Posted in Advent

This is my annual post on how much of a Scrooge I am!  LOL  I have been downloading Holiday Grand Plan stuff this morning.  Dana reminded me of this and I always start it too late and get behind.  This year I am on time and hope to stay on plan.  As I let it permeate my little brain this morning I feel my stress level rising.  Pavlov had something with this conditioning behavior.  LOL  It immediately makes me wonder where we can cut corners so we can have enough money for gifts for everyone and how I can clean the house in order to be able to actually have people come in and see the place during the holidays.  It also starts the dreading of holidays with people I am not really fond of (I am talking Thanksgiving and Christmas) 

We do get to travel and see my family this year.  It is always easier for me to be there for the most part than here.  I am also a bit stressed by the fact that we have not drawn names with Dan's family yet and I have no idea who I am buying for.  If we buy for Dan's parents I am always ALWAYS disappointed with their reaction to our gift.  They have still not put the picture up we gave them three years ago and that indicates to me that they hated it.  I tell you there is much baggage involved in this process when ungrateful people are involved.  They seem to think that I am the ungrateful one but I don't mind buying gifts when they are appreciated.  I just don't like giving something that is tossed aside and disregarded.  I think my SIL Vera is the ONLY one who ever appreciates anything we buy for her.  She is so cool like that!  She is secretly my favorite on Dan's side, btw... 

The money part stresses me out the most because we just don't have extra most of the time.  We pay our tithe, the bills and school stuff and that is about all we have most of the time.  Saving up for it is usually not very successful and limiting our own giving to our children has become a common practice in order to pay for gifts for the unappreciative bunch of people across town.  My blood pressure is going up.... *deep breath - in and out*  ;)

I want for this year to be different and I want to enjoy the process and the time with family.  I am going to have to overlook quite a bit with some of those in-laws.  One really cool thing this year is the time I will get to see my youngest brother's little girl.  She is so precious!!!  I cannot wait to see her and hold her little beautiful self!!! 

I think I am planning soon enough that I can make a few things this year again, too.  I am hoping that the Holiday Grand Plan will keep me on track more and my home and family will be in order by the time I get to December.  We are also focusing more every year on Advent and that helps my perspective so much to focus on Jesus instead of all the commercial aspects of this dreaded time.  I think having the television turned off will help, too.  We shall see... 

BTW, have a great Labor Day!!!