One more sleep

Man am I tired. I cooked supper for my mom, brother & family today, after staying up late last night to finish a Christmas gift project. Dinner went well, my kids went to bed suspiciously well (perhaps a middle of the night episode will occur?), the stockings are filled & I think I've created a convincing scene to prove to our 4 year old that Santa himself ate the treats off of the plate. The rest of the holidays will be spent eating other people's dinners, so I can relax a bit (but not totally because there are in-laws involved and my brother-in-law's atrocious girlfriend--but it is Chrsitmas so I'll suck it up).

It's a Wonderful Life is on. Zuzu's petals strike again! My husband absolutely despises this movie but for some reason I have to watch it at least once during the season. I think what resonates with me is the message about how we don't tend to see how great our own lives are & what impact we may have on others. {As an aside: Iwish my mother-in-law would watch the Ron Howard version of the grinch story and realize how ridiculous her overspending at Christmas on our kids is. Most of the stuff they receive we keep at the grandparents house or I secretly donate because it's simpy too much. Now I know I shouldn't seem so ungrateful, but honestly the woman spends more on two kids than we do in total for Christmas with the intent of buying their love. Do they really need filled stockings and loads of gifts from Santa at her house when we've already gone through the spiel at home? Really, how are you ever going to afford retirement at this rate? My biggest fear is that they'll come to expect this largesse and grow into spoiled brats.}

Okay, can you really call that rather large tangent an aside--can I plead fatigue or perhaps artistic licensce? Well, I better hit the sack so the jolly old fellow can nip in(wink, wink, nudge, nudge).