Christmas firsts...............

What a month so far. We have had a lot of first for us! 1) We are done Christmas shopping (done at least a couple weeks ago)!, 2) We are done wrapping Christmas presents (we are usually wrapping the day before), 3)We put up the Christmas Tree (had not been done for a few years), 4) We ordered Christmas cards to send out!(of course we have to actually send them out to make this count!), 5) We took pictures of Abe in front of the tree and as you can tell he was REALLY happy about that!, 6) We took our gifts out to Kris's moms already in preparation for the Christmas festivities and 7) The libations are chilling in the garage at Joan's, 8) We are going to drive around with the boy (Abe) after work tonight and look at the lights (we have not done that in a few years either) Abe loves looking at the animated lights.

So, what has gotten into us? I have no idea. I think we started shopping VERY early and got things done than we had all this free time left thanks to using the quickness of internet shopping. I just cringed at the thought of going to the mall and shopping now. Think of all the energy wasted! Physical (my energy is very precious) and just all the vehicles running waiting for the lights to change to make it to the next store or driving around the parking lot to find the parking space closest to the store! I talked with some people from Yankton this weekend that said it took them a half hour to drive from the Western Mall to the Empire Mall. They ended up just going home. UGH......NASTY!

Hit the funeral home this past weekend as it was their annual remembrance of the people that have passed away that they have held services for. It was a little smaller crowd than last year but still good. They have a slideshow of the people that have passed away in the past year and also you can write down the name of a loved one and as their name is read you go up and light a candle in remembrance. I of course was doing well and then we had to sing Silent Night. I could not do it, of course I could not sing it last year either. I had tears streaming down my face. Oh well. Tears are good and all part of healing. You could really tell the people who had just lost loved ones as they really struggled during the service and then I remembered how I felt as I was in the same boat last year. Holidays are hard and there is no getting around it but with each passing year the healing continues. Kind of sad that there were two of my classmates from Yankton there. One who's dad passed away a little over a year ago and another who's dad passed away a couple months ago. It was good to talk with them, give them my condolences and get caught up after the service.

After the service I went out to my Godparents farm for supper. Very good food and of course lots of laughter! They are such great people!