{ And Christmas shopping is done }

Christmas right after you buy a house, is tough.  Like really tough!!!

Christmas right after you buy a house, and a kitchen sink decides to clog, followed by your garbage disposal needing to be replaced, is tough.  SUPER tough!!!

But it's doable, and the key is not spending a lot of money, going back to basics, and really focusing on giving inexpensive gifts that come from the heart.

When I was young I loved Christmas, I never knew what I was getting and opening the presents, really was a surprise.  Some gifts we absolutely loved, others we weren't too thrilled about (I'm talking about the socks and underwear), but still, Christmas was magical, the cooking, the wrapping, the anticipation for midnight to roll around.

The years went by, I got older, I had children of my own, and times have changed.

I find that nowadays, buying gifts is not only so much more expensive, but it's incredibly difficult.  People tend to buy what they want throughout the year, and some even splurge right before the holidays, which in turn makes it hard to know what to give.

And we're not even going to talk about kids today and how they are all technology obsessed and no longer interested in the things that we were, back in the day.

This year, I decided that I would take that pressure off my shoulders, buy what I wanted to buy, and not worry about so and so's lists.  I don't know about you, but it got pretty disappointing knowing exactly what you were getting, and everyone else knowing what they were getting as well because it's what they asked for.

Where is the magic in that?  Where is the fun, the surprise?

I ended up spending a fraction of what I usually spend, still bought a few thing for each person on the list, and am now done wrapping, it's all under the tree and I can relax.

I feel that we are losing everything that means family.  Everything that we grew up with, that brought us together at this time of the year, is being destroyed, neglected and put to the side.

I even see friends putting Amazon boxes under the tree.  Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but it honestly breaks my heart.

I'm determined to keep Christmas as close to my childhood, as possible.  For as long as I can, I will continue to wrap gifts, give the things I want to and know the recipient will like, and not focus so much on the materialistic side of the holiday. 

Days have been shorter, darker, and much much colder.  We are deep into the throes of Winter, without the snow of course.

In the meantime, our kitchen sink is functional again.  Praise the Lord, I was feeling the stress there for a few days.

And.......the first coat of white paint has been put on a kitchen cabinet.  Yes, it's happening friends. 

I have a lot of plans for my kitchen.  If you've followed me for a while, you know that when we first moved into the house, much as I loved the size of the kitchen, I have never really liked it.  I wanted a white kitchen, and I also can't stand the fact that they used laminate as backsplash.  The counter tops just run straight up into the wall and it drives me insane.

So, big plans for the kitchen.  I'm not remodeling, aside from doing the kitchen floors which need to be replaced.

I'm merely painting, redecorating and changing a few things. 

My idea?  A Rustic/Farmhouse kind of kitchen. 

It will take some time, but I am already starting on it and hopefully within a few months it will be exactly how I've envisioned it for many years.

I am now going to tackle a pile of laundry, fresh out of the dryer, put it all away and then head out to pick up Jasmine from work.

I will be back in the morning for our Happy Homemaker Monday, until then, stay warm and cozy and have a blessed rest of Sunday.