The Week Before Christmas

Is it just me or does this wonderful holiday cause a serious amount of stress?!! I know that I bring it on myself and that most of this is self-inflicted stress but still. I even decided not to do Christmas cards and I still have a bunch of things to get done, I can't even imagine what my stress level would be trying to get cards in the mail. I got on UPS.com today to get the two packages I had to mail out. It's supposed to be the busiest day of the year today at the post office so I did everything I could to avoid that. I put labels on the boxes and Joy is dropping them off at a UPS location (thanks Joy).

Amanda is coming today! We are so excited to see her. She will be a wonderful addition to our family this week. I'm sure that Diesel will be SO happy to see her and equally confused when she leaves. We'll be leaving to my mom and dad's house the day after Amanda leaves so we'll have a nice holiday together in Utah (we'll keep Diesel busy).

I just finished (last night) a BIG project that involved a lot of pictures so that is a huge load off my plate. Now I just have laundry, cleaning, preschool, a preschool party, wrapping presents, packing, more laundry, last minute cleaning, last minute gift buying and traveling to Utah by Saturday. I'm sure everyone is having the same stress this last week before Christmas. My bigger concern is to keep Christ in Christmas this week for my boys. I just hope they can see the bigger picture through the "stress of mom". That is one of my goals this week is to remember the "reason for the season" and keep it all in perspective. I really to want my children to understand why we celebrate the Christmas season and concentrate on our Savior and not what they are getting for Christmas.

After Friday my boys are on track break until the end of January. They are SO excited they can hardly stand it. I am pretty excited to have them home also. It will be a nice break for all of us. I was talking to Darrel last night and I told him that I was seriously considering taking a trip up to Idaho to see friends and family while the boys are out of school. If I made up the preschool day the week before or week after we could leave on a Tuesday afternoon and go to Utah, then leave Utah Wednesday to go to Idaho. Stay in Idaho until after church on Sunday, drive back to Utah and then drive home again Monday. I know the boys would LOVE to go and I would truly love to go up and see friends and do some serious visiting. We would have to spend at least a day and night at Rashae's house and then work out the rest of the trip, but I am seriously thinking about making that a reality. I haven't even hinted to the boys yet...as soon as I decide for sure then I'll tell them.

Well, I really should get to work now. I have put off the laundry that is sitting beside me for long enough. I complain about being busy and then I post on my blog (because that is more fun than facing reality). Oh well, Merry week before Christmas everyone. Good luck!