The best laid plans...

I finally sent out all of my Christmas cards and packages today; I'm trusting the USPS and their "ship by" dates to get the job done. (Not the best horse to bet on, I know.) Despite my careful plans (and even a cute planner!), the first couple of weeks of December have flown by yet again, and I find myself rushing to get things done at the last minute. Must continue to work on this whole getting my act together thing...

I think I can officially say that I am done now, though. I managed the last of the big fires today...and the celebrating and relaxing has begun in earnest. We kicked it off with a drive to see Christmas lights tonight. The kids had me laughing at their responses: Shayne's "Ooooh"s and "Aaahhh"s had me giggling at the memory of my siblings and me sarcastically oooohing and aahhhhing over light displays when we would take a similar drive with our parents. (Smart alec bunch of kids we were, I mean, are.) And after the first house (which really was out of control with lights and displays), Gracie kept saying over and over, "Mommy, I've never seen anything like it in ALL MY LIFE." What a cutie.

Below are some pictures from Shayne's school party today, and the kids decorating their Christmas trees a couple of weeks ago.