Holiday Jibber-Jabber

Things I'm celebrating today:

• I'm loving Mamma Mia all over again! IF Santa wanted to bring it to me for Christmas, I would let him, but only IF Santa really wanted to do it, you know.
• The temp is 4 degrees outside right now! Count 'em: 1-2-3-4! The wind chill is 20 degrees below 0. Let's not count that.
• Grandma's K's Coffee Cake is made, wrapped up, and ready for gift-giving to the neighbors. Why didn't anyone tell me how good it was before now? I stumbled onto the recipe and it does - after all - have my name in it!
• The new kit-of-the-month from Unity Stamp Company. Trust me, you are gonna bounce big time when you see these Valentine stamps! They are so stinkin' cute!!
• I have slept 20 hours in the past two days. Ahhhhhh!
• Christmas music. Loud. All day long!

Things I'll be cooking over the next week:

• Turkey and Honey-Glazed Ham (no fire dept. calls! remember two years ago?)
• Mashed Potatoes - the boys could not survive a Christmas without them!
• Green Bean Casserole
• Cream Cheese & Pineapple Cheese ball - oh so yum!
• Rigatoni with classic Italian sauce - a holiday family tradition!
• A big ole' pot of Taco Soup that cooks for 8-12 hours (Holy Moly!)
• Chicken & Beef Taco's
• Breakfast Casserole
• Barbecue Meatballs (Yes Brandt, they are for you!)

Things I'm looking forward to:

• Keaton's flight arrives tomorrow night - Happiness!
• I'm hoping Brandt remembers to drive home for Christmas (?!)
• Christmas Eve Candlelight Church Service
• Hanging out with all the fam and grandkiddos - who's in charge of Parker?
• Did I mention the Pineapple Cheese ball?

Critical things that I need to do that have nothing to do with Christmas:

• Contact the neighbor girls about a bible study group
• Pay bills (last year I forgot to make the house payment during the holidays! Who does that?)
• Figure out a birthday gift
• Use my Pampered Chef round baking stone
• Prepare for a BIG - no, HUGE - 2-week trial in January
• Begin to consider my New Year's Resolutions. Amen, to that brother!

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.