Now, that was a week!

So we are sneaking up on the big holiday and I've had a multitude of special Christmas happenings already.  I mean, it's a good one, 2018, and we aren't even "there" yet!

A quick review of my last few days.  It's been busy and fun, and even though I ended my week with a bit of a virus, I wouldn't trade this week.  First, my husband and his valued crew host a holiday luncheon for their customers each year.  It's always nicely attended and appreciated.  This year, they recognized husband's upcoming retirement, too.  I went, along with our two-year old grandson, who had been charged to me for the day.  Grandbaby was a dream, husband was pleased and humble.  It was a great afternoon. 

Next, our son flew in from California for an extended weekend and we were super happy to have him around for a few days.  He looks good, he seems well and is a survivor of the bumps in his road this year.  Was really good to see him. 

Our family attended our local hospital's annual presentation of "Holiday at the Pops", with the local county symphony, and some special guests, including the children's choir our granddaughter participates in.  It was very, very good and the auditorium, which is also where her mom and dad had their wedding reception, housed a full audience.  It was hard not to think about that wonderful December night sixteen years ago, watching those two very young people, start their lives together, as they watched their lovely daughter. They were proud parents to be sure, and the children's choir was fabulous.  Our youngest daughter and son-in-law and their family had driven up for the evening, so our family was complete.

The next day was our annual family Cookie Sunday.   Again, our whole family in attendance, visiting with their cousins, kids running through the house, babies cooing and drooling...it was another wonderful day.  Much laughter, much food, many, many cookies.  It can be difficult to find the right date for this yearly celebration, but we do our best to get as many of us there as we can.  Its a beautiful thing. 

I became victim to a bit of a virus following Cookie Sunday and had to pass on riding along to return our son to the airport on Tuesday, and spent much of a couple of days supine on the couch, not even watching television.  I spent a lot of the time asleep, and a lot of the time wishing I could get up to do something.  After wrapping five presents and then having to sleep for two hours, I just resolved to pick it back up in a couple days. 

Friday night this week the children's choir has their own concert and we are very much looking forward to it.  The next morning we set off for Indianapolis to see the Nutcracker presented by the Indianapolis School of Ballet.  Our granddaughter gets to sit in the audience this year, and I will admit to being a little sad for that...but then I think about how she is just around the corner from me now, singing in the local children's choir, taking ballet at a new studio and enjoying her lake home.  Its a trade-off, yes, but its a solid trade. 

We will get there again.

This has been a crazy week, with the stock market going up, then down, then up…then, who knows? Then, there’s the snow issue.  I’ve written about April snow before and well, I don’t like it one bit.  I have sweet little primrose blossoms trying to push their way through and it isn’t going well for them, nor all the daffodils that sprinkle the woods with their smiley yellow.  What did they ever do except look precious and sweet?

Good news is I am watching robins daily.  Now, I am keeping an eye on the light fixtures around the house to prevent nests from appearing.  I know some of you would just say “Oh, let them nest on top of that light!” but, you know, its just not my thing.  I like birds but really don’t think they need to nest on the house.  Especially not my new light fixtures.

 

I am still struggling with the right piece of furniture to put on the front porch area.  I’m now just without anything out there.  The wicker settee that I had moved there came back in to the screen porch last week for a party and has not been moved out.  The screen porch is the next project to be completed, is about 90% and awaits the arrival of the ceiling tongue and groove boards, and the shiplap to complete the project.  Yes, shiplap.  I drank the kool-aid and admit I kind of like the look, at least for now.

Another project I am undertaking this next week is the top of my desk and the office/guest bedroom closet.  I am just going to have to bite the bullet and buy another tote for Christmas decorations that can go in the attic.  I couldn’t possibly squeeze another box in this closet, and I feel like I have condensed as much as I can.  Now, this is from the lady who doesn’t put up a tree remember?  Yes, and still has that many boxes of Christmas stuff, and there may be just a bit of Halloween crammed in that closet as well.

  

Construction is going on all around me this spring as the neighbors across the way are finishing their garage, the house next door is being renovated and the big project – the brand new house.  Its going to be noisy and not always the most convenient perhaps since we share a yard and driveway, but, we are all so excited to see that house get underway!

I am looking forward to it warming up just a bit more…to longer days and being able to sit on the deck, with a fire in the firepit, or down by the bonfire. Maybe with an adult beverage, a cheese or two, as we say goodnight to the day.   

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Too soon?

I am sure everyone gets here…this place where you sense things are going to be much different moving forward, and try to prepare for it.  Try to think about it a bit, try, maybe, to hang on to some of the past but also plan for the new.

  

I have been thinking about Christmas.  My mother-in-law passed away earlier this year and although we stopped going over for a big gift exchange a couple years back, we did try to do a Christmas-time brunch with everyone.   She could not really participate the way she used to, cranking out a batch of coffee cakes, rolls and breakfast casseroles for us all, but her daughter sure did her proud and produced some great breakfasts for us the last couple years.  We have gathered at this big kitchen for many years a couple weeks before Christmas to bake cookies together.  Have we seen the last cookie?

What do we do now?  I know it’s time to start new traditions, but what are those traditions? I am used to the old ones! I like the old ones!  I am not sure where I am suppose to go, or if I am to stay home.  A couple years ago we did stay home, alone, on Christmas Day, and let me tell you, it sucked.  I told hubs that would not happen again, as long as I could be somewhere, especially if a grandchild was involved.  We’ve had a couple of perilous drives since then but have been with kids/grandkids on Christmas Day, usually arriving mid-morning and staying a day or two.

 

I wondered about the every other year thing but both my girls wish to stay home on Christmas morning with their families.  This year, youngest daughter will be WAY pregnant on Christmas Day, so she should be home! Besides that, son and daughter-in-law, in a different city, also need to make plans with her family so I need to be considerate of that as well.

Is it too selfish, too decadent, to escape to a tropical location on Christmas? It’s on the list.