lol...funny.

Nope, he's just invited to share the food I'll be preparing.

Regardless of our differences in the past, we've tried at all times to maintain a friendly relationship for the sake of the kids. It hasn't always come off as we'd have liked, but that's life I guess, and a symptom of why we didn't stay together in the first place.

It's nice for the kids to have us all together at Christmas though. That way they don't have to feel guilty about the parent they're not sharing the day with, and I know my boys do and I suspect there's lots of other kids that feel that way also.

Or maybe for the boys, it's like guys watching girls kissing.
Ya never know when it might become entertaining.:D

As much as I understand your analogy, I don't think they ever like it when things blow up between us, even though we try and keep it away from them when we do have a disagreement.

Some people's arguments can be entertaining, but I don't think there's too many kids out there who find the ones between their parents funny. :(

Oh and...it's only...

46 days to go!

I'm baking my christmas cake tomorrow...and maybe some fruitcake muffins...which may very well become my SS gift if they're looking alright. :)

45 days to go!

Today is Christmas Cake day! Soon my house will be filled with the sweet smell of rich dark fruitcake baking away in my oven. :)

44 days to go!

A lot of people are starting to talk about Christmas over here. It's on the tips of the lips of everyone's tongues.

Have you ordered your ham yet?

Order?

America is the land of plenty. I can walk into a supermarket after midnight on Christmas Eve and buy my ham if I want. Should I choose to go with the specialty ham store ham, I do have to walk in before close of business on Christmas Eve, but I'll still walk out with a ham.

So, how do you folks without Thanksgiving mark the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season?

OH yeah, you can walk into any supermarket and get a ham right up till Christmas Eve and after, but if you want a really nice one from the butcher (if your butcher happens to smoke his own meat for example) then you need to order. I usually choose this option because I don't like the preservatives they use in the mass produced hams.

There's no official start to the Christmas season unless you observe the religious ones. It mostly just starts creeping up around the end of October and by mid November we're in full swing.

and also...

43 days to go!

42 days to go!

That's only 6 weeks to those of you who're arithmetically challenged. ;)

So have you even started your Christmas shopping?

nope - first one I gotta get is for my ss early deadline and all.

Oh wait - I got one gift already, months ago - forgot about that. Duh.

I haven't started shopping properly yet, but the end of next week I hope to mostly finished except for the surf ski I want to get for Aden.

40 days to go!

Do you like fruit mince pies?

39 days to go!

Who's having roast pork this year?

What is it with pigs and Christmas anyway?

38 days to go!

I'm getting a surfski for my oldest boy this year. Mav already got his BMX bike a while ago, so just something small for him.

What are you getting your kids?

Lumps of coal.

lol...really? You're not going to be very popular are you?