ah, the Holidays!

I can't believe Christmas is only two weeks away. It's the final stretch and the only thing left to do is tie up some loose ends and wrap the gifts. I decided to keep things simple this year. Everyone is shopped for except for my parents. I have no clue what to get them. usually I make my mom something but I haven't had time this year and I don't see it happening within the next couple weeks either. All the nieces and nephews except for Ricky (but that's only because he's the baby even though he's six years old) are getting money this year with a little gift. I made the girls journals and the boys are getting miniature nerf guns. In addition to Christmas gifts, I also had to buy five birthday gifts. Bill's dad is getting a restaurant gift card.

this saturday is Bill's aunt's 80th birthday party. this sunday is the staff Christmas party at work. next thursday, the 18th, the boys will be flying in from LA. they'll be here for 2 1/2 weeks! next saturday, on the 20th, is our Christmas with Bill's side of the family. we always spend Christmas Eve with Bill's family but his brother is hosting this year and all four of his kids have birthdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas so to make life easier, he decided to celebrate their birthdays and Christmas on the same day. personally I'm grateful for that, because they live an hour away and I don't really want to make that trip twice in one month especially in winter. besides, I'm so looking forward to just staying home on Christmas Eve and having a nice little dinner with just us and we'll probably invite my parents over to join us. on Christmas Day, we'll be going to my sister's as always and on the 27th the Herr's will be in town hosting their annual christmas party at their hotel.

oh, and on a side note and totally unrelated - my laptop shipped today! woohoo, it'll be here on Friday.