Feeling Festive! And Random, of course.

Tuesday!  ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE!!!  Let’s get random!!!

• Those of you who know me, or who have been reading this blog for any length of time, know that this absolutely 100% my favourite time of the year.  I’m walking around with butterflies in my stomach and a big smile on my face.  I’m kind of a Christmas freak.
• This morning, my eyes popped open at 5:30.  Forty-five minutes before my alarm was set to go off.  And it will only get earlier from here on out.
• What a festive weekend of celebrating I just had!  Friday night, my friends and their kiddies gathered at my place for our annual potluck & gift exchange.  It was a fun evening of snacking & visiting!  I really enjoyed it!!  Afterwards, I headed over to Christmas Winefest at Audrey’s and had a great time chatting with the ladies there, too.  So much festive in one night!!

Tanner, Daniel & Maddy (photo stolen from Linds) 

 Photo courtesy of Dolan Art & Photography

• Saturday morning I was up early to work out, then got ready and headed to my sister’s place to be an “elf” at my niece Danica’s 5th birthday party.  She had a Christmas-themed PJ & Pancake party.  We decorated tree ornaments, iced Gingerbread Man cookies, painted nails red & green, played “pass the present”, ate pancakes and Santa cupcakes, and overall just had a lot of fun!  It was a really cute group of kids, and I know the Birthday Girl had a blast!

• That afternoon I rushed home to get supper on, as I had my whole family coming for a spaghetti dinner and to watch the parade.  It was really cold on Saturday – REALLY cold – and so I didn’t think the parade would be much this year.  Kind of just expected a few fire trucks and Santa.  But I was so impressed with the spirit and resiliency of the people in my town who braved the –20 temps to decorate their floats and take part in the parade on such a snowy, blowy frigid night!  The parade was excellent!!  Congratulations to all involved on a job very well done!!

 

Photo courtesy of Dolan Art & Photography

• I had Caden for a sleepover that night, so we made popcorn and watched a few Christmas shows.  I was zonked, though, and we went to bed pretty early!  Sunday morning, we were up and getting ready for the Christmas Pageant at church when I got word that it was cancelled due to the snow that had fallen over night.  (It will be this Sunday instead now.)  With that news,  I slowed my pace, took time lingering over coffee and catching up on the PVR.
• After getting ready, I headed to Mom’s for Danica’s birthday brunch.   Aunt Marion, Uncle Eric, David, Dawn, Dillon, Grace, Donna and Eric all joined us for a delicious spread of brunchy goodness.  Danica opened gifts, and then, yes, there was MORE cake.  (I *may* have overdone it on the treats this past weekend… and the scales showed it this morning!)

• I napped late Sunday afternoon.  Is there anything more wonderful than a late afternoon nap snuggled on the couch, with a full tummy and the glow of the Christmas tree nearby?  I think not.
• I put on my Facebook status Sunday night that after a weekend spent celebrating the season with family and friends that my heart was full.  And I don’t think I could have come up with a truer statement.  My heart was so full, it was bursting. 
• Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year??? ;)
• This week is a little more low-key and laid-back, which is A-OK in my books.  I’ll take time in the evenings this week to wrap presents and watch the rest of the shows and movies that are still on my list to watch.  I’m also looking forward to our “Christmas Outing” on Thursday at work with Sue & Lindsay.  Usually in the week before Christmas, we take a day to go out for a “business lunch” (*wink, wink*) and do some last-minute running around for Christmas.  It’s always a lot of fun and I’m so looking forward to it!
• It’s really frigging cold out today.  I don’t ever remember going through a December Deep Freeze like the one we’ve been going through lately.  It’s like –30 out today.  Not even the long johns are keeping me warm today!
• And yet, I can’t even muster up the enthusiasm to be grumpy about it.  I’m just so happy. :)  It’s CHRISTMAS, after all!!

Linking up with Stacy Uncorked for Random Tuesday!