Tree has been Decorated,

boxes are put away. Yay! I just have to finish taking down my regular everyday china and put my Christmas china in the cabinet. I'm definitely decorating a little bit more "kid-friendly" this year taking into consideration my younger holiday visitors. The Fisher-Price nativity set is on the end table instead of the crystal nativity set and the cheap tacky ornaments are on the mid- to bottom levels of the tree.

Every year I buy the girls an ornament with the intent that they'll take the ornaments with them when they move out and start their own homes. Well, this year the tables were turned. After the tree was decorated, T handed me a Vera Bradley bag. She bought me one of the new Vera Bradley ornaments! I was so surprised and very, very touched. KJ, on the other hand, had a major freak-out. Apparently, when we were at the Summit a couple of weeks ago wandering around the Vera Bradley store, KJ pointed out the ornaments and said, "Mom would really like this." T said she would buy it when she went back the next day w/ friends and they could split the cost. KJ never gave T her half of the cost of the ornament so T just gave it to me from her. KJ got very, very upset and cried and said they were supposed to share it, it was all her idea, etc. Honestly, I thought the whole thing was very sweet. I don't like surprises at all but tonight I was truly surprised and happy that my girls thought of me so early in the season and on their own. I can't wait for them to go shopping together for mine and Chris's presents when they're older. I have many fond memories of me and my brother shopping together for my parents when I started to drive.

Still haven't taken a single Christmas photo for cards this year and not a single card has been written out. I still have some shopping to do, also. Nothing major. I never wander around the stores aimlessly, I always have a game plan and a list in hand.

KJ's having a little holiday gathering at our house Friday night. She wants some girls to sleep over, watch Christmas movies and have hot chocolate. Maybe a s'more or two.