Getting there

And the contents of mystery package #2 are revealed.
This was the package made up for 'TT'-my sister. It is a mini package....just put the few things in it that we knew she would love. The bug painted on the rock is a magnet i made---which Kaitlyn stole back and claimed for herself....sorry Auntie 'TT', I just noticed it is on our fridge. The snow flake Kaitlyn made and she made sure to put an extra blue gem on "because TT likes", and she really does love blue and she loves coffee so we added some coffee napkins and a few hot drinks to warm her up on these cold....frigid cold days.

Yesterday was a very long and productive day. The kind of day that resulted in my trying to lay around all day today to recover. Emily and Phil came over at dinner time and spent the evening. We hung out in the basement, built forts....with clubs. Emily was in charge...those are the signs she made(above) that were at the door.
I managed to kick laundry's butt---folded at least 6 loads and washed a ton too. I am caught up....hope to stay that way....we'll see. I don't actually have much faith in myself for this, I hate laundry! I still have to get it all put away....slowly, I am making baby steps.

These beads are sooooo not going to make it onto the tree......nope, no chance at all!
After Dave came home from his late shift we got the rest of the decorations out and decided to tackle the tree. We had started it but lost momentum after two boxes of ornaments so we got at it while we had the help. It is eclectic and involves a lot of very special ornaments.
Dave has years and years of star wars and star trek ornaments, he is very faithful with his collecting and storing of them.
I collect Barbie ornaments, and anything sentimental. Home made is really special for me. I will do an ornament post one of these days and share what we all collect.
Anyway, there are still a few ornaments left but they are the ones that Dave has to plug into the light strings so they take a while. But here is how it looks now, in a few different camera settings.



I am loving sitting in the dark looking at the ornaments and just letting them spark memories and spin off the stories that go with them in my mind. Speaking of memories, you have GOT to go here and read this(click)... it is a peek in on my childhood, sorta.
One thing that I am sure of now. I do not need help setting up my village. I had plenty though, in the form of four little hands. I was so worried that they would break a piece! They are all hand painted by moi and took 2-3 hours each to complete, so if one broke, I would be so sad. This is only a small portion of the town. I have another 37 to paint, but since I have to space to put a city of that size I stick with the few that are painted. I love painting them but have not had the chance to do any since the kids where born. Guess I will have a busy retirement if I keep buying up pieces to paint every year!

Phil loves to get in on the village action too and set up the lamp poles and people, this is his thing. Though last year I let him do the whole town, that was a big deal! And he did a fab job too!

My dream for this town is to someday have a train run through it and have little mountains and moving parts, I love miniature stuff!!!!

Thanks to little helpers my manger scene has been rearranged and baby Jesus is MIA! I have a feeling that he is wrapped in swaddling in a certain little girls bedroom, mixed in amongst all the other little babies that she cares for.

Now today. It is cold, the house was cold. After baths Kaitlyn wore a toque, that says it all!
We didn't do a lot, hung out, did some painting, admired the peach fuzz growing on Ethan's melon, and....finally made it out to get some shopping done, Christmas shopping!
Dave is bought for, yay, one down!

And...I am even painting with a seasonal theme. Here is a sneak peak of what I am working on....it is still pretty rough looking.