Tuesday...Christmas Eve

 It's been a busy day even though the family Christmas gathering isn't till Saturday.  But one needs to be ready.  It's that old teacher thing still sitting on my shoulder.  It is stuck! 

So, the morning started with grocery shopping in mind.  But...Doug wanted to do his little bit of Christmas shopping.  While he was gone, I did a massive amount of ripping flannel.  It's been a while since I've done any sewing, and the mood hit for ripping and it happened while he was gone.  

A lot of sewing coming my way.  It's got to happen before the first of January when the machine goes in for it's checkup.  Or maybe it's best to wait until I have a "new" sewing machine. 

Doug was back home. We took off for Aldi's and Kroger's.  The store was hopping with men who seemed to be living in a cloud of what do I do. Christmas shopping at Aldi's was the choice.  There is food there but all kinds of other things that brought on the "what do I choose" problem.  But we survived all the full aisles and were on our way to Kroger's for what Aldi's didn't carry.  Then home again with the job of stashing the refrigerator as well as the shelves.  

                Everyone likes egg salad sandwiches.  They are becoming that but not quite there yet.

The afternoon was spent cooking.  There is chili, sloppy joes, hardboiled eggs and in between all of that I poured wax for votives used in the Advent candles. 

                           Votives for the third service through Christmas Tide.  Even more to come.

 Talk about doing more than one thing at a time.  That was today.  I plan to make Corn Chowder after Christmas.  

                    Chili with onions, garlic, celery, beans, gr. chicken pkg. of spices and tomatoes. 

The birds were fun to watch during the kitchen work, all visiting again perhaps thankful that the real cold weather had taken a break.  Blue birds were included in the bird count.  

                                                The group included more of his buddies. 

I spent some time pulling all the gifts out for wrapping, looking for something I was sure I had purchased and then decided since it was nowhere to be found, I hadn't bought it.  It's no big deal since there are days after Christmas to go shopping.  I think tomorrow will be a wrap day.

Looks like I got started already but not quite finished yet.  It's those name tags along with tissue paper.

By 4 PM the kitchen was cleaned up again and the chair was a welcomed.  The day has been a good productive one.  But it isn't over yet.  We'll attend the 10:30 Christmas Eve service arriving early to check on the advent candles.  Making sure the flame is visible is a huge priority for the pew sitters.  I will hear about that if the flame is there but unseeable making cranky people.  I'll save me some grief.  There are three services, so the votive inserts get a good workout.  

Then it's bedtime for sure.  When the kids were little, we would wrap gifts after the midnight service.  They saw no hint of a gift until Christmas morning.  That meant bedtime could be around 3.  Ugh!  Of course, the kids were up by 6.  Dah!  What were we thinking?  We were not. 

So, for all the folks who are walking the walk with me, Merry Christmas.  For unto us a child is born. Thank you, Mr. Handel.  Your music is with me.  I probably heard it in my mother's womb. Now, waiting till the car takes us to church for another night of Lessons and Carols ending with Silent Night and Joy to the World holding my candle high.  The church is well lit with only candlelight.  It never gets old.