Christmas is about GIVING!

Tree? Check!
Inside decorations? Check!
Outside decorations? Check!
Gifts purchased? Check!
Christmas cards? Written and Addressed; waiting for stamps.
Invitations to party? Check!

Sewing projects? Mostly done.

Several days of being stuck home with sick kids (and getting "THE BUG" yourself) gets an amazing amount of stuff done! (Side note: this bug is a great weight loss program! I lost 7 pounds in 3 days!)

The girls are planning a baking day for Friday. They have a rather ambitious menu planned:

Snickerdoodles
Russian Tea Cakes
Thumbprint Cookies
Sugar cookies (rolled, cut and decorated)
Gingerbread men
Double Chocolate Chunk
Candy Cane Cookies

Can you imagine what my kitchen will look like when they are done? I'll be picking flour out of the cupboard doors for weeks, I am sure!

WARNING: MOM BRAG! The girls have been so sweet this year. We told the older three girls that Christmas would be smaller this year, since my husband has been informed that the contract for his part-time job has not been renewed, and he will be laid off sometime between now and Jan 31. (Gotta love their timing on this!) Every extra penny is now going into savings to prepare for the time while he finds a new part-time job. We explained that it would be hard for the younger two girls to understand and so they will be getting a few more items under the tree than they would be. The girls have decided to make gifts for each other to have more things under the tree! They have been so resourceful and sweet!

Nathalie has taken my fabric scraps and made doll clothes for her sisters' dolls.
Hannah has used felt squares and scraps to make play food.
Abby has used her own babysitting earnings to buy Rachel and Samantha the one toy they REALLY wanted: Horseland Interactive Horses.

I am so proud of them! They actually get it! Christmas is about GIVING!