Christmas Eve Preparations

Christmas is almost here!!!

Yippee!!!!!

Are you ready?

I've been working toward getting ready for the past few days.

I'm about to crawl into bed for the night, but wanted to record some things, first. 

My table tonight looks like this:

A big improvement from just a few days ago, when it looked like this:

Yes, I had my work cut out for me!

SO much to do!!!

Where do I start?!

Well, first things first, I like to jot down an itinerary so that I have something to guide me:

My thoughts written out on paper make me feel better, like I'm not as likely to forget something!

My next step was to clear off surfaces and tables:

My mom came over one of the days. We worked together pulling dishes and silver out of the china cabinet,

and hand-washing everything:

Even the candlesticks were washed, so that they would sparkle!

Thanks for your help, Mom!

Piece by piece... each item was layered on...

My table is being set for twelve this year, but I don't have twelve of everything. So, you'll notice in these pictures that the place settings are mis-matched.

Every year I think, "I really should purchase a matching set of everything!" But then when the table is complete I notice that it's beautiful anyway!

See?...

The kids had fun helping me set up the "kids' table".

We played Christmas music while we worked...

And just had fun with it!!!

Ta Da!

We also have a "Little" kids' table:

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

I made my annual pre-Christmas Eve run to the store for the fresh flowers:

and Birthday cake:

(Red roses have become my signature look on Christmas Eve.)

When I was paying for the cake the cashier said, "So, is it somebody's birthday?"

I said, "Well, YES! It's Jesus' birthday!"

She looked a little taken a back, but then we laughed!!!

I was thrilled with how my flowers turned out, and went to bed with my table looking like this:

But I woke up this morning to wilted hydrangeas!!!

Oh no!!!

I was SO upset!

I should've known... :( 

(I have enough experience with hydrangeas to know they are extremely fussy!)

I tried all the tricks I could in an effort to revive them,

but it was too late. 

I had to pitch them.

:( :( :(

So, I came up with this arrangement instead:

I was sad to see the hydrangeas go, (it felt like such a waste) but I couldn't stay down in the dumps for long...

A very sweet friend of mine had offered to take my kids for me today so that I could have the house to myself to work!

What a treat! And what a special friend!

She planned an art project for them to do:

And even fed them lunch before returning them home!

(Thank you, Jenni! You are a Christmas miracle! Haha...)

If all this weren't enough, she even brought me chocolate, (because she's awesome like that!) 

Good grief, I don't deserve a friend like her! 

(We've been friends since we were fifteen! Old friends make the best friends, which is a gift from the Lord!)

By this afternoon, the Lord was blessing us with this beautiful snowfall:

And I was really beginning to feel my spirit lift...

The food was prepped/ The presents wrapped... 

The bathrooms were clean/ My To-Do list accomplished...

Phew!

Things were coming together...

But I was still a little bummed over those hydrangeas, though.

 I told Micah the bad news about them when he came home from work.

He said, "Don't worry about a thing! I'll run up to the store and buy you more!"

And he did!

My hero!!!

I am one lucky girl to have so many wonderful people in my life!

I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with them tomorrow!

But for right now I think I'll stuff my face with some of Jenni's chocolate and throw myself into bed!

Have a very Merry Christmas friends!

Good night.

xo,

~Courtney~