AhHHHHHHH!!!!

No that is not a relaxing ahhhhhh!!!! its a pull your hair out, O boy I got so much to do before Christmas AHHHHHH!!!!!

This could be a short blog today, I have brownies in the oven for the "praise dinner" at church tonight, the second of the Christmas season festivities (last night we enjoyed the annual Christmas parade and town light up)

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Now I love, big church get togethers, but part of me is stressing out a bit, not about the brownies, made them thousands of times, and people love em, they will be fine (thanks Cathy for the recipe), nor is it the get together, I love potlucks.No it is the fact that a praise dinner means that Thanksgiving is this week, and that is the start of the Christmas season.

Courtney as you know from last year will be expecting a tree and decorations by the end of the week. And here is where the stress begins, do we have Christmas here or over at the Reno house that will be oh so close to completion by Christmas.

If here then I take this week that is marked as our Fall Break and put my hours normally put in homeschooling and put them into cleaning the place up (it needs it, I have been spending a lot of hours over at the reno lately and its way behind!!!!)

OR do I forget our current home a bit longer and go painting crazy at the Reno home to insure we are in before Christmas.

Oh and don't forget option C, I spend the week clutter busting our current home to get ready to move, and then at weeks close set up one room at the Reno home to have Christmas in whether we move or not. That way Courtney's little christmas tree fanatic heart is put to rest!!! (And I do mean Fanatic that girl redecorates our christmas tree daily)

You see the kitchen is done, except for the counters, and Jack could easily get those completed by Christmas , also done is the study off the kitchen and I could simply move over a small couch and set up the tree there. The boys beds are done (jack made them new bunk beds) and in their rooms, and Courtney's just needs a mattress. Our bed as you know is already there!!! Has been since summer. Hot water needs to be turned on, but other than that the home could be considered livable but not quite done.

So I am leaning towards option C and thinking of going on a fast from exercise and painting this week to further clear my schedule to clutter bust and dust and pack up. If I devote Monday Thru Friday to it, all the junk should be gone and we should be in great shape for a quick move if we do decided to get in before Christmas.

But the other part of me wonders if I would be better spending the time painting, cause perhaps we really could get done before christmas if I just give it my all for a few more weeks (and Jack too of course). Then we could just move the big essentials in before Christmas and move the little stuff after (but that could really drag out moving!!!)

What do you think??? What would you do??? Declutter and pack, so that no one sees the dust bunnies under your couch when they come to remove it, Or paint like a madwoman so you can get out of your plaster caving in house, faster!!! (the dining room ceiling hole is growning daily, we cannot eat our christmas ham in there without opening up a shade umbrella to cover the whole feast)

Either choice, is going to leave me time strapped for the Christmas preparations, I am going to keep it simple this year, only a few decorations are coming out, if I know your e-mail you will be getting a e-card this year from us.

My husband pretty much took care of the baking for us, Although I think he might have inadvertantly added more work to our load. I know he had best of intentions when he signed us up at work for a cookie exchange, BUT the exchange grew from 10 people to 23, I begged him to get us off, 23 dozen bake goods is too much to make and receive, but apparently the time line is up and we are stuck, so now I am going to have to squish and afternoon of fudge making into my schedule cause he put us down for FUDGE!!!!! I got to make 23 dozen fudge pieces!!!! Yeah I can just see my kitchen now, and me, what I make tastes great but I am far from a neat baker, I am going to have a lot of chocolate to scrub that night (hmmm Jack said he would help, sort of a sorryful offering for his blunder(he seriously had know idea we would be responsible for making that much) , perhaps I will put him in charge of chocolate scrubbing)

So if you live locally guess what your getting for Christmas from us, you got it your getting a plate full of various baked goods!!! I don't even know if I know enough people to give that all too!!!Perhaps I will throw a big cookie eating party instead of a cookie decorating one this year!! Oh wait a minute I have no home good enough to through a party in yet, one is falling apart the other is not yet put together AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Pray for me, I am going to need a big boost of energy and commitment either option I choose this week!!!

Well that is all for this week, the kids are all gone to a friends house and I got to clean up the kitchen from the brownies and then myself and get their clothes together for the praise dinner, and get the brownies on a platter, you can bet that that will include tasting a sample!!!

Have a great week!!!! May your kick of to the holiday season be more relaxing than mine.