burn dust. eat my rubber.

I am so ready for the Holiday Season that it's not even funny. I know it's not cold outside, but after a certain point, I just can't use that as my "it's-time-to-start-feeling-like-Christmas" indicator. Mainly because it was so warm last year, but I'm hoping for a serious cool off within the next couple of weeks.

I am so proud of myself this year, I have my Christmas shopping done for my husband, both our fathers and all 3 Dostals. That leaves me with less people to buy for than I already have. I'm pleased with that, and I'm glad that I feel good about everything this year. We aren't going to get Mom booze, but that's okay. Haha, we're actually not going to give anybody alcohol this year, and I like that. I always have felt like that's kind of a last resort present. Or a man present. If I leave Zach in charge, most people would be bought for at Spec's. I'm ready for the packages to start arriving in the mail so I can get to wrapping. As it stands, I am only able to wrap Zach and Holly's presents. Within the next week, though, I'll have plenty to do. I think the saddest thing is decorating your tree and having nothing to put underneath. I hate an empty Christmas tree.

Since the Clarks are going to be spending Christmas in College Station, I'm looking for Christmas-y projects to keep me occupied while Zach's working. I'm particularly excited to get started with baking projects. I am determined to rock out some wonderful gingerbread men this year, and am even trying to decide if I should attempt a gingerbread house. I have the best recipe for gingerbread, and it's a closely guarded secret. However, it's not a crispy gingerbread, it's a good, chewy gingerbread and I think it might be difficult to build a gingerbread house with it, and I really just can't bring myself to make a sub-standard gingerbread cookie for the sake of a house. I am also determined to make a cookie tree. It's something I remember from Norway, but I can't tell you why, I just associate the two together. Maybe they used to sell them in the grocery stores? Anyway, you make cookies in the shape of stars of gradually decreasing size, and then decorate and stack them. Or you can stack and then decorate. Either way, I see it as another excuse to really get into a good Christmas project.

We have been trying, with all our might, to resist watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation until after Thanksgiving. It's tradition. However, it's getting harder and harder as we find ourselves increasingly quoting the film and really feeling the need to sit down and have a good laugh at Clark, Aunt Betheny and the squirrel.




I have been trying to come up with fun things for our little family to do over Christmas to keep ourselves in the spirit, since we won't be with our family much, we won't have a fire to sit by, and we really won't have the space to decorate to our full Clark potential. However, Santa's Wonderland is a favorite. It's rather expensive for one car to go through, but we enjoy going to Starbucks on our way out, getting hot chocolate/vanilla creme/spiced apple cider and then driving out with the dogs to go through the park. It's so much fun. I can not wait. I'll start pestering Zach to go the day after he's finished with his Board exam. With that, I'll sign off, but remember...