Guess What's Just Around The Corner~HoHoHo!

You guessed it~Can you believe it?

I know you probably don't want to think about it but Christmas is just around the corner. This year has just been a blur it seems with all the traveling and things with baby Hazel. I am glad that I have been a blogging maniac because honestly, I don't think I'd remember 10 things about this year without taking notes. It is not that it hasn't been a memorable year, it is just that the hard-drive in my head is getting full. I need to de-frag and compress myself or something. Any suggestions on how to do it?

Relax~Making Sure That Fits In Someplace!

We have wracked up a lot of air miles with Southwest and I was bound and determined that we are going to use them to go to see the kids at Christmas time. Usually travel to the Beehive State isn't that expensive but prices have been inching up regularly and for the two of us it was going to be pretty pricey for a week. So I determined to get it reserved early. Now, by airline standards and holiday bookings this is not that late (it is mid-August for Pete's Sake!) but still I had trouble getting flights. One thing about Rapid Rewards...they are not that rapid anymore, as the point structure has changed requiring more $ spent for each "free" ticket and they don't just let you use them anytime you want to fly. It is true they have technically removed the blackout dates around the holidays but they only allow a few of those tickets to be used on each fight during peek travel times.

The Vision

I did manage to get the tickets but not on the most ideal days for traveling..Christmas Eve and New Year's Day..hmmm! Should be lots of fun trying to find rides to and from the airports Bummer. Well, we do want to see the kids and grandkids and spend that time with them so it is OK we will figure something out. The important thing is we have the tickets! So we will be dreaming of a White Christmas (more like nightmaring, hoping the weather will be ...dare I say..."nice" while we are go to and from.) I really do love the snow when you don't have to drive in it. Visions of sugar plums are dancing in my head already. And with iTunes Christmas Carols are just a click away at any given moment.

The Baking I Never Do

Going anywhere at Christmas time is full of logistical challenges, not the least of which is how you get all the gifts there when you have 8 grandkids and four adults kids too at your destination. This is especially true with the airport crowds and baggage limitations, security checks, only having so many arms, etc. So planning ahead is key. Aren't most things like that really?

The Fun Part~Kids and Christmas ~A Great Combination!

So what this is all leading up to is it is time for me to start deciding about presents already. We are going to see them all in a few weeks for Julia's baptism and I plan to do most of my shopping then so I can wrap it all and leave it there. So like it or not, I have to put myself in Christmas mode. Anyone else in the same Yuletide boat? Any ideas on how to do it?

Just a Little~Just a Little!

I really do love Christmas with all the fun of it, I just know I have to get going and pace myself to really enjoy it. I have pledged to do a really simple decorating job this year..just a tree and maybe a few other things. We'll see how I hold to that notion as the excitement of the holidays draws near. Fingers crossed that I can do it as the memories of getting it all put away is still fresh in my mind from this past Christmas. Ugh! Less is more, less is more, less is more...my new mantra.