Last Saturday Before Christmas

I'm a procrastinator. I think I've always been this way. I seem to work better under pressure. When I'm taking college classes I wait until Sunday night when the homework is due to turn it in and end up sweating, but always come out with flying colors.

Christmas shopping is no different. However, this year I did really well! I had a few things before Thanksgiving and put a serious dent in my list the day after Thanksgiving. I thought I would have lots more shopping to do but all my Christmas Angels made my list a lot more shorter.

(Note: I got a phone call at 7:48 am this morning from a co-worker who was waiting outside my door to take me to Toys for Tots to pick up 3 gifts each for Lael and D. Can you believe the blessings that keep coming!)

Where I really slacked was on my "others" shopping. You know, my husband, my parents, my girl, and my girl's kids. In addition to that I hadn't taken Lael to see Santa yet and she was practically bursting to get to see him and reveal her great big wish for Christmas (which happens to be a rainbow).

So after getting back Toys for Tots we headed to Gymnastics and then came back and showered and were out of the to the mall. We stood in like for probably 1 1/2hrs to see the big guy and Lael talked my head off the entire time. Some of the kids in that line deserved nothing but coal for Christmas and it gave me an appreciation for just how well behaved my child is. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments but overall she is nothing like some of those little ones.

Anywho, in the past Lael is completely frightened my anything in costume or a mask and previous years I've had to force her to sit on Santa's lap but this year she declared she was a "big girl" and marched right up to him.




See, now does she look scared to yall? Nah, she was mighty brave.

After that we spent, hmmm, 7 hrs hoping from store to store, we went to about half the stores in the mall and then to Target and Lael really impressed me by her patience. We had a "talk" before and she understood that if she came with me it would be a long day but my trooper was in it for the long haul.

We got just about everyone taken care of on our list and I got really great deals. I took Lael to the BX on another base and bought her a pair of new shoes and a Barbie book for being so patient and she was really grateful, in reality, I'm the one that's grateful because the day could have been a WHOLE lot more stressful if she had meltdowns like other kids that were being dragged around by their parents.

Here's the damage:




May not look like much but believe me...it is! There will be happy kids and Lael really had a blast personally picking out presents for her friends! I love that she learned that Christmas isn't just about getting things for herself but giving to others as well.

Here she is when we got home right before 9. We lost 1 earring during the battle of shopping, but the war...we won!



Christmas is almost here! I'm so excited to see the surprise on everyone's faces when they open their gifts. It makes me happy to see other's happy.
What about yall? I hope everyone finished their shopping! If not....GOOD LUCK! :o)