Christmas crept up on me!

I got a call Monday from Adrienne telling me she has this weekend off from Kohl's and has to work the rest of the season. (except for Christmas day). I didn't have 2 weeks to get my buns in gear. We usually just do money. We find a clever place to put it and they find it. Its fun. But we usually get a few things for the stockings and of course, Karrea still gets presents instead of money. She is still at the age where she will trade you 5 dimes for 4 quarters. :D

Monday the cleaning jobs were in Sutton Nebraska. A clean little community almost 2 hours from our home. I felt Ron could do it on his own but late Sunday night I asked Mikayla if she would babysit. I worry about the travel time with Ron, he has a tendency to doze off a bit here and there, and it was about a month ago we hit that deer coming from Superior. Besides, taxes are cheaper in Hastings and maybe I can talk him into going to the Dollar Tree.

After Adrienne's over an hour phone call, we got some lunch and headed to Sutton. After cleaning one of our favorite customers home we headed to Dollar Tree, Subway and then to Walmart. Ron usually waits until Christmas Eve. I don't understand it, it bugs me, it bugs the kids, it bugs him. He frets over it. I'm like......HONEY, you know for a whole YEAR that Christmas is coming! haha! I try to keep an eye on different things throughout the year.

It was fun shopping. This is the first year Ron has had any money and I think he actually enjoyed himself. Now his knees didn't! I think this cold weather puts a stiffness on his knee joints.

Yesterday I wrapped most of the presents. I am not the greatest wrapper in the world. My Mother in Law, "bless her heart" will take HOURS to get every fold and tip perfect! I used to do that. I don't anymore. I'm lucky if I can have 4 minutes without someone pounding on the door, so I wrap in super speed and it looks like Karrea did it! YAY for me!

Karrea was so excited to open the office door and see presents piled high on Daddy's office chair and under my desk. She volunteered to place them gently (and orderly) under the Tree. I love seeing the gleam in her eye! It is truly precious! Where did my Gleam go? Where can I find it? Ron wasn't going to put up the Christmas tree this year. Its usually me that says that. I convinced him (actually I told Karrea to bat her eyelashes at dad and ask nicely) to put it up for at least the kids. Karrea decorated it. I told her not to get up on the arm of the couch to decorate the top but as soon as I turned my back or left the house......THUD, there was Karrea flat on her back looking up saying "I'm okay!"

The kids have really made this season worth every penny! This is the brokest I have ever been. It has been great seeing Ron step up and thrive on the gift giving. God is good to us! God will give us a lesson if we are willing to learn it and see it as such. I see Ron blossoming. (he would kill me if even put him and the word blossom in the same sentence. haha)

As I truly reflect on this season of gift giving and loving, the best gift Ron and I gave each other (besides the Montel smoothie maker, haha.....note to self, don't drink too many in a day) is the 5 hours we spent at the church on Saturday night talking to my Ex Best friend and her husband. My heart aches for her companionship most days. Yet I know God has had to do some magic in each of our lives for us to be who we are supposed to be. I find this quote below very appropriate for me, us this season.

It has been great seeing Adrienne, Shai, Justice, and Karrea, along with Ron and I "blossom" this year! May God Bless us all!
"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the “Spirit of Christ." --Thomas S. Monson, "The Best Christmas Ever", Liahona, Dec 2008, 2–6

Mosiah 3:5, 7–8
Joy to the World, #201