The Eve of the Eve of Christmas Eve Rambles

It's the Eve of the Eve of Christmas Eve and, surprise surprise, Jill is would up tighter than a bobbin.  I've been up two mornings in a row long before my alarm goes off, because... well...some things never change.

It's been a bit of a busy, buzzy week full of Christmassy excitement, just the way I like Christmas Week to be!  Here's a little snippet of what I've been up to:

• Monday evening, I was sitting on the couch eating some of the fudge I brought home from the Cookie Exchange I attended last Friday and watching a Christmas movie when I heard a knock at my door.  And not just a little knock - a bangbangbangbangbangbangbangbangbang relentless kind of knock that had me laughing and wondering which one of my friends was out there.  I went to the door with a huge grin on my face, threw it open expecting to find someone delivering an early present or a bunch of Carolers or something, and instead found a rough-looking woman smoking a cigarette.  It startled me.  She asked if I was the Reverend, and I told her sorry, that I'm not, I just rent the house.  (I live in our church's Manse, right next door to the church, so not unusual for someone to think the minister might live there.)  She proceeded to tell me she was looking for a family member's birth certificate and she'd been told to come see the Reverend who lived at my house.  I explained over and over that I just rent, that the reverend doesn't live here, but she was persistent, and kept trying to get in my door.  I asked her a few questions, and realized it was actually the Catholic church she was looking for, so I tried to direct her there, but she wouldn't budge.  She asked me to phone the priest for her, and when I said no, she then asked to come in and use my phone herself... I was a little bit nervous about the whole situation, and when she wouldn't give up and leave, I eventually had to close the door in her face.  Eight years I've lived in the Manse, at that's the first time anything like that has ever happened to me.  I've been making sure to lock the door ever since!
• After that little episode, I headed to the kitchen - at the back of the house, where I couldn't hear anyone banging on my door even if the tried all night long - and proceeded to make peanut brittle for the first time in my life!  I had a borrowed candy thermometer, a recipe in my Betty Crocker cook book, all the ingredients, and yet, I was certain it was going to be a disaster.  I followed the steps precisely, and it seemed to take forever, but once I finally poured the peanutty goo out on the pans, I was still not convinced it had worked.  It didn't fill the pans like I expected it to, and it was hard to spread, it was hardening so fast... also, I burnt my finger trying to spread it when I accidentally grazed my finger on the stuff.  So needless to say, I was a wee bit surprised when an hour later I took it out of the fridge, snapped it into pieces, and had a taste test... and it was delicious!!  Success!!!
• I'm feeling extremely ready for Christmas right now.  I got the last few odds and ends I needed yesterday (I think I've said that four times now, but I keep thinking of "more" that I need), so the gifts are completely wrapped, stocking stuffers all ready to go, snacks and fun Christmas food stocked up in the cupboards and fridge, beverages bought, games planned for Christmas Eve (and prizes bought & wrapped too!)... plus I've been able to watch pretty much all of my favourite movies/specials, and have plans made to watch the ones I haven't got to yet.  Feeling Christmas-accomplished!
• Yesterday was our annual Mountainview "Hollying & Jollying" day, which has become a bit of a tradition.  I'm not sure when we started doing it, but one year the office girls headed off to hand out baskets to the post office and bank ladies, had a Christmassy lunch out, and did some last minute Christmas errands...and it is now an annual event!  We had lunch at the new spot in Shawville, Cartrite's, and did all of our hollying & jollying.  It was a great day!
• Tonight is the Curling Christmas Party, and I'm looking forward to that as well...far more excited for it than I am for actual curling! haha!
• Tomorrow is the Eve of Christmas Eve... it's going to be such a fun day!  Because it's the last day of work before Christmas, we're having some fun snacks in the office in the morning, then around lunchtime everyone will shut down and head out to the shop for some drinks and music.  I love the Christmas jam at MVT!  Late afternoon, I'll head to Ryan and Lindsay's for our annual Christmas supper & movie night.  I have Mickey's Christmas Carol set out to watch with Sam, then Linds and I will settle in for Its a Wonderful Life after he goes to bed.  And THEN I will head over to my cousin Kayla's, as she and her hubby are hosting the Eve of Christmas Eve at the Duquette's!  Like I said... a day packed with Christmassy fun!  Eeeeep!!
• AND THEN IT'S NOT EVEN CHRISTMAS EVE YET!  HOLY SMOKES!!!
• Christmas Eve feels like it's going to be different this year... first of all, it feels like the first time in history it falls on a Saturday for some reason.  That's good, though, because I'll have all day to recover from any hangover I might have (who knows), get everything ready to head up to Mom's later in the day, and hopefully have time to squeeze in my annual Christmas Eve viewing of Miracle on 34th Street.  Our Christmas Eve church service will also be different, as it is members of the congregation leading worship that night, and I am one of them.  We have a fun service planned with all the traditional important parts intact, and lots of carol singing planned too.  Then we'll go home, and I have a bunch of games planned for us so that we won't just be sitting around looking at each other.  
• Have I mentioned that... I CAN'T WAIT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I'm so excited for Christmas.  I always am, and this year is no different.  Also looking forward to having a little break next week, getting some down time with Netflix hopefully, some trips to the movies in the plans, and just spending quality time with fam & friends.  

Seriously dudes... can't wait. :)