Are you kidding me?

I have have grown to have pride in my lateness. You know the doing-it-at-the-last-possible-second way of doing things. It has become my way of life, and I have grown to accept it.

So, when I tell you that I had a very Christmas productive weekend, I giggle out loud! There is no way what I am doing things THIS early. There is NO WAY that I have checked things off my list before Thanksgiving? No way! There is no way that if I stick to my plan that I will be FINISHED Christmas shopping and have everything "good to go" before we get out of school for THANKSGIVING! No way!

I wonder if I am ill.

But, if this is my new illness, I will embrace it the same way I embraced the one I previously had called "wait-until-the-last-possible-minute-and-freak-out."

So what did we do this weekend that made me feel so productive?

Thanks for asking...

We took Christmas card pictures.

We placed orders for Santa.

We settled on what we would be getting for the sibling gifts. (No, I am not telling anyone.)

We ordered Christmas cards and purchased stamps! (Yea, the stamps is a real "what the hell" for me!)

Bought the kids Christmas Eve "stuff" - church clothes and pajamas.

And, we made our ornaments! Yep, the ornaments we make every year...but have mare more than one time on Christmas Eve...and 1 time on the 26th. (But, I will deny that if you ever ask about it!)

Nonetheless, we have made them for 2010. They are done. (Well, I will need to go and pick them up in a week or so, but that is done enough for me!)

We picked out our ornaments.

We picked out our paint.We made plans...

And painted...Mommy and Daddy painted too.And then we had finished projects!

Wow! This illness I have is crazy!

However, it was awesome to be able to begin the celebrations of the season so calmly...without the pressure of time...and to be able to truly enjoy them. I may have been checking things off our holiday to-do list, but to do them joyously when we have time to do them excites me more about the season to come. We still have lots left to do, yet I look forward to each thing that lies before me.

Here's to the beginning of the holidays and praying that they bring the greatest peace, joy and love...