It's the craziest time of year

November is here. I don't want to scare you guys but there's less than 50 days until Christmas. This is the time where I get caught in between calm and freaking out. Here's why. M's birthday is November 26th, Grey Cup (GO LIONS!) is November 27th. My Dad's birthday is December 8th. And then there's Christmas. So most of November is spent preparing for M's birthday. She's three this year and kind of knows what birthdays are, so we're making a big deal this year. The last Sunday in November is the Canadian Football finals (for you Americans who have no idea what Grey Cup is). I'm a huge BC Lions fan, and since we have a party the day before for M, we have an 'eat left over birthday food and watch football' party at my house. After that, I realize, oh crap, Dad's birthday is next week so we rush around trying to figure out what we're doing for that. Then it's the two and a half weeks of 'oh REALLY crap, it's almost Christmas and we have SO MUCH TO DO'!

But this year I'm surprisingly ahead of the game. I have gifts for M already. I have most of the stuff for her party (frozen food, plates, napkins, banners, party favors), need to get balloons, the fresh food and some other random things and then make a sample cake and cupcakes (or I might just wing that). I'm finishing up and mailing her invitations today (yup, hand-making and MAILING invitations). So I'm not stressed at all about her birthday, which is three weeks away.

My dad's birthday isn't too hard, but I do already have something for him (if you're reading this, dad, I hope you like it!)

Then there's Christmas. We never decorate until after M's birthday. I want her birthday to stay special and not get mixed in with Christmas craziness, so that's why we do that. Decorating isn't hard, though, and I go a bit crazy (I think the people at Michael's already know me by face-and by baby, lol, since I've been in there at least once per week for the past month or so). Christmas gifts, I have tons of stuff for the kids thanks to a Discovery Toys party I hosted a few weeks ago. I have tons of ideas for K this year, when normally I have none, so I'm not worried about that at all either. And for the rest of our family (who is also probably reading this), I also have a ton of ideas and have started gathering things for them. I gotta say, Pinterest and Etsy are amazing for browsing and finding ideas. I've even set up a Christmas goodie exchange for some local friends, so I don't have to worry about making a ton of baked goods. The hardest part is going to be putting all these ideas into action. Well, that and doing all those things and keeping up on the house. So I'm back to making lists. One for M's party, one for Christmas gifts, one for things I need to do, and then forcing myself to keep checking things off. Starting is the hardest part, but once you get a few things done, and see how much you're accomplishing, the momentum takes over and I'm sure I'll be ready in no time.

Add to all that my cousin is getting married on New Years of this year and I want to find a new dress. M is the flower girl, and K is wearing stuff he already has (it's so easy to be a guy) but I need to find something wedding appropriate for baby K who will be 6 months old, and I really want a new dress. Plus a wedding gift. I can't forget about that wedding in the business of the holidays. I am NOT going wedding gift shopping the week between Christmas and New Years, Boxing Day shoppers are crazy up here. Even if the sales are fantastic, I don't want to risk it.

So Happy Holidays to all my readers. I hope you guys have started at least thinking about the holidays so that you don't have a last minute freak out. After losing some birthday gifts for a friend (which K found exactly where I had thought I put them but couldn't for the life of me find them), I'm starting a big bucket of 'GIFTS' in my master closet. So that everything can be in one place and not get lost. The race to finish shopping is on, and I bet you all that I will finish first!!


....if I can get up and get the stuff done instead of just talking about it!!