Taking a moment to catch my breath

With all of the chaos in my life lately, I feel like I haven't sat down for a moment just to breath. It's 10:28 on December 23, though, and I'm finally feeling like maybe I'm going to get it all done. Maybe!

All of the Christmas shopping is done, and all but a couple of gifts are wrapped. The groceries for Christmas are purchased (including an absolutely huge prime rib that has become the family favorite for Christmas dinner), and the menu is planned. The house has been decorated for a while, and it's pretty clean (except the floors, but with a dog, a cat, and a child, it's hopeless to keep them clean so we'll do the big scrub an hour before people arrive on Monday). The cranberry nut loaf that I make every year is a bit different this year due to a cranberry shortage (what the heck?! we called a dozen grocery stores, everyone was sold out) so it's raspberry nut bread, but in any case most of them are done and a few are in the oven as I speak. Tessa made gifts for family members, and they are complete.

Now, we're moving into the phase where it's time to relax. It's not a moment too soon, because much more of this running around and I would have completely lost my mind! It's been hard to get into the spirit this year with my fears and back pain, but I'm taking periodic pain killers for my back (no idea what it is, but it can wait) and the fears have been set aside for the moment.

Tessa is delighted with all this Santa business, and who can blame her? Her child's delight is so wonderful, and genuine, that it helps to bring me out of my grinchy-ness.

Tomorrow we will be with extended family on the Dahl side, with a visit (we hope) from the Surface7. It's a big potluck feast, and it will be wonderful to just hang with everyone and catch up. The young cousins - Tessa, Caleb, Joshua, and Gavin - will run around and play, and the parents will get a chance to sit back and just watch them. We might even go for a swim at my parents' pool...it's all very low key, and I can't wait.

Christmas Day will be at our house. In the morning, it will be just the three of us, hanging out in our pajamas and opening gifts slowly. Around noon I'll start prepping the roast - there are 13-14 of us for dinner, and I hope to have a sit down affair with all the china and a crisp white tablecloth and candles. Good food, family, friends, wine....it should be wonderful.

And a little highlight to keep me going when I feel too busy - we're going to Hawaii in April! My parents decided that we must go, and we did NOT say no! We haven't been on a big vacation in a few years, and I can't wait to relax on the beach. When I'm feeling down or overly stressed, the thought of laying on the Hawaiian sand is enough to keep me going. :-)

And that's all for now. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Love,
Kristina