On the Last Day Before Santa Comes!

I don't know about you, but I was really getting tired of titling my posts after the days of Christmas so I figured I'd change it up in celebration of Christmas Eve.  What a day we have planned - family, food, cooking....but first, I want to do a little ode to my Christmas shopping experience yesterday.

You better watch out
You're going to cry
You're going to go insane
And I'll tell you why
Crazy people are shopping in town!!

They're finishing their list
They're checking the price
They're hunting for a deal and
They're not very nice
Crazy people are shopping in town!!

They see you stand behind them
But they don't seem to care
They push you right out of the way
And then they take forever to stop and stare

You better watch out
You will definitely cry
But there's no time to pout
And I'll tell you why
Crazy last minute shoppers are in town!!

Yep, that about wraps up the experience I had yesterday.  For some reason, the "Christmas spirit" seems to fade in people when there's only two days until Christmas - and they still haven't finished their shopping.  People had no courtesy - they were relentless.  They blocked the aisles with their carts, gave dirty looks when I tried to go around, even running through the store with a 3 year old that needed to pee didn't phase anyone.  My constant "excuse me's" feel on deaf ears and I literally had to plan a strategic course to get my poor Jelly to the bathroom on time.  It was even more annoying when people turned to look at me, could see I was in a hurry - with a toddler - and then moved maybe an inch.  Don't worry, folks, I'm not trying to take one of the 800 bubble bath gift sets you're having such a hard time deciding on!!

OK, so all you can see, not the best day yesterday - but it's alright.  My Christmas spirit is still in tack.  What a fun filled day we have planned for today!  After finishing up here, I have to make Bacon & Swiss dip to take to a family lunch we're having at my pseudo mother-in-law's house.  We'll eat, chat, and the kids will play for a couple of hours (burning off energy step #1).  Then, we're off to my real in-law's house for another small visit (burning off energy step #2).  After all the visiting, we're coming home to bake cookies for Santa.  It's become a tradition in my house to bake Santa's cookies.  After the cookie making, I'll help the kids track Santa with the NORAD Santa tracker and then we'll all sit down and watch a Christmas movie.  After the movie, it's more Santa tracking and then I'll spend about two hours trying to get the kids to go to sleep.

I will probably be worse than the kids tonight.  It's always hard for me to sleep on Christmas Eve.  I get so excited about seeing the kids' faces when they wake up.  We have a fun tradition in my house - fun for me, anyway.  There are NO gifts under the tree until Santa comes on Christmas Eve.  The kids' will hang their stockings in their bedrooms.  Santa fills their stockings and brings all of the gifts.  When they wake up in the morning, the kids are allowed to open all of the gifts and goodies that are in the stockings, but they are NOT allowed to come out of their bedrooms.  I will get up, make coffee, and then make the kids sweat it out while the coffee is making.  I then set out the cookies - chocolate cookies - that are our traditional Christmas day breakfast.  Once I have all that taken care of, and the camera ready, the kids are allowed to come out of their rooms to see what Santa has left.  I then hand out the gifts, one child and one gift at a time.  I'm getting so excited just thinking about it!!! 

OK, time to post the last gift of the 12 days of Christmas blog swap.  What a fantastic experience it's been.  I've loved every one of my gifts - and have loved opening...urm, well watching Jelly open... the gifts.  THANK YOU, Danielle!!! You have really brought me so much joy this Christmas.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, my new friend sent to me....

All the tools I need for a mini mani!!

Yesterday I got the pedi set, and now I can finish it off with a mini mani too!! Something I will need once all this holiday polava is over with. 

Well, folks, I will not be posting tomorrow or Sunday - cause of going to my mom's for Christmas dinner and we'll be spending the night.  I will fill you all in on my holiday excitement on Monday.

Have a very merry Christmas!!

Till next time.  ;)