My recent online shopping has mostly been for me. (In my defense, Ulta has a really good deal today on the foundation I wear.) But I should really get to Christmas shopping for the rest of the family. (Tim's is finished, only because I happened to see things he would love and bought them right then so I wouldn't forget. And the drawing of Kato that I had commissioned for him is AMAZING and I cried. And I'll share a link to it on Christmas, because the artist is fine with customers sharing her work on social media.)

We seriously bought Mr. Murderbiscuit a Christmas tree today. Because we know there is NO damn way we can put up the real tree in the living room. He would tear it down and break all the breakable ornaments in 5 nanoseconds. So we're putting a small tree with lights and ornaments in the bedroom, from which he is banned.

But we were at Aldi today and found this kitschy tree for $10: [link] We got it in blue, because they were out of silver. We're going to put it up in the living room and see what he does. There will be video.

I also resisted buying egg nog earlier, and now I regret it.

Right now, in our fridge, we have egg nog made with Alton Brown's recipe (made by my BiL). It is AMAZEBALLS.

I went to the mall today, thinking it was still early enough in the season to be safe and that early-ish on a Saturday would be clear. However, today was Bath And Body Works one-day candle sale, which explained everyone hauling around giant BBW shopping bags. Mega-kudos to the shop girls maintaining an apparently legitimate cheerful and helpful spirit. That's some stone professionalism there.

I'd have wandered more, but my hips betrayed me and told me to come home. I was sitting in a cushy chair in the concourse, contemplating the crowds and the walk back to my car, when the helpfully weird part of my mind said, "We're deep behind enemy lines, but they haven't spotted us yet. Try to blend in, use the terrain, head for the LZ where your evac's waiting." The girl glued to her phone across from me stared at me in near fear when I burst out laughing at myself.

And don't tell anyone, but my plan is no books by white men.

Don't blame you. Can barely stand to look in the mirror as white haired 50+ year old white guys comprise a large chunk of my hate-list.

I also resisted buying egg nog earlier, and now I regret it.

Dangit! I knew I should've gotten some for JZ at the corner store.

We are hosting Matilda's friend, Reese and her little sister Sloane, on a sleepover tonight. Reese's parents are selling their house in San Francisco (a nice one in a good neighborhood) and apparently going to retire on that money in France. They are significantly younger than us, but SF Real Estate y'all.

If you've ever seen pictures from Matilda's bday parties and see a girl that made you exclaim, "OMG, that girl has ridiculous overlush eyelashes like a young Elizabeth Taylor!" - that's Reese.

Oh thank god I finally got my phone to stop restarting. Now I can tell you the important news that I got LDBed and #whamageddoned back to back while cashiering yesterday. Efficient!

Ha! I've been safe since I have not been out and about.

Kids decided not to accept the counteroffer and are waiting until summer to look again. They are way more responsible than I ever was and got panicked at the thought of depleting their cushion so much and want to build up their savings. They did not get their fiscal sense from this side of the family! Proud of them.

Timelies all!

Mr. S has a playdate this afternoon. It's actually a make-up date for the one that didn't happen last month.

I put up my tree! With a judicious selection of ornaments, in case Buddy knocks the whole thing over. Maybe I'll get some fishing line or whatever to anchor it, but I'll give him a chance first.

Next up, lights outside. For that, I think I'm finally going to get a timer, so it's not just at my whim of remembering to turn them on....

I'm in one of those overwhelmed by everything I see that needs doing. Trying not to get paralyzed by it and just keep doing somethings. Some is better than none, right?