Disaster Zone/ Christmas Joy!

It seems that no matter how much I WANT to keep our place tidy...well it never lasts for long. For example, during practicum it was fairly messy because I had a million binders of resources in the living room. So I said that after practicum was over that I would get it all organized. Well, now that practicum is over... I am still running around all day and I have yet to get it organized. I made a valiant effort today..but there is still masses of paper laying around. Now it isn't only in large stack but it is actually spread out ALL OVER the living room. *sigh*

But- on a happy note- I get to go Christmas shopping tomorrow! I LOVE having a gift for someone that I know they will love. It makes me really happy. Don't get me wrong, I don't really enjoy the actual going to the mall part, but I love having it- or thinking of an idea. It also always makes me feel good when I get a gift that I know someone has put a lot of time and effort into getting for me because they know I will like it. That is what it is all about. Time, effort, and thoughtfulness. My family knows that I had a really hard time with the whole switch to pulling names for Christmas. I used to LOVE going out and getting something for everyone. I always spend a fair amount of time (not to say that there are not some misses once and a while) and I try my best. So when it was time to get gifts for only a couple people, I really missed it. It meant that I didn't get to put that energy into certain people- arbitrarily at best. Where is the personalization in pulling names? I am still getting used to it, but I have really been enjoying this year being able to at least get some gifts instead of focusing on the fact that I couldn't get gifts for others. Its coming!
I also love wrapping gifts and putting ribbon on them. I have this weird "thing" against bags...for some unknown reason (I think it is because there is no satisfaction of ripping open the packaging, because Dave always unwraps his gifts neatly and he likes bags...I always rip open, and I like bags much less than wrapping). So today I was putting ribbon on a few gifts, complete with curling ribbon and I felt so happy about it! And label... I love making homemade labels (when I have the time). Its the part of Christmas most people hate and I love it! I also love decorating the tree (with company though). I remember when no one ever wanted to decorate the tree at home and I usually had to bribe someone into doing it with me. It usually went something like this...

Me: Hey Tim and David, want to decorate the tree?
Dave: Nope. (He is playing Civilization)
Tim: How about you start...and we will catch up with you... Or you put it up and we will watch...
Me: Right. I'm sure. Please? Please? I always have to do it on my own (insert whiny voice here) you guys suck. You never want to do it!
Tim: Whatever, I help last year remember? I did the lights.
Me: Whoop dee freakin doo. You have to do the lights because I'm too short
Tim: Well I still did them.
Dave: We'll do it later.
Me: (Fuming at this point) . You guys suck.

Me: Dad, can you bring in the tree?
Dad: Maybe later, after dinner.
Me: Please? Now? Please?
Dad: Give me a few minutes.
Me: Ok!

Dad: (Brings in tree, tree loses millions of needles on the way in, dad grumbles about stupid live tree)
Me: Yay!
Dad, Tim, Dave: (Multiple effort to get tree in stand so doesn't randomly fall over like the year before) Finally. I'm tired. I think I'll take a nap.
Me: Nooo! Can you help me please? We need to test the lights and I hate doing it because they always blow up on me! (true story by the way)
Dad, Tim, Dave: Fine. But then I'm done.
(Lights are tested, at least 2 blow up, Dad complains about the price of lightbulbs (when we had the large bulbs on the tree)) (Finally, the lights are strung) Someone water the tree, and get an extension chord. (The boys scatter)
Me: (Now grumpy because no one wants to help) (I whine some more, finally the boys come back to help me, I ask Mom to help too, she may or may not depending on the cooking situation)
We: (reminice/ fight over who's ornaments are whose, speaking of which, whatever happened to those penguins?)
We: So...quick..mom is upstairs! Where are all the random blinky lights?! Put more on ! but not all of them...just a few odd ones. It drives Mom nuts! Do it!!

Finally- the tree is finished. Someone puts the angel on top, we turn out the lights, admire the tree, admire Dad's head (he is sleeping on the couch and we have put tinsel on him...and the dog)

Good times.

Kinda was like Christmas tree setting up this year.
Me: Hun, can we put up the tree tonight?
Dave: I want to nap!
Me: Please? We have no other time to do it together until..
Dave: How about you put it up and I watch?
Me: Grr.....
( I won by the way! We got the tree up...after several efforts...(It is fake, and broken, and we have no labels saying which part goes first because we got it second hand and for free! Same problem every year... you would think we would label it. Maybe this year?)



All in all I have a feeling it is going to be a good Christmas with the Families this year!! Whoo hoo!

Merry Christmas Everyone?! Can't you just feel it?!