Holiday Baby Steps

This Christmas is weird. Once again, I am not getting out the tree. It's just too difficult. The last time we decorated, my mom helped me pick out the stockings and ornaments for the holidays. My family is starting to celebrate the holidays in baby steps. Last year, we avoided the holidays all together and went skiing in Jackson Hole, WY. This year, it is a challenge just to be in town. My mom used to put up two Christmas trees in her house. One in the main living room that was more formal and then one in the bonus room that had all the family traditional ornaments. This week, another baby step. We decorated the formal tree. It doesn't have as much sentimental value, but it did mean something to her. She was all about decorations. Each time I caught myself being lazy about putting the ribbon on just so, I could hear her saying "Now, go back and fix that. Make it right." And I did. I didn't want to do my mom's tree half-assed. (can I say that on here? There's probably a better way, but it's the truth.) And it is also probably the last time we will decorate that house for the holidays. I can picture my dad leaving that house soon.

Anyways, not having a job this Christmas is a double-edged sword. My close friends say, "Awesome. Take time off for the holidays and enjoy it." My mind keeps saying "What am I going to do?" The reality is that nobody is hiring right now. Everybody has checked out for the season. I probably would be...umm, if I still had a job. Not having a job means, tight Christmas. Not having a job means having more time than I know what to do with. I went to a job recruiting agency this morning. Let me tell you, two suggestions were thrown my way. One of which I had already scored an informal interview with last week and second, something completely off the scale. Me=identity theft protection company? Umm...I don't think so. But you know...what else did I have to do today? The quick answer...nothing.

So, when I got back home from my 30 min. outing, I decided to attempt another baby step. HOLIDAY BAKING! Could this be good for a girl that was just diagnosed as pre-diabetic? You would think NO! but you are wrong. I made so much gosh darn candy, I want to throw up and never eat sugar again. I made peanut butter balls, white peppermint bark, chocolate cookie peppermint bark and chocolate-covered pretzels. (My husband loves me right now.) I guess I got ambitious. Friends be prepared to eat. I am dispersing it all, since I can't have this stuff in my house.

Late afternoon I got a phone call. It was my good friends the D'Amicos. They invited me out on a holiday adventure. Why not one more baby step? I'm on a roll. We took at trip out to Twelve Pictures Gallery in Nashville to see Kris' artwork displayed. We then headed out to Opryland to see the lights. I haven't done this since maybe 1990? Geez, I am old because that would have been like 7th grade. I went to sing Michael W. Smith classics with my youth choir out in the atriums. Geez...he's old. Anyways, the lights were nice, people wore tacky Christmas sweaters and I have posted pics of Holland and one of the many light filled rooms.