countdown begins...

it's 2am and I just finished getting ready for our christmas (as metaphor). Really Santa has a tough job but I guess someone's got to do it.

I actually put up some more decorations tonight. A couple of years I put up some greenery and lights on the sly and developed a reputation for doing that. Well this year I did it again. finally. The last several years I have not done it for some reason or other. Mainly probably because I have had trouble getting excited about the holiday as much as I used to. This year is different. I have been looking forward to Christmas for a while now. I have listened to Xmas music at work enough to drive anyone crazy but all the same it is almost over and I don't feel like I have even begun to feel like it's here.

True, we do have three weeks of celebrating left. Tomorrow with our little family and Dan, this weekend with my parents and brothers and their spouses and child. Then two weeks later we are supposed to go to KC for a third celebration with Bridget's side. That one will be a quick visit unless Nora doesn't for some weird reason have a game on that sunday.

More later, i got to go to bed...Santa has to come yet and I have a feeling that it will be time to undo all the work I just did in a very short amount of time.

Update at 11:30am: It looks as if I was a bit tired when I wrote this morning at 2. ah well.

Bridget and Sam are off to the mall to exchange a pair of shoes which Santa left for him but which are a bit small. Fortunately, Santa left the receipt with the shoes. Nora has been out playing with her new soccer ball from Santa already and is now sitting next to me on the couch checking out her new "origami a day" calendar. After I wrote that bit up top I got a few hours sleep and after asking Sam to get the coffee going for us Bridget and I made it out of bed by 7:00am. I tell you, it's all worthwhile to see the kids eyes light up at the idea of opening presents and stockings. We try not to overdo it presents-wise. But it's easy to get carried away sometimes. Pictures to follow.