snowy glow-y morning....

Don't you just love this garland? It was 70% off at Joannes last week, so around five bucks. I went in there real quick, with Sonja K., and spend under twenty dollars, I deserve an award. I love the fabric store, and since the lockdown, have gone in only twice. I really restrained myself, there were so many nice things, but. Right?

Miss Sunny keeps an eye out for burglers, robbers, and the mailman, plus anyone who so much as moves at the neighbor's across the road. The couch is only in front of the window like this to make room for the Christmas tree, she wrecks the back of it, 80 pound Lab, who thinks she's a cat.

The snow, so sparkly and pretty and festive, so Christmas-y! Sonja had to drive to work in it today. College is all virtual at this point, but the professors and staff still go in, so Sonja still goes in. She is a health screener, takes the temperatures and asks the questions. So, if you ever get screened upon entering a building, remember, the screener is just a person doing a job, and if you don't like their questions or getting a thermometer pointed at your head, ask to talk to their boss. :) Anyway, she made it in safely, drove the truck with 4WD. She slid a bit, but was okay.

Our tree is SO NOT picture perfect, but I love it.

I can't even fathom how empty it's going to be when I have to put all this away!

We only got the edge of the storm here, and now it's barely snowing, just like a sprinkling floating down.

We do have some big plans:

Can you guess? Gingerbread houses. I am not sure if you can detect my lack of enthusiasm here. I have made gingerbread men cookies before, and my kids have actually made houses in years past, but ugh. They want to make like five of them, like a contest, a decorating party, and the number of steps to make that many! I have to get the dough made, refrigerated, cut, baked, and the templates cut from cardboard. I know, it'll be fun, but... if anyone has any tips or suggestions, I'm game. It WAS my brilliant idea, just to be clear. I'm head cheerleader here at home, and I try to keep up the morale. When I suggested making gingerbread houses, they all said YES, and I was like, dang. Sonja is stopping at Walmart on her way home from work to get gumdrops, M&M's, and more molasses. We may as well do it right, right? Yesterday, after physical therapy, I brought Camille to get her hair cut. The salon is very nice, and only charges $15 for a kid's cut. I called them when we got there, told them she was going in without me (their preference, and we have done it at the dentist, and of course she goes to school without me). I sent her with the credit card, and some cash for a tip. She came out looking mighty cute, but forgot to tip. So I ran in and gave them the cash, and thanked them. These ladies have had a hard time of it, they were closed down for MONTHS, considered non-essential. They are living and working under the threat of being closed again, and it's got to be stressful. Anyway, I got the receipt in an email, and it was twenty bucks, it was five dollars to get her hair washed first. I almost gasped, but then caught myself, thankfully, poor Camille, she didn't realize it cost more, and it's not a huge deal, and the ladies have to earn a living. That's what I get for sending a child in somewhere with the credit card, I guess. Today's agenda: stay home! Make gingerbread dough, maybe bake some of it. Touch up paint in my bathroom, wash bedding and vacuum guest room in case any dear family members from GASP out of state come for Christmas, how criminal of me to even entertain such notions. Here's something nice: Suzanne made me the most beautiful blanket and sent it from California:

It's made from thick soft yarn, is the most beautiful pink, and is heavy and warm. I love it.