No such thing as recovery time

I wish the time after Christmas was recovery time but in this household its not - its just on to the next thing.

I hope everyone had a peaceful, loving, and happy Christmas (if its a holiday that you celebrate, if you don't I hope you had a peaceful, loving and happy Thursday). After all was said and done, things turned out fine - stressful as all get out but sometimes you just aren't going to have the best Christmas season year after year. What mattered most, family and togetherness, that's what I had and that's what counted.

But some notes to myself for next year.
1. Start earlier. Seriously. After Thanksgiving get the Christmas tree downstairs and put it up. PUT UP ORNAMENTS. (Only lights, the angel and candy canes made it up this year.)

2. Take the day or two off before Christmas Eve. This will allow you time to bake, wrap and any last minute shopping. (No days off before. Bad idea - didn't get to do any baking).

3. Make it a priority to take The Girl to see Santa. (Didn't happen this year. If we're missing a year, this was a good year to do it but hoping not to do it again).

4. Set gift price limit for The Girl. (THe Husband and I had a $25 limit for each other. We stuck to it. What we failed to do was set a price on what The Girl gave us. Man we are such suckers on giving each other gifts. No wonder we're broke. Thank goodness for damn good sales this year).

So my lil Santa got me a GPS system for my car. Something I wanted for some time since I regular call The Husband and say Are you by a computer... and then proceed to get him to get me somewhere. I've done this so many freaking times. I get lost regularly even when i print out directions. I am overly excited for this gift.

The Husband got me a journal. I've been wanting one (and one of the little things I just don't want to spend them $ on for myself) to start recording little moments of life for The Girl..to give to her one day. The Apple story, the Momma/Mommy story - just those little things that one day I may forget but she may get a kick out of reading when she's older.

I got The Husband Season 2 of Dexter. He started watching it online at work and I had no idea that he had gotten so far in it - way beyond Season 2. Oh well, I tried. The Girl got him a wireless XBox remote....some of Mommy's wine spilled on his old one. Whoops!

The Girl got lots of stuff from lots of people. Mommy and Daddy got her a xylophone. Uncle Cookie got her a megaphone. Yup - a megaphone. Ohhh Uncle Cookie - we're gonna get you back! She got clothes and PJs, puzzles and music. She barely would let go of a new book! That's a good girl!

Onward upward - Next stop, 2nd birthday...then New Years Eve, then birthday parties. Then sleep!