It's beginning to look a little like Christmas...

Hard as it is to believe, Sydney will be in her first Christmas play this weekend. On Sunday, our children's department is performing its Christmas pageant (called "Mystery of the Manger") and Sydney is a member of the "cherub" choir (3, 4, and 5 year olds). Let's just say that she REALLY likes her angel costume (and has worn it pretty much non-stop since she got it Sunday night).

Now, the actual performance? Not so sure how she's gonna do in it.

At times, she does a great job and is singing and dancing along with the choir...

But she also likes to sit on the altar rails and boss the other children around...


It should be a joy, though, and I am SO looking forward to it. It's a great way to officially kick off the Christmas season!

I'm also starting to "get in the mood" some more here in the house. Gary found the artificial tree pole last night, so the tree should go up this weekend! (Yay!!). And I started to put out some of my decorations in different sections of the house. Last night, one of my favorite angels...

And my nativity sets appeared...



(even this one with the broken Joseph arm made its appearance; I love this one--I've had it FOREVER--and no missing piece will keep it from being displayed!).

Now...I've already started receiving all those Christmas emails in my "You've got mail" box (haven't you?) and they're actually a pretty fun way to share some holiday cheer and share some memories and traditions with each other. Borrow this one if you want to!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both, depending on the gift. But I prefer wrapping paper (and I usually try to come up with a “theme”—matching colors, all snowmen, etc.)
2. Real or artificial tree? We have both. Our tall artificial one goes in the living room, a live one goes in the den. And I want to buy a smaller white one for the dining room!
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the week or so after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Year’s Day
5. Do you like eggnog? Yuck!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember getting a boom box one time and I remember the Bionic Woman doll. But I really remember the several years when my parents bought my brother and I little gifts (like less than a dollar) for the 25 days of December. That was SO fun to get up in the morning and get to open one up before school!
7. Do you have a nativity scene? I have two that I really love. One goes on my mantel and is the “classic” and the other goes wherever I decide to put it each year. It’s my favorite (white porcelain). I also decided to start a new tradition this year. I will not put the Baby Jesus into it until Christmas morning, when I’ll let the girls place him in it.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad
9. Easiest person to buy for? Sydney
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Don't remember (I guess I've blocked those!)
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I’m more likely to email them, but do try and mail some to far-away relatives too.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Hands down…”It’s a Wonderful Life” LOVE it!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually right after Thanksgiving
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Well, we do a Dirty Santa at our sunday school party every year and I have recycled for it! (But it's sorta expected! lol)
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Is EVERYTHING a proper answer?
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear on the artificial, colored on the live one
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night is my favorite hymn. Just so beautiful!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We go to my parents’ on Christmas Eve Eve, to Gary’s parents on Christmas Eve, and to Gan Gan’s on Christmas Day. In between all of that, we try and have some meaningful time at home with the girls and with just the two of us.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel on artificial one, star on live one
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? There’s unwrapping at every place we go! But Gary and I unwrap our presents to each other late on Christmas Eve when everyone else is asleep. Then Santa comes in the morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Grumpy people!
23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? Our artificial one is more “formal” with all white, gold, red, and glass ornaments. The live one is more “crafty” with homemade ornaments and such.
24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Milk and Coke.

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So...what have you got planned for the weekend?

I will do some Christmas shopping (I REALLY want to get it out of the way within the next week, so I can totally enjoy doing some more "at home," "cozy" Christmas activities like making homemade ornaments and baking...and maybe even just sitting around the fire!); go to a pancake breakfast in the morning that is a fundraiser for McKenna's Winter Guard group (yumm!); attend dress rehearsal and then the play with Sydney; and try to just relax and have a good ole time!

(And, HEY!!, did anyone notice that my Cowboys won last night? Woo hoo!!! And I totally discovered the coolest website for the rest of you who are NFL fans. You can go to www.nfl.com/live and they show live streaming from games that aren't broadcast or readily available. So I was able to watch not all of the game, but a lot of it and it was great!)

I wish all of you a very merry weekend (hey, just getting into the holiday spirit!). Let me know what all of you are going to be up to!