EEK! It's Nearly Christmas!!

EEK!!!! I'm not sure how it happened, but it's just one more sleep til giftie unwrapping time and I'm not sure how that came around so QUICKLY!! This last week, particularly, seems to have whizzed by ... but that could be because I've spent half of it with my feet up. No ... I wasn't on an "I'm over Christmas" sit down strike (although I might save that for next year after battling the rude, pushing and shoving hordes in the shopping centres today!!!) ... I 'blew' my knee on Thursday and have been in a bit of pain and hobbling around since then and keeping it elevated as much as possible. On the mend now, but it did take me out of action for a few days.

Throw in the last mad rush of Christmas gatherings, choir performances and catch-ups with friends and the week disappeared and I'm hoping I've not forgotten anything TOO important on the "To Do" list! :0) Thankfully ... our family made a decision to simplify things a bit this Christmas. We decided that rather than getting lots of things that we don't REALLY need this year, we'd all make a donation to a mission organisation to give gifts to a village in a third world country. The result was enough to buy: a cow, two goats, a pig, four chooks, five vege seed packs and two home water purifier systems. These will be purchased by the mission organisation and will be introduced to a small village to help improve living conditions. Not a bad result, really! :0) With the added benefit of not having to THINK of gifties for family members! Tee! Hee! Hee! And I think giving a cow, some goats and a pig this Christmas has saved my bacon!! Sorry ... couldn't resist! :0)

I was lucky enough, however to be the recipient of a couple of GORGEOUS Christmas parcels this week. A couple I haven't got photos of cos the batteries in my camera died and are awaiting replacement ... DOH!! But I DID get pics of what my SUPER SWEET blogging buddy and OPAM partner in crime, Sweet Peg, sent me. Let's just say I was SPOILT!!!! :0)

 Look at all those goodies ... Christmas in a box! :0)

 

WOW!!! A fantastic Sweet Peg table centre (I always drool over pics of Sweet Peg's runners and centres when she shares them on her blog!!) and a GORGEOUS depression glass vase ... OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

 

Sweet Peg and I have lots in common (besides co-hosting OPAM of course!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and one shared hobby is collecting depression glass, so she KNEW I would just LOOOOOOOOVE this unusual vase!! And do you see the star piecing in the middle of the table centre ... GORGEOUS!!!! Thank you so much, Sweet Peg!! What a spoilt teddy bear I am to have friends who know me so well!!! :0)

 

Oh ... and I can share this pic with you now too ...

 

This was the ornament I sent to my SSCS partner this year in the lovely Chookyblue's swap. A cute country angel ... who, just quietly, looks like she's having the same sort of bad hair day that I frequently have!!! :0)

 

And that's about it from me for the year, really. The next week is chock-a-block full of family catch ups (and probably a LOT of morning teas, lunches, afternoon teas, dinners, suppers .... you get the idea!! Tee! Hee! Hee!) so I probably won't get back here to catch up for a week ... or two?!?! So I'll take the opportunity now to thank all of you, my wonderful blogging buddies, for your support, well-wishes and inspiration throughout the year. I wish you a Christmas full of family, friends, peace, happiness and good health. And may 2013 be a FANTASTIC year of wonderful new adventures for you ... including OPAM 2013 ... yep, Sweet Peg and I are lining up again as partners in crime to co-host the One Project A Month Challenge ... so stay tuned for details in the new year!!! :0)

 

For now, though, I'm off to watch the end of the Carols In The Domain on TV with a cup of tea to get into the Christmas spirit. (or did I mean that I'm off to get into the Christmas spirits?!?! Tee! Hee! Hee!) Til next time ... Remember the Reason For The Season and stay safe!!

CHRISTMAS BEAR HUGS!!

CHEERS!
KRIS