It's That Time Again

Holy crap.

Christmas is basically here.

Normally I'd be running around the house with my hands waving about my head shouting profanity words because I've realized that I still have tons of presents to wrap.

Not this year.

Since I'm at my parent's house, my Mom did most of the wrapping.

And normally I'd be panicking about Christmas dinner...would it burn? Would I burn? Would the house burn? WHAT IF THE HAM CAME OUT HARD?

This year, I don't even have to worry about dinner.

Mom is making it. Prime rib. Oh, I'll probably help a bit, but nothing serious.

I did pick out the dessert though. A fabulous looking cake found in the HEB bakery. A triple chocolate cake. I almost drooled over the display case and the baker kept flicking looks in my direction as if to say, "Is she...okay?"

Yes, this Christmas will be more relaxing, but I'd take all the stress if Tom were able to be here.

Only he can't, because he's stuck in Korea. But at least we'll be able to talk to him on Skype. I did open the present he sent me and laughed, because when I saw what it was, I knew that he understood me.

It was one of those Martians from Sesame Street.

You know, the ones that go, "Yip yip yip, uh huh, uh huh." They've always made me giggle and he sent me one. He watched as I opened it and went, "Do you like it?"

I held it close. "I love it."

He got Tommy a Lego set and Natalie a mini jewelery box so she'd stop taking mine. He even had a plaque placed inside that said, "Daddy loves you."

I'm with my family, so I know I will have a wonderful Christmas. Tomorrow we're going to see my Grandma, who I call Nana Jo, and she'll be spending the night with us. This means I have to watch my tongue and not curse which will be hard when we play Yahtzee at night. I tend to get pissy when the dice won't listen to me.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! And if you don't celebrate it, have a lovely weekend.

I have some old pictures I found of Natalie. Since she was a tiny thing, I've been dressing her up.

And, well, she wasn't always thrilled:



She'd give me this look as a baby often, like, "Seriously? THIS is the woman that has been left to take care of me?"



Big blue eyes that have now turned hazel but look blue if she's wearing blue:



And yes, I stuck her in a teacup:



Tommy was roped into the pictures too:



Baby Natalie says "Merry Christmas!"