Just caught up on all the posts since last week! Took me two days! Phew! It’s been very busy here, sorry MIA.
Someone else mentioned good and bad news, and I have some, too. I mentioned my husband’s father started hospice a couple of weeks ago. He has passed away. Things got a little rough toward the end but he was made comfortable. Everyone came together to help, which was nice. (So we’ve lost two parents in the year 2020, with two Christmases dealing with hospice, seeing that it’s Festivus.) Good news is we were able to get in a nice dinner for DS‘s college graduation, and it was a special night. So we’re glad that college is behind us now. I am just waiting for one thing I ordered for him which he will be surprised about. I had a plaque made to commemorate his athletic days since he never had a Senior Day due to Covid (and lost most of his senior playing season as well). They said it would be ready before Christmas so hopefully I can pick it up either today or tomorrow. I did make a video for him, as well, which I had done for DD back in May, too, since no graduation ceremonies were held, and he loved it. I just put together a variety of pictures of the past four years and set them to music. I did use the song I posted, as well as some others which were meaningful. I rushed to get it finished for that night but may tweak it a bit once the holiday rush was over. Both of my kids loved these a lot.
We had some issues with packages being delivered, too, but both finally came yesterday after being held up by the storm, the tracking said. Who knows. I’d managed to get cards sent out somehow, and did all of my wrapping yesterday. I wish I was one of those people who enjoy it more, but it always seems rushed with working and all that, but I had taken a vacation day to help and it does. Yesterday we drove DD in to work to get her vaccine since we were off, and stopped in a great little place for breakfast, which was really nicely decorated and had beautiful Christmas music playing, so it somehow felt very festive. Maybe we don’t get out enough, lol. So she is vaccinated, anyway. On the way home we stopped in an old “5 and 10” - remember those? DH said I’m the only person he knows who can drop $150 in a store like that, but there are so many housewares and such that you really don’t see around anymore, especially at low prices, so I stocked up. I also made an impulse purchase of a small pre-lit Christmas tree they had there, and it was quite the sensation when we got it home! It’s got flashing neon lights and so does our fireplace in our sunroom, so together they’re a little funky but we all like it a lot, and it’s sort of a running joke now! Hey, why not? As someone else mentioned, Christmas spending was lower this year than most, although I did manage to put together some small gift bags for everyone in our family and get them to them, which was sort of a miracle in itself!
We also attempted to see the Star but it was too cloudy out, unfortunately. Thanks for posting that picture, it was beautiful to see! Glad to hear what everyone is up to here! Glad meds came, and people are feeling better, etc. It is sad to think that they’re predicting an increase in Covid cases after the holiday again. Ugh. We’ll be celebrating with our kids on Christmas Eve, but planning a quiet holiday for Christmas at home with just the two of us, which we’re actually looking forward to, with our only plans being bringing a holiday meal to an elderly neighbor. I had brought her a holiday greens plant a few weeks ago and so glad I did because the person who helps her never got her holiday decorations down for her this year, so that was all she had out. We stopped by the other night to bring her some things she needed and DH got her TV working again, it had been non-functional for weeks. You would’ve thought she hit the lottery. That made me happy this year just to be able to do some little things that had big meaning for someone in need. We did miss getting presents in to the Christmas drive, which was the first year that’s happened, but we’ll make a donation to the food pantry instead, which may be more important this year, anyway. People have been very generous with gifts for children the past several years.
Enjoy these last hours leading up to the holiday, friends! Counting my blessings, you all are one of them this year.
Love to all. ❤
Hope you are right now enjoying a good Hallmark movie. Aw so glad you got to have a virtual office party 
☃
on your FIL, I'm so sorry.
