silver bells.

I love weekends. This is my first weekend in my house that I haven't had family in town or that I haven't been out of state. So it was nice to wake up and have no concrete plans for the day. I woke up early and made some cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. I also did two loads of laundry. At 8 a.m., I took my car to get an oil change. I had a coupon for a $19 oil change at Midas, which after tax saved me about $7. Midas got me out of there by 8:30. I hit up Walmart to pick up some tissue paper and a couple of Christmas presents. My Christmas shopping is done, except for my brother who doesn't know what he wants.

Saturdays are my day for sweeping my floors. It's amazing how much dust and crumbs and hair accumulate in the course of a week. I can usually gauge when it's time to sweep by how quickly the bottoms of my socks turn black. ;)

When I was at Walmart, I picked up another bookcase. I was tired of having piles of books on the floor because my first bookcase is full. I assembled it and loaded it with books. It's full; I just got four more books in the mail today (my $10 John Piper package -- what a deal). I'll have to get another bookcase someday ... or start selling the books I don't want anymore.

This afternoon Bill and Reed came over. Bill brought me a 6 ft. pre-lit Christmas tree and ornaments. Reed is in the potty training process and used my bathroom. He also liked scooting on his knees all over my hardwood floors. I put the tree up! Reed picked out the silver jingle bells and Bill got the red bows to go on them. Normally I don't think I would have the patience to put bows on bells, but I did and they look nice.

My first Christmas in my new home (even though I'll be in Kansas at Christmas). I want to put lights on the outside of my house, but I have no outlets out there! Something I'll have to get done in the future. But now that I have a tree, I'm glad my neighbors won't think I hate Christmas.