Mailbox Monday - Merry Christmas!

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm posting this late because I was making merry and cooking up a storm on Monday. Hope you all had a nice holiday.

Set a new record this year--only up to 2:30 AM wrapping and getting gifts under the tree. 

We woke up to our first white Christmas since 2002. I'm not sure who was more excited: me, the girls, or the dog.

Last week I swung by the library to renew my card and also grabbed a few books to kick my writing into gear for 2018.

Then the family was kind enough to gift me some books I wanted for Christmas along with a few CDs. 

Hope you'll share some of your gifts with us too. Here's moving onto 2018 and more mailbox Mondays. 

Christmas Goals Update

It is the Christmas countdown. After a lovely service at church that included a video by Max Lucado, we had a light Christmas Eve lunch at our home with the in-laws. I'm not where I wanted to be with my goals for this weekend, but I'm not stressing over it because the important thing this time of year is family.

Here is where we are:

• Friday night: Start wrapping gifts and put aside dancing teacher gift so kids take it tomorrow. DONE
• Saturday: Get up by 8; pick up and put away things hanging around the house; go to dance with the girls; finish wrapping gifts; put up the second tree and more decorations and bake a pie. Pie and cookies baked; house mostly picked up; most of the wrapping done and additional decorations are up in the dining room, family room, and living room.  
• Sunday: Get up by 7; get ready and attend church; have lunch with the in-laws; get the Lil' Diva to work; bake cookies; vacuum house; and put gifts under the tree. Church and lunch over; our girl is at work; cookies already done. 

Starting at four o'clock, the rest of my day will look like this:

• Get the father-in-law back to the facility
• Finish wrapping
• Have supper at the restaurant where the Lil' Diva works so she doesn't feel left out
• Finish wrapping
• Vacuum house
• Put gifts under tree

Staying focused will get the job done. 

Holiday Weekend Goals

The Christmas holiday weekend is upon us. Now is the mad dash to get everything ready before Monday. LOL!

It's been year of being overwhelmed here, so you know I have to get organized and set some goals if I will accomplish anything. In preparation, I finished Christmas shopping on Tuesday and grocery shopping on Wednesday. I've delegated some dinnertime tasks and menu items. I've even pushed off real estate appointments until Tuesday, December 26 (are you in shock?). The turkey is defrosting in the refrigerator.

Here's my plan for the rest of the weekend considering it is after 5 pm EST on Friday night.

• Friday night: Start wrapping gifts and put aside dancing teacher gift so kids take it tomorrow.
• Saturday: Get up by 8; pick up and put away things hanging around the house; go to dance with the girls; finish wrapping gifts; put up the second tree and more decorations and bake a pie.
• Sunday: Get up by 7; get ready and attend church; have lunch with the in-laws; get the Lil' Diva to work; bake cookies; vacuum house; and put gifts under the tree.

I'm usually up until after midnight on Christmas Eve, but I love playing Santa for my family. It will be a busy weekend, but it will also be a fun one. Not sure if I'll have time to blog, so please know I wish each and every one of you a blessed Christmas day.