christmas morning, and I never remember being anything but thrilled, but those facial expressions must have sunk deep into my subconscious because they're there inside me every year.

Part of it may be all the options! Kai wants "that for Christmas" every time we see something in a store, on TV, at a friends house.... We really try to keep it small for Christmas, just three gifts each, and this year it's more like two, but it's a conscious choice that's really hard to stick to. We also have a limit of around 40.00 to give something to each other. This makes it more challenging to give something meaningful, or something the person wouldn't buy for themselves, but sometimes (like this year) I get stuck. It's all going to be OK right?

On a brighter note, we had our church Christmas party last night, and it was really nice! My friend Audrey was in charge, and I guess that was why it turned out. The ward had no budget this year for the party, I mean literally no budget, so everything had to be potluck. She assigned out everything, and people really came through. It was just soup, salad, bread, and pie, but it all looked nice, and the soup I had was great (so whoever brought the lentil and sausage -yummm!). She even assigned out the centerpieces. The one on our table was a replica of the Grinch's sled tipping over the edge of the mountain with all the gifts (remember that part?) --our neighbor made it. The kids did the whole nativity story on stage with songs, and then the bishop read stories to the kids, and the Primary donated stuff for a craft.

Before the Christmas party, Kai had his preschool Christmas program, and ran true to family form. He REFUSED to get up there and sing. After the thing was half over I reminded him that in the spring when his class did their program (and he did a solo with no balking ---what the?) how he wanted his class to do a show "tomorrow, and the next day, and the next". He remembered, and got up and finished the show then. He wouldn't stand up and do the snowflake dance with the other kids, far far beneath him apparently, but the rest of the songs he did. Nuts. I took pictures with my phone, but they've disappeared. He looked like a teenager. "You better not pout" --he must have forgotten that part.

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