Busy with shopping....

I don't know where the past two days have gone, but they seem to have disappeared in a heartbeat. It rained for most of Monday, but I got out to Kroger before the rain started to pour down, and then my husband and I drove into League City for haircuts. I wasn't all that thrilled with this particular hair trim, but in two weeks' time, it will be back where it should be. I asked the girl who does my hair to cut the sides a little bit shorter. Note to self: never use the word short when referring to my hair.

She didn't cut it too-too short, but just short enough to make the curl come out. My hair has been growing a little longer than I usually keep it, so the sides needed to be just a little shorter (pardon me---- a little less long) so they wouldn't droop down around my face, which they had been doing. So now they're not drooping, but they're not as straight as the rest of my hair either. Oh well..... as I said, it grows back quickly.... I wish my hair would just stop growing when I get it to where I want it to be. (Everyone should have such problems. In truth, hair is not a problem. Lack of hair would be a problem.)

After our haircuts on Monday, we went into Barnes and Noble for a look-see, and I found something there for my husband's birthday. While he was looking in the back of the store, I quickly paid for it and had them put it in an over-sized bag so I could fold it over without him seeing what it was. They only had the one, so I couldn't leave it there an go back another day.

Yesterday, I was all over town.... went to Marshall's and to SteinMart and I also went back to Barnes and Noble, to see what else I could find there for my husband. I did find some things, so they're all wrapped up for Christmas.... his birthday is all wrapped up as well. We always say we're not going to exchange Christmas gifts, but little things just find their way under the tree.

In Marshall's, I found some Santa ornaments (blown glass) which match the Santa buttons that I used to decorate the placecards for Christmas dinner. So I bought those, and I will put one at each place setting on Christmas day. My husband suggested that I could use an ornament hook and hang one from each glass, which would look very cute and festive, so I will do that as long as I can hide the hook with some pretty ribbon. I also bought some Victorian Christmas crackers at Marshall's, so we can pop those after we have my husband's Plum Pudding for dessert. We still don't know what we're having for Christmas dinner, but we always have the Plum Pudding for dessert.

Of course, I always find something to put away in my holiday closet.... blown glass Irish shamrocks for next year's St. Patty's Day lunch.... we decided to do that again because it was so much fun last year. I also found the cutest little blown glass high-heeled shoe ornaments-- a box of 8, just the perfect thing for placecards for a Christmas tea party. I thought of having a Christmas tea this year, but I won't have time to do it.

All of a sudden, a lot of invitations came in for holiday get-togethers, so I don't want to bother trying to host a tea on the same weekend that another party will be held. People are just too busy on December weekends to go to two parties in two days.

This coming Monday, we're having a lunch here for the three secretaries in my husband's office building. We did that two years ago, and the ladies really enjoyed it. Last year, I fixed gift bags for the secretaries, and my husband brought those into work.... he said that all three seemed to be disappointed that we weren't doing a lunch. See? Once you start something....

So next week, we're hosting a lunch for the secretaries.... and I fixed up gift bags as well. I've already made the placecards (tiny resin angels hot-glued onto the cards), and I've written out a menu, so my husband and I will go shopping for that before the week is out.

As I said.... all of a sudden, there seems to be so much to do, and so much coming up. Now I'm really glad that we decided not to have our usual Open House Christmas party this year. I've already sent Christmas cards out to our friends, telling them that we're not having the Open House, but we hope to see them over the holidays.

Christmas just pops up so quickly, no matter how far in advance you start planning for it.