Almost Christmas!

Well it is almost Christmas around these parts. We have our tree finally up and decorated. It only took us two try's this year! The first one we got looked absolutely wonderful out in the bush in the almost dark at three thirty sky! We cut it down and brought it home, got it in the stand and let it sit overnight to dry off and perk up a little. The next night I put the lights and about 12 ornaments on it. Chris came home from work and informed me that no matter how many lights or balls we hung on this thing it was FUGLY!!! Even our neighbour commented about the lack of pizazzz in the tree. So the next day we went out looking again - this time it was a bit lighter (but not much) and we were a little more selective of the one we chose! We brought it home, removed the lights and balls from the other one and replaced it with the one we have now - it looks much better by the way. The only problem now is the tree is up and decorated and there are two half strings of lights that have gone out and we can't figure out why! Stupid lights! So the discussion this morning was - do we take all the ornaments off and replace the lights and the tree? or do we just grin and bare it and replace the lights next year. We looked at the tree and at eachother and decided next year would be the perfect time to replace the lights (same thing we said two years ago when the same thing happened!). Anyway the presents are all wrapped and under the tree - and surprisingly the kids have left everything alone! We got the parcels from my sister in law yesterday. Dani asked who one of them was for and I told her it was for Zach. So she called him over and said "this one is for you Zach - you want to touch it - you can pet it ok - but you can't open it yet you have to wait for Christmas". Those two make me laugh! All our christmas stuff got on the bus at a half decent time this year and I actually got the cards out before christmas! Now if they get to where they are going before christmas is another story! Tomorrow we are going to have a few friends over for some holiday cheer and a games night. On the 24th my plan is to make the apple pie and the buns for christmas dinner. We are going to have 3 other people over for dinner on christmas. This will be the first christmas dinner up here that we haven't had more than 10 people over. I'm pretty sure its going to take the kids all day to open their gifts. We bought them a huge kitchen play set - now I am looking around trying to figure out where the hell I'm going to put this thing! Its MASSIVE!!!! The catalogue didn't have any measurements so I figured it wasn't going to be too big, boy was I wrong! I had to get our neighbour to drive our little pick up truck down to sears to get it cause it wouldn't fit in the back of our pathfinder! I think I am going to do a bit of Christmas baking tomorrow - have something to snack on for tomorrow night.

On the pregnancy front - only 7 1/2 more weeks! I am getting nice and plump now. Looking like I swallowed the turkey whole! Doc says I am measuring around 32 inches from the top of my belly to the bottom of my belly. Dani is very interested in helping at all my appointments - she loves to turn the heart monitor off and on for the doc. When we are home she brings out her play stethoscope and checks my blood pressure and listens to my belly. Then she wants me to check hers. Zach still doesn't have much interest - he knows that there is a baby in there and that his mommy's lap is getting smaller and smaller. I am going to relax in the tub before bed - night all.