Sobriety Stinks

One more of my Christmas projects for this year (and thanks again go to Pinterest).  I made 7 of these.

It has been our tradition since my kids have learned to play some sort of instrument that they play a musical number on Christmas Eve.  It used to be all piano, but thanks to Jack we have some variation now.  He played "The First Noel" on the trombone . . .

Addie played "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" on the piano . . .

Taylor played "Believe" on the piano . . .

. . . and Jack completed this portion of the evening entertainment by playing several numbers on his bells.

It is also our tradition tht the gifts given between brother and sisters must be homemade.  This leads to some interesting gift exchanges, but they are fun, nonetheless.  Taylor made latchhook wall hangings (sorry, no photos turned out).  Jack made a duct tape purse for Addie . . .

 . . . and he made pens in wood shop for everyone else, complete with our names engraved in them.
  Addie made bookmarks for everyone with a special handwritten note about why she loves each person.  She did it entirely herself, including the wrapping, and without even a suggestion from me.  This is the first year I haven't had to help her in some way.

Of course, everyone got new jammies.  Bacon for Jack . . .

Bucks for Lane (everyone got a good chuckle from his jammies - including grandma.)

And purple thermal ones for me. - since I do have a tendency to be cold all the time.  I've tried to convince everyone that I'm the correct temperature and everyone else is freakisly hot, but so far no one will believe me.  Taylor's and Addie's both have monkeys on them.  Sadly, all the jammies this year were purchased.  I didn't see when I would have the time to make 5 pairs of jammies so I didn't even try.  I think it turned out to be a wise decision - looking back I don't know when I would have had the time.  It is something I really missed doing and I will simply have to plan better for next Christmas.


One other thing that I didn't really have time to do this Christmas was the Christmas cards, but I made them anyway.  I'm not very happy with them, and what's more is that I didn't even enjoy doing them.  Not even a little bit.  I've been making my Christmas cards for a lot of years now, and this was the first time that it was a chore.  It was rushed and unpleasant.  So on December 26 of this year I did the unthinkable:

I bought Christmas cards.


It's true.  I'm all set for next year.  Thanks to 75% off on Christmas stuff at Kohls, I got them for super cheap and they are even cute.


Of course, Lane has zero faith in me.  He's quite convinced that come next November I will give in to my "take-on-way-too-much" self and make the cards anyway.  I have to agree that there is at least a 50% chance that will happen.  I have problems.


For a little bit of self-braggery, I have made it (almost - there are still a few days to go) through the holidays without drinking.  I have gone all the way since November 12 without a Dr. Pepper or any sort of soda.  I don't recommend giving up the sauce during the holidays - there's way too much temptation around.  As I frequently say, the voices in my head stopped screaming after only about 3 days, but the craving has never subsided.  I would have thought it would lessen some after this amount of time, but it hasn't.  Taylor is still drinking, which makes it tough.  And every single time someone at my office pops a can open, I die a little bit inside.