And the Christmas season has begun

We have been busy busy lately it seems....
We have started shopping and made a good dent in it...
I've very very proud of a major deal I scored on an expensive item the girls each wanted!  I never seem to find a bagain and not only did I find a bargain, I found a $10 coupon for that store! 

Every year Mike buys Jennifer a gift just from him... I can't be involved in picking it out... a gift just for being his favorite niece...Every year that we will be with the whole family I remind him that it can't be obvious to the other niece, like this year...
So, for a few days now he has been asking me about gifts...His first idea was an i pad... that would be a BIG NO I assured him... he didn't realize how much they were he explained...(and that wouldn't be the least bit obvious to the other niece.  Here's you wine bottle opener, and Jennifer, here's your i pad...)
His next suggestion was a Wii.  Then a treadmill.  I explained that she might kill him if he bought her a treadmill, he didn't understand...So, he and Kellie went out today and did that shopping... a few phone call questions later he came home with his gift.  Not an i pad, but still, a gift of uncle love...

My favorite part of this season has actually been at school.  We are doing an 'angel tree' for our students who are in need and I have absolutely loved working on it.  What a blessing to help others at Christmas.  As Phoebe from Friends said "there is no selfless good deed" because it just makes you feel too good to be a part of things like that.

The house is decorated, it was cold out today so after church we did some baking.  Several pounds of butter later, we have a large quantity of cookies baked.  I think the dog has licked up a pound of powdered sugar off the floor today.  Kellie and Katie are still doing a little decorating in there...

stop by for cookies...