A day at home!

Cheap trick for Daughter #1 porch, spray painted plastic pumpkins

Today's to do, organize Christmas gifts and make my list of what's still needed.

For the first time in a long time I can stay at home today!! No errands, running around with the little ones or plans outside the house. I'm thinking of spending the day in my PJ's while working on the spare room getting Christmas gifts organized. The mess on the bed is just the tip of the iceberg, the real problem is in the closet that will no longer close due to things spilling out. I have been dreading this job but today I am excited to get started. My hope is I have enough squirreled away that I won't have to do much more shopping. Hubby is headed home for Halloween, I have a day set aside while he is home to do what I hope will be the last of our Christmas shopping. Octobers budget is going to take a hit but I will be able to stay away from the stores and avoid some just to cute to pass up spending I seem to get sucked into once the real shopping season begins.

I went to the experts yesterday to get advice on balancing out the Harley tee shirt quilt, they agree I will need to add an additional column of tees then balance it out with a wider border on the sides than I will put on the top and bottom. The other suggestion was to do away with much of the bottom of the quilt which I'm not willing to do, I understand their point that it is so large he might not use it as planned but I want to keep all the shirts in the quilt. I picked out the backing while I was there but held off on purchasing it until I know for sure what the finished size will be. I know it will cost an arm and leg to get it quilted but we only give each other a few gifts so this will be his big gift, I now just need to order one more thing and he will be done. YAA

An additional reason for getting a jump on Christmas is "Baby Bubba" may arrive the Monday after Thanksgiving. Daughter #1 will need lots of extra help with her holiday decorating, shopping and cooking. Bubba is estimated to be another 10 pounder if he continues to grow at the same pace so he needs to come on into the world a little early. If my schedule will hold up as planned I can set back and work on Christmas stockings for the little ones while the world is swiping debit and credit cards the month of December.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Will your family set a tighter budget for gift giving or exchange names for extended family for the first time?