December, Baby! I mean - November, Baby! etc., etc.

So, here are a few things that I feel compelled to share with you.  In no particular order.

1. 6 weeks after a second questionable haircut by the same stylist, who I will not be visiting again, today I am happy to announce that my hair can finally fit into a ponytail again.  I smiled a big cheesy grin all by myself in front of the mirror when I discovered this.  Granted, it took three tries because it's so short that it really has no business being in a ponytail at all, but in the end I prevailed.  Now, some may question the validity of the label "ponytail" in this case - it's really more of a nubbin than it is a tail.  But.  Whatevs.

I was talking on the phone using my hands free thing while taking this picture with my ginormous camera...quite the multi-tasker!  And, yes, I know that that nubbin is ridic.

2.  Today I discovered (probably not for the first time) that vacuuming makes your house look like it's clean, even when it's actually filthy.  Five minutes of work and I get to gaze at my pristine (ish) living room and forget all about the kitchen floor caked with food particles or the bathroom toilet that's going to grow arms to match its mold-fuzz hair and brush itself if I don't get to it soon.  (Don't worry, Ash and Gabe, I promise we'll clean before you come to visit).  I love you, Oreck.  And now, instead of cleaning, I get to sit in my faux-clean house and write my blog post.

3.  It's the first week of November.  I am one of those people who freaking LOVES Christmas music and has decided each year that I've been on this earth to start listening to said music earlier and earlier so that maybe I'm less devastated when I have to stop after the holidays.  So.  Today's the day.  And, friends, I have to tell you, I don't actually think this is the earliest.  I think I've started in October before.  Today, to kick off the season, I've chosen a cd called Christmas Guitar that my sis gave me years ago.

About five years ago, Micah and I started an annual Buddy the Elf party (many years the guest list is Micah.  And me.  Several years we've had rotating guests, very special invitees because this is serious business - Heather and Brian have come several years, Micah's parents a year or two.).  We eat something festive for dinner.  We make hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps.  And we watch Elf with Will Ferrell which, in my humble opinion, gets funnier and funnier every stinkin' time.  In '07 we took it to the next level by dressing UP for the occasion (yes, by ourselves...Can you believe I found and married a man who shares my affinity for Elf culture?  And dressing up?  And festiveness?  I'm SO lucky).  Each year is a little different, some years more extensive than others, but always some combination of Buddy's elf suit colors - BRIGHT yellow and green.  I know.  I know.  You're so jealous.  Don't worry, you can duplicate this amazing experience in your own home if you wish.

Taken when Dougie was a few months old, so he got to be a part of the party.  Except he actually ruined it by crying his face off half way through for such a long time that we had to turn the movie off and abort mission.  Kids aren't invited any more.
 
Aaaannnnnddddd....this event has been known to take place at the end of October.  Seriously.  I just get it in my bones people - I can't help it!  I can just feel that it's time.  And so, it kicks off our holiday season each year, sometimes in November, many times in October.  This year, Micah's brother and sister-in-law, Gabe and Ashley, are coming to visit with their two littles.  They requested - REQUESTED (because it's THAT cool) that we hold off until November when they're here so that they can participate.  We had to think long and hard because Nov. 21 is LATE, but we decided the sacrifice was definitely worth it.

Every August I start to get the Fall feeling in my bones and I just know that pumpkin spice candles and butternut squash soups are just around the corner (while I sweat it out in 105 degree Kansas heat). 

Today it's 72 degrees outside.  But for the past week or two, I've had Christmas on the brain.  I laid awake the other night thinking about what kind of garland I would hang on our canopy bed this year (it's only 2 years old and I've never had garland there before!) - this, btw, is one of the ways that I knew that my depression had officially fled.  I ordered stockings last week that I have been eyeing for two years.  I dug up my old Advent calendar idea list and googled a few other idea lists to pass on to you, dear friends, if you're in the mood for a little holiday treat this year!  It's full-on Christmas prep time 'round here - well, emotional prep, at least.  We haven't busted out the decorations yet.  That has to wait a few more weeks.

So here's the thing.  The reason I'm bringing ALL of this up is that I have a brilliant idea for you if it works for you this holiday season.  It's not my idea.  It's just something I'm enjoying and thought I'd pass along to you.  And it requires some prep time, so I'm offering it up to you now, this first week of November, so that if you decide to do it, you can be ready by December 1st when it all begins.  I'll detail the brilliant idea in the next post because today's is long enough and I need you to be clear-headed for this...you know, all Carb Loaded up.