The Nelson Narrative

It's Christmas Eve and it's snowing!  It's been a busy day.  Cleaning up, making tomorrow's dessert and the stuffing, laundry, and we went to church.  Right now I'm just sitting in the living room, no TV or anything, just enjoy the quiet and the pretty lights and festive atmosphere.

Oops, I slacked off a bit.  But I'm back.  We had a fun day Saturday before last (the 11th).  We needed to go up to Lynnwood (about 45 minutes away) to pick my ring up at Shane Co (I took it in for the annual inspection/cleaning, etc.), so while we were up there we had lunch and did some shopping, and the girls each got a new piercing.  Olivia got her nose pierced and Kayley did her helix.  Not a fan myself, but not the hill I want to die on.  Family outings like that have become increasingly rare so it was nice. Then, this last Saturday, the 18th, Paul and I met my Dad, stepmom, both brothers and their wives in Everett for dinner to celebrate my stepmom's 80th birthday.  That was so much fun.  We went to a restaurant on the water with a nice view and had a delicious seafood dinner, and it was so fun to see them all at the same time because usually it's the entire family or just a few at any given time. Sunday the four of us took Paul's mom out to...

Oops, I missed yesterday, but I'm actually amazed that is the only day I've missed since starting this. I finally got a few things wrapped!  Now if I can just keep up with wrapping something every day or most days I'll be ok.  Actually, it would be better just to do the bulk of it all on one day, so maybe one day this weekend I will just knock it out.

I told myself today that I would wrap at least one gift every day this week.  And today I didn't wrap anything.  I guess I will have to wrap two things tomorrow.   I also need to take an inventory of what gifts I've purchased so far and for whom and figure out what I still need.  I don't have anything for Paul's sister yet and not much for Olivia. So normal Monday today.  Tons of laundry, Hello Fresh Shepherds Pie for dinner, walked Kona with Paul and now TV before bed.  Took some pics of Pumpkin in her cat tree.  She hangs her feet over the side. It's so weird but cute.

Last night we went to a Christmas party at our friends' house.  We had some delicious chicken and garlic green beans for dinner and played Christmas Jepordy and Christmas Pictonary, guys vs. gals for both.  The girls won Pictonary but I don't remember who won Jepordy.  I think the guys did.  We also had a white elephant gift exchange, of course. It was a fun night.  I meant to take a bunch of pictures but of course I didn't. Luckily another friend got one of the whole group. Today we went to church and then just had a lazy day of watching the Seahawks and taking a little nap.  I ordered some gifts from Amazon, and maybe I'll get around to wrapping some stuff later but probably not.  I am going to watch a Christmas movie, though. Probably The Family Stone.

I mentioned a few days ago that I've been more into watching movies lately, and the last few years I've really been into watching as many Christmas movies as possible.  I came up with a bucket list of Christmas movies I want to see. Last night I watched Four Christmases. I thought I had never seen it, but I did recognize the pregnancy test scene, so apparently I had, or at least some of it. We watch Christmas Vacation every year, usually on Thanksgiving or the day after, and we did this year as well but I fell asleep through part of it so I kind of want the part I missed again. Another one we watch almost every year is Elf.  I love that one, but I don't necessarily need to see it again this year. So, here is my list.  Some of these I've never seen, some I have but don't remember them very well, and some I just want to see again. The Holiday The Family Stone Jingle all the Way Serendipity While you Were Sleeping (I don't know why this isn...

Today is the 16th anniversary of our engagement.  I almost forgot! 22 days.  Today I am going to post my Christmas Bucket List. I don't have the time or proper subscriptions to the proper software to create really cute graphics and what-not, and the printables online are not editable, so here's a simple bullet list (some of them I've already done): Bake cookies Look at Christmas lights Snowflake Lane Drink an eggnog latte Drink a chestnut praline latte Drink a toasted white chocolate mocha Drink a caramel brulee latte Attend a Christmas party Drink a festive cocktail Watch several Christmas movies Eat a candy cane Listen to Christmas music Read the Christmas story in the Bible (Luke 2)

23 days until Christmas.  Day 7 of the Christmas season/this blogging project.  These posts are lame, I know, but I just think it will be fun for me to look back and see a whole Christmas season documented day by day.   I haven't really done anything all week as far as shopping or wrapping and I'm starting to panic.  But I really don't have that much to go, I don't think.  But it still just always has a tendency to sneak up so fast so I'm still panicking. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the weekend.  We're going to a Christmas party on Saturday but other than that no plans, just hopefully will get some wrapping done and with any luck finish my shopping (doubt it).  I also hope to watch some movies.  I mostly just watch TV shows but lately I've really been into movies, and the last few years I've really been into Christmas movies and try to watch as many as possible.  I also want to bake cookies but then again I don't need to eat them and ...

It's December!  Wow.  Today was a normal Wednesday.  Weekly workload meeting at work.  Oh, except no youth group tonight (for us).  instead, Olivia took a babysitting job, and Kayley actually stayed home from school with a sore throat but is feeling better now.  Hopefully it's nothing.  I keep waiting for a notice from school that there's been a Covid case/exposure. That's all for today.  Going to do my daily Bible reading (I started Bible in a Year at the beginning of the year and kept up with it really well until late summer and now I'm about two months behind), watch some TV, then go to bed and read for awhile.