Tis the Season...

We are at the final countdown.  I am done shopping, wrapping & preparing.  Now I can sit back & enjoy...I think. 

I finished wrapping last night, my house is cleaned & back to being organized.  We go to my in-laws (Nanny & Grandpa) every Christmas Eve.  We usually do a nice but low key dinner.  We let the kids open presents & then the adults.  We stopped buying for every adult a couple of years ago.  We started doing a Secret Santa which has always been fun.  We draw names & know who we have prior to the day.  This year we are playing real Secret Santa...no names drawn.  We bring a $25 wrapped gift, put numbers in a bucket, pick a # & then it's go time.  Mine well...I will have to show you later...not sure who is reading this should they have time :)

We will be doing Christmas dinner at our house with my parents and Nanny & Grandpa.  Homemade lasagna, sauce and meatballs with a salad and garlic bread....yummy!! 

One thing I am so going to miss about living here is the Fire Dept bringing Santa around to the neighborhood usually the Sunday before Christmas.  They sound the sirens, pull up & sing carols.  Santa gets out and comes to each house to see the kids.  Katie loves it so much!  Shea well not so much.  She is still not a fan of the jolly big guy so we let her skip.

Katie & cousin Gabby!!

Katie loves Santa so very much!!

I made a little Plumeria Sugar Scrub for all the ladies in the family.  I added some pretty ribbon, a jingle bell & on top a little label.  Beer for the guys...I bought them the 12 beer of winter from Samuel Adams...

I had made the ballet teachers mugs (like the school teachers) with ballet shoes & it says Just Dance.  I put spa socks & tea bags in them.  They really turned out super cute. 

I am no artist but thought I did pretty good :)

I had shown you the deck at night but here it is during the day. 

Almost finished & then the railings will go up.  I probably won't be back over until the weekend.  We are planning to take a trip to Atlantic City with my nephew, his wife & my parents.  A much needed trip away.  When I get back some of the tiling will be complete, the granite will be going in on the 4th, and the floors down on the 14th...WOW.  Then it's all crunch time.  Guess I should be working on those vanities that will be going in our bathrooms... 

Much love, peace & happiness....