Well, here it is early Sat. morning. Week of baby sitting over and my favorite day coming up. It used to be my favorite because when Sat. finally arrived I could go to yardsales. Now it's just cause I can sleep an hour later!

I have a lot of plans for Sat. Go to bank and grocery shopping early, then MAYBE go Christmas shopping.

I went to Wal Mart Wed. night after church and the minute I got in the store my mind went blank. I ended up buying milk and bread! Maybe if I make and take a list!!!

I wanted to go walk on the river trail tonight and see the luminaries and hear the singing, but it got really cold and I didn't have anybody to go with me,so I stayed home and watched a movie on TV. I even watched it all without going to sleep!

The weatherman in Roanoke is forecasting sleet and snow for Sat. evening in their area, but we aren't supposed to get anything. I'm glad cause sleet and snow are two of my least favorite things. I still remember the winter after Bobby was born when it snowed every Wed. for a month and the snow lingered between the snows and we had a lot of that cold stuff to shovel and walk through to get to church. Not fun! So, as far as I'm concerned, the snow can hold off until next June and by then it'll be too warm to snow. Goodnight!

I slept a little later today, then got up and went to the bank and the grocery store. I hadn't been home long when Susan called to see if I wanted to go shopping with her.

She showed up just a little later and we went by and picked up Amanda and off we went! First to Family Dollar and then off to the mall. We went to Sears, Boscovs, Belks and the Electronic Boutique. Of course, it was very crowded so it took a long time. Both to find stuff and then to get waited on.

After we left the mall, we dropped Amanda off and Susan and I went to Value City and then we took a break and ate supper at Long River (Chinese) and then went to Big Lots where I bought a couple of things.(The drain opener didn't work!)By then it was drizzling so she dropped me off and went on home and I spent the rest of the evening doing laundry and watching a movie with Teresa and Bobby.

First time in a long time that I was gone from home nearly all day. But I had fun and actually bought five Christmas presents!

I was so busy telling how tired I was that I plumb forgot to say that Susan paid for me a haircut while we were out Sat. We were walking down the mall and I saw my reflection in the window and said "Boy I really need a haircut" and she said, "Well, come on. I'll get Stacy to cut it for you." So I did and she did and Stacy did!

Tonight Cindy, Susan, Sarah and I went out shopping again. Cindy had a name from an angel tree that she was buying for and since the girl was close to Sarah's age, Cindy thought that Sarah could help her with the gifts.

I was looking for something to go in a box I'm fixing for the Homeless Shelter. This year our WW decided that instead of doing boxes for Samaritan's Purse, we would fix boxes for the Homeless Shelter since they get so many folks during the Christmas season who don't get any thing for Christmas. I'm fixing a box for a woman and one for a little girl. I hope we get a lot of participation from the church ladies.

Also, this Sat. our WW is having a yard sale inside the fellowship hall. In addition to the regular yardsale items, we are having soup, ham and sausage biscuits and fried pies and maybe some other goodies.

I guess I'll spend Friday cooking and getting stuff packed in the car to take to the church. But before I can cook, I have to make a trip to the grocery store!

Well, since I was here last we've had a little ice which meant the kids were out of school, had some nice weather and some very cold, windy weather.

We've had our Christmas dinner at church, our class breakfast at my house and our Christmas cantata, which went better than I'd thought. I've also gotten several really GOOD Christmas presents....a new microwave, a new convection toaster oven, and a gift certificate from Land's End.

The babies are really excited about Christmas. When Brittany saw my tree for the first time all lit up, her eyes got big and round and she went "Ooh, Danma Maxine, it's so tute, so tute." I found out why mine was "so tute" and hers wasn't. Hers didn't have decorations on it at the time. I guess she thought that it was just supposed to be a big green tree in the living room, no lights or anything. Her and Savannah have had so much fun re-arranging the ornaments they could reach and moving my other decorations from one place to another.

I put up my nativity scene in the front hall and when I looked into the stable today, I found one of the spirit horses (from a fast food joint a couple of years ago) and two frogs. They were all gathered round the manger to worship the baby Jesus. That was Brittany's doing, and I left them. After all, every living creature is supposed to bow down and worship, right?

Brittany is still coming up with words of wisdom. One day I was putting my newly washed curtains up and I sorta farted. I figured that Brittany wouldn't notice cause it was almost silent, but she called out in a stern voice, "Danma Maxine, don't you know when you pass gas you're supposed to say "excuse me, please."

I've gotten up twice at the crack of dawn to go shopping with Linda and I'm going again this Friday. Then I hope to be finished. And then comes wrapping, which I don't like. Oh well, maybe I'll learn to like wrapping!!

Here it is early Tuesday morning after Christmas, and after so much hustle and bustle and last minute things to do, it's already come and gone.

Every year I think to myself that I'm going to do it differently this year, but I always seem to get caught up in the rushing around, buying gifts(that probably nobody likes or wants),and the trying to 'clean the house', although that only lasts through the first round of gift opening,and the eating and over-eating.

Tommy and Rebecca did like what Santa and their mom got for them and except for exchanging her jeans for a different size, they both are happy.

I remember when I used to buy a lot of gifts and there was always one that I couldn't wait for the recipient to open because I was so excited about it. This year that one special gift wasn't one I bought, but one that was really old that I'd had "redone" thanks to my brother Richard (the rewiring expert.) This was an old lamp that had come from a yardsale on Baugh St. many, many years ago and had sat on our dresser in mine and Boots' bedroom until it quit working. Anyway, I couldn't wait for it to be opened on Christmas Day and see the expression on Cindy's face. I think she was surprised and I think she really liked it.

So, to all of you, sometimes the best gifts aren't the most expensive ones, but the ones that are given from the heart. To all of you who gave me wonderful gifts, I thank you! I can't wait to eat all of that good Harry and David stuff, the many boxes of candy, use my new phone, wear my new clothes and shoes, cuddle down under my new throw wearing my new bedroom slippers and reading my new books,and thinking of you all and how much I love you.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!!!