in full swing...

so much Christmas-ing going on...I will just have to hit the highlights:

• tree cutting up in Apple Hill: Nick chose one too tall for the house...but with a little alterations...we made it fit and it is all decked out.

• crafting: more sewing and painting and gluing, wrapping and secrets.   Olivia has been doing a lot of cross-stitch embroidery and Nick as 10 rolls of colored duct tape...wonder what he is making.

• Elfy:  we are having fun with a little mischievious elf who is getting into predictements each night, with a battle between him and the plastic wisemen and Santa.   It all started the first night when Elfy left a note for Santa to put the two wisemen on the naughty list!  It has escalted from there.  This morning we found a note on the table by the two wisemen that read: "Freeze Elfy, Freeze Elfy, Freeze Elfy"  and we found Elfy shivering, covered in "snow" in the freezer! As micheivious as he is, he always leaves a little gift behind.

• Music:  Last Friday was the kids Christmas concert at school   So much fun!  And Nick, Tad and two other of the young folks from church led worship last Sunday.   I especially loved a new Christmas song Nick did I had never heard before...An Offering.  Beautiful.

• Christmas Shopping:  99.9% finished...with a fun shopping day with Rebecca.   I had twisted my ankle hanging wreaths on our gate...so we kept it local.  We still had tons of fun....

• Christmas Movies:  Yes, the favorites have been brought out of hiding and dusted off.  So far we have watched Christmas with the Kranks, Santa Clause (one), Christmas Carol...and I watched one I had never seen before..about St. Nicholas as a child and adult.   Saving "White Christmas" for just the right moment...maybe when I am doing all my wrapping one day next week. And the Nativity for Christmas eve..

• Stockings:  I am sewing all new stockings this year...out of burlap, Christmas fabric, chiffon and buttons.   I finished the first one last night, and have the other four all cut out.   They are so cute.

So see how busy we are and why I have not written much lately?  (that plus Blogger won't let me post very many more pictures..and what fun is a blog without a picture.)

I hope to be able to clean up my photos soon, and start posting again.   Wishing you and all of yours the very merriest of Christmases!