The most wonderful time of the year...

So.  I have had Christmas on my brain for several months now.  I usually start my gift-giving spreadsheet in September.  You know...just to be sure I have a handle on things.  In past years, that has been good...and bad.  While it's nice when I'm trying to figure out what I have already bought for someone...or need an idea of who's left to buy for...it's also bad because it has a tendency to make me miss things.  Like...the things leading up to Christmas, and sometimes, Christmas itself.

It's the camera theory.  For instance...when I go to concerts, I take a lot of pictures.  In doing so, I watch the show through my camera.  By doing THAT, I miss a lot.  I only see small details all night...and not the big picture...or in this case, the big stage.  I have just realized that my gift spreadsheet makes me see the small details of the Christmas holiday...and not the big picture.  The fun, the excitement, the laughter and smiles.

With all of that said...last weekend I went to a show.  The Oaks' Christmas show.  This is their 21st year of doing a Christmas tour.  The first one I saw was two years after they started doing them.  I have seen the Christmas tour in Nashville TN, Branson MO, Evansville IN, Effingham IL, St. Louis MO, Carbondale IL, and now most recently Paducah KY.  I am usually close to the stage for these shows...but this time I was in the balcony.  By being in the balcony, I was able to actually watch the show.  All of it...everyone at once.  It was nice.  :)  Here is what my view looked like (complete with the fake snow!)...

Then along came Santa...

And they did something new this year.  Cracker Barrel is sponsoring this Christmas tour...and they also provided the new set.  Complete with Cracker Barrel rocking chairs.  :)

The next morning...I got up and drove to Vincennes, IN.  I hadn't been over there since the end of June, so it was overdue.  Miss Malea was the first person to be completed on my Christmas list this year.  So we went ahead and had an early Christmas on Saturday night...in our pjs.  Made me realize that I need some cute pjs for roadtrips.  ha ha.  Here are some pics from the trip...

Malea loved looking at my Dakota pictures.  She went through the album from cover to cover, several times.  She got to one of dad and Dakota...  "Is that his daddy?"  "No, that's his Grandpa, but he calls him Pop."  "It's his grandpa."  "Yes."  Then she look the album into the living room.  She got to the picture of dad and Dakota again... "Is that his own Santa?"  I burst out laughing.  Sean told her to go into the kitchen and tell Mommy who was in the picture.  Malea took the album into the kitchen where Sequel was.  I followed her in there.  Sequel asked, "Who is that in the picture?"  "It's Pop."  HA HA!  I'm convinced she knew what she was doing, and just wanted us to feel stupid.  :)

Opening presents in our pjs...

Took this one to maybe be a Christmas photo for them this year...  I had to crop one of the dogs out.  ha ha!

Now it's sleepy time for me.  These photos have taken a long time to upload...and I'm exhausted.  Lincoln and I have had the sleep-in countdown this week.  Tomorrow's the big day!  The first of three, anyway.  Woo hoo!  We are excited to not have to listen for the alarm in the morning.  Goodnight world...