Post-Thanksgiving...

Post-Thanksgiving to Holiday Rush!?!!

Aaahh - we go from a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend filled with family and fun and sleeping in WAY too late... to the immediate RUSH of the holidays?! Yikes?! I hate this part of Christmas?! Honestly, I try so hard to not get caught up in it all?! This year I completely slacked on buying gifts early though - so I have nothing bought ahead of time?! I am going out to get a few things and hopefully will be able to get the bulk of it today... my deadline still remains Dec 10th! I will be done with shopping, wrapping, writing, and mailing all things related to Christmas and I will be able to sit back and actually do the FUN parts and enjoy the season! That is my goal anyway!? I have been able to meet it each year for the last 8 or so years... trust me, this makes a WORLD of difference! I encourage you to set a goal/deadline yourself! Once you do - you won't go back to the last minute stress of it all!

I have no photo's to share... I was so bad this year?! I didn't take ANY pictures on Thanksgiving... so mad at myself?! I even had the camera - but I just never got it out and took any pictures?! (Even after losing Kevin and having that realization?! Something is WRONG with me?!) It was a bit stressful this year - well - not really... but the atmosphere was charged with nervous energy! We had family members that we have never had join us and due to some family history it could have been very - well... it could have been bad - and praise God - it wasn't! The NEXT day I thought of the camera... brought it out and yet again, failed to snap any photo's?! The ONLY picture I got from the entire weekend was of my daughter... it had nothing to do with Thanksgiving... although she was, in the end, thankful that I was able to remove the entire hand rail so she could get her arm unstuck!? Yeah... good times! Oh, did I mention that she is TWELVE?! LOL?! (Poor thing... I laughed so hard at her I had to take a potty break!)

Anyway - overall, we had a great Thanksgiving! It was wonderful to have the whole family together - laughing, visiting, playing games, watching movies, eating, drinking, being merry! You know - the whole deal!

This week... well - Dave plays at Apple Tree tonight... we are praying that it will open doors for him to perform there in the future! (This is a private party!) I have a meeting with a new client tomorrow. I had been praying for a new client before Christmas to help with our budget... we'll see how much it will help after my meeting! I need to finish up with my cards, work on a letter, and get out all the decorations and decorate this weekend! I LOVE Christmas... I love it even more when I am not stressed out and over scheduled!!! I love that Hanukkah comes first and that helps us to really reflect on Jesus... to light the lights and recite the blessings and scriptures that Jesus Himself did as a child! That is my favorite part! As much as we enjoy Christmas and all the festivities... Jesus really didn't celebrate His birthday like we do... but, what He DID do was Hanukkah... lighting the lights, saying the blessings... it is a very powerful moment when we read the Old Testament scriptures used and we can see that they point to Christ. And we know that more than likely, He saw that too!

Anyway - I am off to shop... a friend of mine just had a baby girl too - so I am going to meet her and hold her (and say hi to her Mom too, of course!) I have been working on some little triangle box/ornaments too - I will take some pictures of those and post them soon... along with a few other card samples! (I am done with the Slide cards... only did about half my list with those - they are cool but I am wanting to actually finish up quickly!)

Until next time,
Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~