Cards are in the Mail!

 I was on the late side this year but all 200 Christmas cards have been sent!

I actually ran out of cards and ordered 20 more just in case I missed someone.

Wednesday afternoon I met my son Jesse at Best Buy to purchase a new laptop.

He arrived early to the appointment and did all the research before I got there so it was easy peasy closing the deal! Plus, he found a really great laptop at nearly half price!!

The Christmas band concert at the Bells' school was later that evening but it would be dark so I couldn't drive to the school and it would be awkward to have Amber or Mike drive us from their house since they could all go in the car at the same time.

Thankfully, Mike's parents live in Irving, too, and offered to stop by and pick us up on their way!

Win! WIN!!

What a wonderful concert!!

The Bells are in the eighth grade so they will be in high school next year!

WOW! 

How did that happen??

Trystan was first chair  honors band for oboe for district band competition and first chair wind symphony for region competition and was the only student at her school that placed in both competitions in any instrument category.

  Logan was fifth chair honors band for euphonium for district band and first chair for region band!

We are all so proud of them!!

All six Bells plus both sets of grandparents!

It takes a village and we have been one since we knew Amber was having all four of her children at the same time!

Tabitha got out the other day and then when I opened the door to look for her, Samantha raced out to join her! They stayed out for hours but at the end of the day, I opened the door and both of them casually waltzed in.

Louis Dean's shoulder continues to bother him so I ordered a shoulder/back heating pad.

Sherry suggested that a heating pad might help and I followed up on that!

It does, indeed, help!

I want to use it next!

When we ordered my new laptop on Wednesday, they didn't have one in stock.

However, they could ship it to me the next day. To have it shipped to Best Buy would not arrive until December 15.

So yesterday afternoon I took it up to to Best Buy and stopped in at Joe V's Smart Shop by HEB.

While not a fully stocked complete store like regular HEBs are - they had some real bargains in the produce section and a huge variety of just about everything.

By the time I did my errands and filled the car up with gas, the sun had set and I arrived home close to dark!

Louis Dean has been my hero with the fluffing of wreathes and trees and stringing up lights.

I'm over half way done with the decorating and have surrendered to the fact that it's the latest EVER to get this done.

Instead of fretting, I am embracing these days of preparation.

It's looking like I will be ready for Christmas Eve!

Bauer continues to perch in the Bells' Christmas tree!!

Good thing he is so cute!

I was visiting BJ's Facebook page and am in love with her pink Santa canvas!

I know she had this last year but not sure how many years before that.

I'm thinking of painting it for next year.

I have several pink Santas as well as pink poinsettias and will be looking for all things pink for next Christmas for the living room.

I'm already planning for next year's decorations while still working on the ones for this year!

We are watching this movie again and we are at Louis Dean's favorite part where Santa's singing in the jail! Such a fun movie!

I've enjoyed all the Christmas movies available on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Paramount +....

but when Louis Dean and I are watching one together, I'm choosing ones we've already seen and he seemed to especially enjoy!

Can you believe Christmas is only 13 days away??

My big day is Christmas Eve and only 12 days to finish decorating and baking and preparing!

I'm loving every minute of it!

And just so you know.....I intend to leave all my decorations up for several weeks after Christmas so I can sit back and soak up all the ambiance of winter coziness!