Preparing for the Holidays

So the kids have begun to count down the days until Christmas and we pulled out our decorations yesterday. I had a complete fit (this was a total inside fit - the kind where your husband knows something is wrong and asks but you say nothing sort of fit.) I was upset because decorating just really sucks when you live in a 2 x 4. It gets all cluttered and there isn't anywhere to put anything and we hardly have any decorations anyway. But then I sucked it up because at least we have a warm home with lots of love. I really shouldn't complain about such things. I've just had this dream about some day having a fireplace and above it I could display my Christmas village and put up garland and have a big giant tree in my living room. As it is now, a tree doesn't fit and we have to borrow land from the upstairs neighbors. See why I didn't tell my husband about the internal fit I was having? We did our decorating and Drew and Jason put up the lights and then we got ready for the Thanksgiving party at Melanies house. We had such a great time. It was packed full of all of Melanies friends so they all happened to be nurses in the chemo unit. I should have been a nurse. I feel so at home with all of them and really had a teriffic time. The food was amazing and abundant. I didn't gorge myself though. The kids had the entire basement to play and there was games and a train table and a ping pong table and a craft table and lots of kids to have fun with. Drew sang tons while Claire played the piano. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Friday night I made some Pillsbury snowman Christmas cookies for a snack while the kids and I vegged on the couch watching Skyrunner (about a boy who gets visited by a UFO and aliens try to get him and he hits puberty because of it) It was great fun. I also bought a package of Pillsbury Gingerbread dough and I have a cut out and bought some frosting. The kids were reminiscing this morning about making Christmas cookies with Grandma Maxwell last year. Lots was different about last year. For one, we already had snow. Tomorrow is the last day of Novemeber and I think it's been something like 50 years or so without snow in November. I just would like to have a white Christmas though. Who wouldn't?
In Sunday school we're getting ready for our pageant which is on the 14th. next week is rehearsal. The kids will also have a concert at school that we are all looking forward to. We'll do some traditional things like make gingerbread houses out of milk cartons with graham crackers. I suppose we'll have to find time to do a family picture too. I doubt the Christmas letter will get out in time. In fact, I'm sure of it but when does it ever?
I've got to go now and fish out my little girl who is having fun in the tub in her swim suit with about 20 Barbies. I'm sure she's grown a fin or two by this time.