The Countdown is On!

{Jane made this adorable reindeer paper chain countdown at school.}

• #101 on my list of things about me {or actually #201 if we're being technical here} is that I am the WORST with surprises.  Seriously the worst.  Although no one else around these parts are all that great with them either.  :)  There's a reason why I don't take the kids to do their Secret Santa stocking stuffer shopping until a day or two before Christmas.  Hahahaha.  I bring up this tidbit about me just so you know how much agony I'm in now that I'm officially done with all my Christmas shopping.  It's only December 3rd!!!  I'm going to have to wait 22 more days until the big reveal on Christmas morning!!!  I'm not sure I'll be able to handle holding it in.  I'm afraid I'm going to start saying too much to the kids!  This is a problem, people!!! :)

• Amazon Prime is the bomb.  And I'm totally digging the new Christmas CD I ordered that came in one of the shipments today.  It's called "Sing Noel" by The Lower Lights.  It's got a blue-grass-y, folksy vibe to it, that I really love.  They sell it at Deseret Book, but you can find it on Amazon, too.  Check it out!  {And no, I do not get paid to promote stuff like this.  Although, wouldn't that be nice?? :) }

• Nothing says Christmas quite like Magic Camp.  Hahaha.  Today was Ethan's first meeting after school, and I was flabbergasted when I picked him up to see that he was one of 40 or so 6th graders who have signed up to learn the art of prestidigitation from their math teacher.  There is some serious hero-worship going on here!  Hahaha.  Apparently this teacher makes more money doing magician stuff than teaching.  Or at least that's what Ethan tells me.  Hmmmmm.  Interesting.  Hahahaha.  

• And finally, here is a list of what we're most looking forward to doing this Christmas season:  Ethan -- going to the cousins' house; Grace -- gingerbread houses and Christmas Pageant; Sophie -- shopping for presents; Jane -- getting presents; Alex -- "Christmas!"; Scott -- gumbo; me -- singing Christmas songs together.  

And there you have it -- the countdown is officially on! :)