Only SEVEN days!

OK, I admit that I am not usually on of those people who lives by a countdown of some special event, but this time I think it might be justified.

Our daughter is coming home with her family for Christmas with us, and my wife and I are VERY excited!  We've seen them near Christmas in their home area in Colorado, we went out there one Christmas and during another holiday season, we arranged for our son and his family to travel out for the holiday.

But it's been a very long time since she, her husband and their two kids were here at Christmas!

Despite the excitement, we also have a good many things to do to get ready, mostly in the area of grocery shopping.  We generally have a traditional dinner of pork roast, sauerkraut (my late MILwas from Austria) and lots of other side dishes.  The festivities usually kick off with a pizza party, easiest way to feed everyone on the day the hungry travelers arrive.  And there are breakfasts and lunches to consider.

I have tried and tried to get my wife to accept that we don't need to buy every single thing we might want in advance, and we've done that to some degree, but she still wants to go to the grocery and bring back two carts' worth of merchandise JUST IN CASE.

I always remind her that a) we live about five minutes from two different grocery stores and b) I'll be off all week.  Neither factor matters, we must be prepared!

I am grateful to be able to say that we are, in fact, finished shopping for everyone.  Or at least I think we are.  This also happens nearly every year, where we think we're finished, and then I learn that we have a few more things to buy.

But it's going to be a joyous holiday season here at the Smith house, and we really are looking forward to having our nuclear family together again!

I hope that you'll have the same opportunity for your family to be together as well!

 

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