I'M DONE!!

....and now I have time to do Sarah's MEME.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper with ribbons and bows, FOR SURE!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial but if I could afford it, id buy a real one...me too Sarah!

3. When do you put up the tree? After the 8th, Byrd's Birthday.

4. When do you take the tree down? After the New Year

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, with Grog!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Taffy the Teddy Bear, a gift from Shane, the year Heath was born.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Tay

8. Easiest person to buy for? Rose

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, John made it for me.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of one.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Rudolf

The Bronze

Byrd received her Girl Scout Bronze Award tonight. It takes a lot of work just to be able to start the Bronze Project, then to complete it, it takes 15 hours of community service. Most girls/troops it takes 3 years, to get there, our troop 1.5! The troop decided to help animals, so they built scratching posts for cats. Then donated them to a second hand store that gives the proceeds to the local animal shelters.

A Simple Tree

We spent last week decorating the tree. The thought of Christmas at the cabin has encouraged us to simplify Christmas, maybe its mixed with the thought of the what the economy is doing.

Yes that is popcorn and oranges, and just a few of the most special ornaments, the lantern lights Melissa bought us for our first Christmas together in Homer, our antique ornaments, the red string of beads we bought our first Christmas in Anchorage, and our most prized Hallmark ornaments. I was tempted to try to "sugar" some plums. It is so pretty!

Dan and Janice (John's bosses) threw another WONDERFUL Christmas party. We ate at Kobe's, their show was much better then what Benni Hanna's does. Then we went bowling, where I had a pretty good score, until the Tequila shots kicked in. It was easy to blame it on something stuck on my shoe, because I was the soberest (wonder if that's a word?).
I really like the crew he works with, even though I only see them once a year. Maybe, I am still wearing my stress, or maybe they just truly care because they were all very concerned about how we are ALL are doing with Shane's death. It means so much to me, makes me feel part of the Pinnacle family, that they would care so much about my family, people they have never met. I wish Shane and Mark (he's gonna be a Grandpa) could have met. I wish you all could meet the crew. I wish..... so many things.

I have my cards done, not mailed, but ready to. I haven't started Christmas shopping yet, but hey I still have a few days, and I am more worried about bringing the basic necessities down so the girls are comfortable in the cabin. I want our first night to be the best, and what better night to do it on then Christmas Eve. Which reminds me... I better pack the ice melt and an ice pick... I left the commode behind the cabin, and its probably iced in.

Advice for the Man Shopper

Stay Out of the Dog House

OMG...disaster...devastation....

The attitude in my house was as if we were doomed and needed to break out the survival kit. Today the phone rang and we had to rush back home... you see a snow machine knocked over something important and we lost phone service and the INTERNET....FOR DAYS!!!! What did we ever dooo??? John ran to the internet cafe' ...to play mobsters.... and then we celebrated Byrd's 11 birthday, shopped, math homework, played life, watched a movie, moved into freshly painted bathroom, washed all the hanging clothes and hung them in the new bedroomcloset, lots of good ol' famliy stuff!