Almost ready for Christmas...

I went out shopping today to pick up the last few things that needed to be bought. Yay! With the exception of a couple of gift cards, I am done with the shopping portion of the holiday! I made it through without getting grumpy, hateful, or violent, although the clerk at the clothing store who gave me a senior citizen's discount really needs to get her eyes examined. I told Jack about it and he just laughed and said "It's all downhill from there, baby!"

I managed to make it out of Hobby Lobby for less than $100 today, and that's after buying the last two things needed to finish making my mother's and mother-in-law's gifts, stuff to make cards, and a new tree topper. There was a mat cutting system calling my name, but I told it not today. Too many other projects to finish first - the family trees for the mothers, the afghan for Jenna, Christmas cards to go out to all of the campground guests (I ordered those from WalMart, not making them, thankfully), make Christmas cards for friends and family, wrap stuff as it is finished and/or comes in, finish putting up the Christmas decorations... yeah, I'm going to be busy.

I wonder how I ever managed to do this when I was working full time. One thing that I'm aware of is that I don't feel stressed like I have in the past, I have time to do what needs to be done. Yes, we've scaled back considerably on what we're giving this year, but we're also putting a lot of thought in to what we are giving, so that the gifts mean more than if we'd just gone out to the store and bought something to stick under the tree. I can't wait for the mothers to open their respective family trees.