Christmas and stuff

I have big plans for Christmas this year! I want to be DONE Christmas shopping by the end of November. I have to say I am over half done! Getting a little at a time is really going to be nice on the pocketbook. I want the entire month of December to be free and clear of any shopping, or working so I can spend some serious quality time with the kids. I want to bake, make crafts and just enjoy everything about December! Even the snow (blech!). At least if I have everything done, I wont have to drive anywhere in the snow! I decided on Christmas day that not only would we do the "traditional" Christmas morning with presents and Santa gifts, but we would also have a birthday party to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We will just have a nice big birthday cake after dinner and sing happy birthday! This will help the little one understand why we are celebrating. Little Miss Maia is in the church play and has been practicing for the last month. She has some speaking lines and she has a solo she is singing! So proud of that little girl for being brave enough to sing and talk in front of ALL those people! Maybe she has no idea just how many people will be out there in the audience! Gage and Maia both have started basketball too. Both are very excited to be playing and I am very excited that it is indoor! Ahhh the warmth! Dane will be starting his first year in basketball as well, but not until January. He is very excited to be like his siblings finally! I am so happy my kids are active kids and love to play sports. I really enjoy watching them, even practices, its fun to go through each season and see how they progress with which ever sport we happen to be playing at the time!