Making cookies for Santa

After church, we got home and we were really missing being in Tucson with "our Magnusons".... Christmas Eve in Peoria is lacking the revelry and fun that we always have in Tucson...going to Mass at 3:00 so we can be first to Julie's and then have as much champagne as possible before having to rush home to see what the kids have been up to while we were at Julie's. They have their own set of fun too! I was reminded of carols around the table while "chatting" with Steve tonight...and it made me teary to think we're missing that this year. I have vowed "never again!" so we will be back in Tucson next year, no matter what!

When we got home from church I was feeling really funky about something. I suppose I can blame it on being home alone with the girls while Scott is at work, being here instead of there, or PMS or just being a baby, I don't know...ANYWAY, I found myself thinking of my mom and asking myself with tears in my eyes, "how in the hell did she do it?!" How did she manage to get gifts wrapped - wait - purchased for 10 of us, wrapped, kept secret and keep it special for us and still manage some bit of sanity (I never saw her mixing sidecars on Christmas Eve!). It's 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve. We are finishing up cookies for Santa (Ok, Mother, you didn't go that far with us), waiting for Dad to get home from work and I still have gifts to wrap, reindeer food to put out, glitter and oatmeal to sprinkle on the lawn so the reindeer know where to land...wrestle the sprinkles from Elyse (that will be my next picture to post)...get them in their jammies and tucked in....THEN I can tackle the things that need to be done for tomorrow....it's so much easier when we're in Tucson: I'm usually passed out and Scott does it all! There I said it! I don't usually have to do so much! Better stop the whining and supervise the children...we're off to spread Magical Christmas Dust: the glitter will sparkle in the moonlight to help guide Santa to our home and the smell of oatmeal will guide the reindeer. What will we think of next?!?!?!