november, where in the heck did you go?!!!

It seems that just when I get used to a month, it's on it's way out. It goes from being way too early to think about Christmas to OH NO, I better get going on this thing, in no time flat. 24 days. That's almost tomorrow. Yes, from having all the time in the world to oops, I better get shopping, planning, wrapping...

I have shopped, and I have wrapped. But in my red notebook next to my chair, next to my list of names, some have...nothing written..yet. Oh, and I do this thing where I write things really code-like, abbreviating or giving the item a nickname that only I would understand...then I scan the list a few days later and have absolutely NO IDEA WHAT I MEANT.

I do not believe in fairness. How could I? That would be madness! I mean, if I picked up a cute pair of socks for Sonja on a random Monday in March, would I have to give the fifteen other kids a cute pair of socks too? Same goes for the last cupcake, or the extra slice...yes, you can cut it and share it, but you can't mangle a cupcake into a dozen chunks. So it's not going to be fair, in a big family. So I don't stress about having the same amount of gifts, but still, I have to be careful. A teenage girl has enough angst in her life without thinking mama doesn't love her as much as her sister because she only got two things. Some kids are just easier to buy for, and each year it seems there's a kid who gets more. Of course the three youngest will get more, but the older ones still are enchanted by Christmas, and I want to make it as nice as I can for them. But not too nice, ha.

It IS more about being together, it really is. But I have always felt that since I do happen to have so many kids, I want them to know they're individually special. When they were little, yes, there were a hundred Barbies in the house, but that didn't mean that each little girl didn't deserve her own brand new one on Christmas.

Tonight, there's a family dinner here, homemade pot pie. I haven't made it yet, I hope I have all the ingredients. but rolled out butter crust, with hot bubbly chicken, potatoes, carrots...mmmm. Dessert, maybe some brownies.

Sunday everyone is coming over for dinner too, I have a nice spiral sliced brown sugar ham. I'll roast some red potatoes and sweet potatoes, and maybe make some green beans. And rolls. (Suri and Sunny got the brown and serve rolls from the counter last night, bad dogs!)

Lydia spent the night last night. I told Mali that she could do that on Thursdays, so she is only getting her out of bed and bringing her here so early, four days a week. She is still sleeping!

Today, I plan to stay home. Yesterday I took two trips to the small city, for doctor appointments for two different kids. I went to the craft store on the first trip, and to Walmart on the second. I found too many good things in Walmart:), but got a few good Christmas gifts to put on my list.

A day at home, while the snow falls gently, and the fake fireplace hums, the dogs snoring on the couch, a second cup of coffee steams in my hand...what could be better?