it's not perfect, but it's perfect to me.

this has been a pretty nearly perfect Christmas season for me.  of course, i am me, so there have been plenty of non-perfect things.

• two work screw-ups.  both my fault.  both causing me grief because i hate to screw-up.  both causing a bout of mild fairly short-lived depression.
• more than two sibling fights which caused me to threaten to take away Christmas (again?) (can you even take Christmas away??).
• a slightly skewed gift buying extravaganza in which the boy child was somewhat shorted.  thankfully he didn't seem to mind and in the end it all worked out.
• Christmas cards that were never purchased and therefore never went out.
• a family Christmas calendar that will not go out until January.  is it ironic that i give a calendar as a gift and it is late?
• my warped thinking that since the kids didn't get out of school until the 21st i would have plenty of time to finish everything that needed to get done.
• spell check not working and me not being able to spell appropriately right now.

and i am sure more things went wrong that i have completely blocked from memory by now.

the perfectness?

• getting to spend time with a really good friend who now lives in Africa.  having her family here for the holidays has been just like old times.
• a certain neighbor boy who listened to hubby tell him how to make the perfect fire and who has made two (three?  i've lost all track of time in the four days that school's been out.) perfect morning fires with the remains of hubby's night fires.  thank you, neighbor boy child.
• a small group of fabulous neighbors who continue to make Christmas eve great and delicious.
• being with my kids.  even though half the time they are trying to harm each other or drive me bat $hit crazy.
• watching the painfully shy girl 1 perform in the annual Christmas school production.
• going to my second Christmas cookie class.  this time with girl 1 and girl 2 in tow.  
• seeing the kids' faces Christmas morning and knowing that all the non-perfectness has been worth it all along.

peace you guys.  i hope that the blessing of Christmas stays with you for a while and that even as it starts to fade you still have a tasty drink in hand and loved ones nearby. 

i leave you with these beauties created by the dayinthelife cookie makers.

my creations.

girl 1's creations.

girl 2's creations.  and to all a good night.