Well, I still have loads to do for Christmas. We will have 3 Christmas get-togethers this year. Thank God that the third is on New Years Eve so we have a little more time, rest and another payday in between. Christmas Eve we will go to my FIL and SMIL's house. Hubby has the night off, woohoo! It gets very exhausting packing up Little Buddy and all his things, gifts and my own junk oh, plus a dish to pass when I am going places without him when he's working. He also has New Years Eve off so that will be nice too. Christmas Day daddy works but not til the afternoon. So we will be able to wake up on Christmas Day and have our own little Christmas with Little Buddy (the best part of the whole year). Then we get ready, pack up Little Buddy and all the gifts (in 2 separate cars) and head to my sister's house to have Christmas with them. Then Daddy leaves from there to head to work. Phew! It does get a little exhausting, help or no help. I deeply resent divorces for all the separateness that it creates especially during the holidays. It's near close to impossible to say that we will be spending Christmas elsewhere once you have a child.
Anyway, I am relieved that many of my family and hubby's family are being a lot more frugal this year and spending less and not getting and giving all the extra stuff. I have decided to bake a lot of cookies and put them in small cellophane bags along with small candy canes and Ghirardelli Squares and give that with a small gift. After all, who doesn't like to get a few homemade cookies during the holidays? I have narrowed it down to three different cookies. I WAS going to make an assortment of different flavored spritz cookies, but then decided against that. Too much conformity. So, I have selected to bake: 1) Chocolate Crinkles: never made them before but love eating them and that will fill the chocolate cookie requirement. 2) Snickerdoodles: One of my all time favorites. This is only the second time that I am attempting to make them but found a recipe with cream cheese and apple cider vinegar that sounds REALLY good. 3) Libby's Great Pumpkin Cookies: Never made these either but love pumpkin anything. I also plan to ice or glaze them and will skip the nuts and raisins. I feel the need for a creamy vanilla taste with pumpkin kinda like whip cream on pumpkin pie.
So, that's that. I have finished making the snickerdoodle dough and chocolate crinkle dough and have it chilling in the fridge. I will have to make the pumpkin dough later tonight. I stayed up late last night wrapping presents and am just so feeling so lifeless today. I have hardly been eating anything lately. Not sure why, maybe a little overwhelmed, maybe a little depressed too. This time of year I have high expectations. Not as far as gifts and money but just that it should be very memorable for us as a family and for Little Buddy. Instead, it turns into a stress fest and I just run around last minute like a nut. I am very happy and we will have extra money to get presents for people without using the charge card once. I have counted it and we end up gifting about 26 people. That does not mean that all 26 people get "gift" gifts, but we give something to at least 26 people. Maybe that's nothing compared to some people but it gets to be a lot for one person to take care of. Some of these people we are not very close to but we still want to give them a little something so we I will probably give them a card and little bag of Christmas treats. I love giving, I really do but it is a lot of work to get it all together especially when I am home by myself most of the time with Little Buddy needing my attention. Anybody out there get overwhelmed this time of year? The 26 people does not include co-workers or mailmen or anything like that.
Looking forward to Christmas for Little Buddy. There are just so many things I keep seeing that are really cool for him but I go very easy and just get a few. Plus, his birthday is just a month away from Christmas. Can't believe that the little stinker is gonna be 2. Where did the time go? I can hardly believe that I ever contemplated not having kids. What I would have missed seeing and experiencing in this life. I actually used to think that maybe I would just skip it. Now I think it's humorous when I meet a young person that says that. I think, "What do they know?" and "Oh, how you will most likely change your mind, just like I did, most of them anyway"
Oh yes, and I'm down 7 pounds. No wonder.
How are all of you doing this time of year? I stay home with my son and am out of the loop so to speak. I'd love to hear what other people's lives are like. Good? Bad? Stressed? Simply perfect? I know I read all your blogs and I know WHAT most of you are DOING, but I don't usually get to know how you are DOING this time of year.
Happy Holidays All!!!!! Keep yourselves safe, warm, and appreciative. Oh and sane too :)
*Little Buddy's first visit with Santa. No crying but couldn't snap out of the "deer in headlights" look. I love him!
5 comments:
I love snickerdoodles, although I've never heard of making them that way.
Make sure you're eating enough to stay healthy during the stress of the holidays.
Love the pic!
I love that picture!
Homemade goods are the best. I completely hear ya about getting ready for a big gathering without any help. I had to get Bean ready, our gifts, myself, take dogs out, etc. etc. without help for our staff holiday party last week--while I was working! Didn't get much work done for that hour, I can tell you that much. Jeeez. I don't know how single moms do it.
Great picture, your little boy is beautiful. I'm okay this holiday, just trying not to get overstressed.
LB is getting so big! He's looking more like a little boy and less like a baby. I was actually contemplating making snickerdoodles today, too, but I don't have any cream of tartar, and I don't feel like going back out. I spent a lot of time shoveling snow this weekend -- that has to be yet another challenge with just you and LB.
Good to finally hear from you again!
I have to admit that my holidays are going pretty fantastic. This time last year I was stressing out with some family and other issues - but these year things are finally looking up - and it feels so good! A lot less worries on my plate this holiday than last year. Phew!
Sounds like you've been uber busy! I know the feeling with the multiple holidays!
Merry Christmas! Stay safe and warm!!
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