It's the most wonderful time of the year... mostly.

One reason I really like this time of the year, seems to be that I can focus on writing the family "Christmas Letter". I've done a few variations over the years, and with only having five kids, have stumbled upon my favorite layout yet. Well I've used it for the last two years already, and will probably again use it this year as well.

We've got family pictures scheduled for the first Saturday in December, and this will mean that I'll have to wait till right before Christmas probably to get my cards out this year. But as long as I can do all the ahead of time things first, like address the envelopes (hopefully just printing them onto labels and then having the kids stick them onto the envelopes. I can have stamps ready to go, I can print off the "letter part", but before that compile the list of "funny" things the kids have said, through out the year.

And I almost feel like I just want to set up the Christmas tree already seeing how we just celebrated with a Thanksgiving dinner last night with my in laws. The reason being that my husband's Uncle Joe was down visiting from Montana, and is leaving on Tuesday or Wednesday or something like that. So I feel like THanksgiving has come and gone, and now I can really get onto Christmas.

I have projects for Christmas I need to get ready and finished. Some of which are sewing pj's for the kiddos, wrapping some Christmas books as part of a tradition that we want to start this year. My sister in law helped us get started last year, and I've just recently ordered a few more Christmas books through the kid's book order from school, so hopefully those get here before too long, and they can be included.

My sister in law has been doing this for years it seems, and I like the tradition so much that I want to do it also. I tried in the past by just printing off Christmas stories and that worked mostly, but I failed to keep them in a safe place, and have lost a few pages to some stories. Plus you can't really wrap them up like you can a book. So since, the kids like to unwrap presents, I'll set up a system for who can pick out a wrapped book from the basket or container we will have set up by the tree and then read the story to the kids. Some stories are geared more for the little ones, but some of the stories will hopefully appeal to the older kids too.

I also started a project a few years ago, and have every intention of finishing it for a Christmas gift this year. But I can't tell, because a lot of those family members read the blog, and I wouldn't want them to find out what exactly I'm talking about, without having to guess about it.

But I've also been taking care of my daughter who is 10 and half and just had her tonsils taken out on the 12th of November, 2009. She's had some rough moments, but the best part of this seems to be that I'm getting random hugs from her. Which I love!! Seeing how she's growing and changing is just amazing me!!

Time to go spend time with her, and get food ready for the others when they come home from church. Because I'm staying home today because of my daughters request. Make sure to go spend time with someone important to you. And make sure they know they are important to you and that you care. Don't live with any regrets.