Ho Ho Ho!

I finished my Christmas shopping!!! Whew! Some items I am worried about...will they arrive in time? I'll just have to sweat it out and cross fingers. I can't believe how long I waited to finish shopping this year. Thank goodness so many websites were offering free shipping deals or I would have gone broke from all the expedited shipping charges. I'll give a shout out to Barnes and Noble.com and Overstock.com especially. They were among the few to GUARANTEE delivery by 12/24. Overstock even has free expedited shipping on selected items. Very cool.

Tyler is still struggling with the aftermath of his latest vaccinations. He still has a low grade fever. The doctor put him on a 10 day course of antibiotics. It's day three and that fever isn't budging. Otherwise, he is acting pretty normal. He is eating a little less than he usually does, but he isn't ACTING sick any more. I'm not sending him back to school until there is no trace of fever tho.

Hopefully John's work schedule is light this week. I hope to sneak out one day this week to pick up some stocking stuffers for Tyler. I have such fond memories from my youth regarding my Christmas stocking. For a number of years my mother would hang these south western style hand-knit SUPER long stockings by the fireplace. They were so long that, once filled, they would stretch from the hook they hung on clear down to the hearth. My brother and I would save them for last, after opening up everything else under the tree.

The stockings would be filled with fun stuff like Christmas candy, small puzzles or games, little stuffed animals, and for me - some cool Avon products. I would get tasty lip balms, fun shaped soaps, and cool jewelry. (A friend of my Mom's was an Avon lady.) I miss all that fun Avon stuff. Anyone remember those neat puppet wash cloths that came with their own character soaps? Who can beat a combo bath and puppet show? I still remember the year we came running downstairs to find Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch watching us from their perch...stuffed into the top opening of our stockings.

I want Tyler to get that same thrill from the little treasures in his stocking. Last year he was so overwhelmed with what was under the tree, the stockings were forgotten until the following day. Nothing wrong with prolonging the Christmas joy, eh?