I Think I Missed December

You know the phrase about time flying when you're having fun. Apparently it also flies when you're a mom. Or at least that's the excuse I'm using right now. I've been late for the entire month of December, and with Christmas in only a couple days (it's December 22 today, right? I don't even know the date right now!) I'm not even close to being ready. Somehow, it will come together, but I haven't quite figured out how yet.

So rather than wrap Christmas presents, I'm taking a break from the must do's to muddle over the proof that I'm this late.

Top Ten Pieces of Evidence That I've Forgotten It's December

10. I just wrote out my Christmas cards. It's 9pm on Christmas Eve Eve Eve. There's about a 0.00001% chance of anyone receiving the cards before Christmas. Oops.

9. The only reason I was able to write Christmas cards tonight is because I bought two huge boxes of Christmas cards majorly clearanced last year after Christmas. It only took me thirty minutes to figure out where I had hidden them.

8. I'm still collecting addresses from friends who I know have moved. One friend just called with his new address, so I'm down to only two friends whose cards have no addresses.

7. The cards I wrote for the most part have no pictures in them. I went online at Costco.com today to order cards or pictures to put in the cards, but they wouldn't be ready until 11am tomorrow. Knowing this wouldn't happen, I didn't even bother to order them. Fortunately, my mom had ten extra wallet sized pictures of the wee ones that we'd had taken for her cards last month that she had dropped off with me last week (because, you know, her cards were done by December 1). It only took me 30 minutes to figure out where I'd hidden them. Hint: they were sitting on top of the box of Christmas cards I'd bought last year.

6. I did fortunately have letters to go in each of the cards, and no, this didn't happen only because I happened to have nine sheets of my holiday stationary left over from last year. I actually remembered last weekend that we would need new stationary, so I stopped at the store Sunday afternoon to pick some up. Not willing to pay $3 for 25 sheets at Target, I went to Office Max. The good news is that their Christmas stationary was 25% off. The bad news was that they had only one design left. And it was pretty ummmm not my style. But I bought it anyway, and my lovely Christmas letter is written on it.

5. I am to bring a side dish to my aunt and uncle's for Christmas Day. That's as far as I've gotten. I have no idea what I'm making. I have no idea what ingredients I need. All I know is that it won't be a sweet potato dish since another aunt is bringing sweet potato hash. Any suggestions?

4. I'm hosting Christmas Eve Italian dinner at my house. I traditionally make a lasagne, Caesar salad, baguettes, and a dessert of some sort. I have no lasagne noodles. I have no ricotta. I have no greens. I have no lemon. I have no idea what I'm making for dessert. Guess who's heading to the store tomorrow!

3. I haven't wrapped a single present. I have bought several presents for several people, but I don't have a complete inventory of what I have still have to pick up. You already heard about my issues with the Crayon Maker. My husband isn't getting two of the presents I was planning on because the only store that sells them has neglected to call me back. And I never gave the pictures to Elizabeth for the photo bracelet. Apparently tomorrow I'm also spending much of the day wrapping presents and doing some last minute shopping.

2. Oops. I just realized that on Christmas Day when we go to my aunt and uncle's house, I will need to have presents for my cousins' three children. Apparently I also need to figure out who else I need presents for. And hope that I'm struck by inspiration quickly.

And the number one reason I know that I've forgotten it's December? This is what we were doing yesterday.

On the plus side, I don't have to worry about our tree drying out and dropping needles all over the place before the garbage company picks up trees in January this year!

Tell me I'm not alone... what have you forgotten to do this year?

PS Don't forget about my two giveaways: my LOFT $200 gift card giveaway is ending on 12/25. And my $200 VISA gift card giveaway ends the following week.