Christmas Plans

Wow! I canNOT believe that it's now less than a week till Christmas Day. What seems so far in advance is almost here already. Time does fly. So what are we up to?

Well, this week I've been culling out toys etc. and rearranging the house a bit to prepare for the influx of stuff next week. For some reason everyone wants to give our children gifts :) It was starting to get a little overwhelming, trying to figure out what extended family would want for presents etc. But, my amazing and wonderful husband helped me get all of that straightened out. I must brag on him for a moment. Lately I've been so tired and not really getting up early like I did before. So, he doesn't always get a good breakfast unless he cooks it and he makes his own lunch, but he never complains. This morning he didn't wake me up at all, made breakfast and had written a note and put it in our refrigerator for me to find. What a sweetheart.

Ok, back to Christmas. Sunday afternoon we get together with my mom's side of the family with food and just visiting. Monday I am planning a traditional Swedish smorgasbord for just our family (if I could find some people who weren't busy I'd invite them- everyone is busy!) which will include Swedish meatballs,boiled tiny new potatoes, cucumber cream salad, rye bread, smoked salmon, pickled things, saffron buns and rice pudding and coffee. Earlier that day I plan to deliver some baked goods to our neighbors with the girls. Then later we will eat dinner and watch a Christmas movie, probably A Christmas Story (my favorite) or Elf. After the girls go to bed Matt will begin re-assembling the swing set we bought-yea. I will stuff stockings and put them in front of the tree. Christmas Day we'll do our presents, have the traditional eggs benedict breakfast and then go to my mom and dad's house later that afternoon for exchanging presents and a Tex Mex Feast. The Saturday after that we will meet with my dad's family at my grandmother's house, then go meet with Matt's youngest brother and his family- then we'll be done with family gatherings for awhile!

I've done ok not going nuts with presents. The swing set only cost us $50 because we bought it from a family, and I got most of Sarah's stuff from the dollar store. Yesterday I went to another resale shop and got some presents. So, the breakdown:

Leiah- a talking alphabet toy by V-tech, a 25 piece puzzle, slippers, a movie (Bug's Life), art supplies, doll dress and bonnet, plastic play guitar from Santa and some stocking stuffers

Alexa- Hungry Hippos game, 25 piece puzzle, slippers, movie, art supplies, doll dress and bonnet, guitar and stocking(socks, undies, mittens)

Sarah- doll stroller, tea set, magnadoodle, playdoh set, pjs, doll clothes, stocking

Plus the swing set, and my parents generally get them clothes and a toy- an adorable baby doll for Sarah, and hairstyling Barbie head things for the other two, plus a real Barbie jeep for them to ride in. Yeah, they're spoiled :)

And of course, Alexa's birthday is the 26th, poor kid, and Leiah's is Jan. 3rd,so I have gifts for then too.