I landed my third tuck flyaway ever today at gymnastics!

He said

For the first time ever, I finished Christmas shopping this week! Normally I have a few things left to get for Danielle and Emelia & I usually have a trip to the mall to find something for Mummy. But this year Emelia’s gift for Danielle was one of the first things we locked down. As soon as I showed her the thing I thought would be a good idea, Emelia was onboard! The rest of my gifts were easy and taken care thereafter–the last of which I ordered this week and is currently on its way.

With having last weekend off, it meant I worked my way straight through this weekend. Seven-day stretches aren’t something I relish, and especially at the velocity of which the mall gets at holiday season. But it flew by in a hurry, and there was a lot of fun to be had at work – half the time I am blown away that this is the job I get to have. This weekend was super busy but there was no shortage of people coming in excited to get the thing for that someone special. It’s hard not to get caught up in the spirit of the season and be able to relate it all back to that first Mac our parents got for us in 1983.

Before work on Wednesday, I took Mom & Dad to the hospital so that Dad could have a followup procedure from having polyps removed this summer. This one was more of a checking things out and removing anything further, than the one from the summer, but it’s still something we all want to know goes okay. Because my schedule allowed for it, I was able to be their taxi service too and from the hospital, as well as sit with Mom in the waiting room and keep her company. The procedure went exactly as planned and they were actually done earlier than anticipated and Dad was cleared to go home. He was in great spirits, Mom was relieved as was the rest of the family. I got them home and off to work.

Bummer this week was that my schedule didn’t allow me to catch any of Emelia’s gymnastics training. But, I was able to catch the Festive Showcase for her Contemporary Dance and Ballet classes. In her Contemporary classes she is the youngest by far (over a year) and you can definitely see she feels less comfortable with those girls, but in her smaller Ballet class she was definitely in her element being a bit of a ham as well as being the first to model the moves they were showing. I am happy that she still wants to do these classes, and that it keeps her active and fit, but we worry that next year with where she may move in gymnastics, she may not be able to fit it in her schedule.

We’re headed into the last week before Christmas, and I am really looking forward to my day off tomorrow. It feels really good that we don’t have any more shopping to do so this week will be all about taking it easy and trying just enjoy the best thing about this time of year: as much time as we can get together as a family.

She said

As John said, Christmas is pretty well locked in. This week I was able to get the teacher gifts, coaches gifts, some custom work for Emelia for Christmas, stocking stuffers, gift finalized for John, daycare kiddo gifts and the daycare parents gifts. Its been a busy week for sure. I even managed to get the wrapping about 80% done until I had to stop because I had to wait for some things to arrive before finishing. I am in great shape, so much that I can finish things off this weekend and even start things for Emelia’s birthday.

This week was a busy one, not only because we are wrapping up Christmas but we are in full swing for Christmas activities. This week we were able to go to Emelia’s dance studio to share some holiday cheer as well as watch Emelia show off her dancing skills. Emelia has had a bit of an adjustment coming into her own in these classes, the girls in the class are a fair bit older than Emelia as she is in a teen class, but once the music started the nerves floated away and she showed off her skills. I love watching her dance, it is a whole other side of her and we love it.

The other focus this week was of course gymnastics. Emelia’s first competition is in a few short weeks and we are just about to come into the Christmas break. Her coach is really working the girls and it is really showing. Emelia’s routines are getting cleaner and stronger. She has worked so hard and it really shows.

This week will prove to be just as busy with wrapping things up for Christmas and this Thursday is Emelia’s competative gymnastics Christmas party. Emelia is so excited for this night, it is lots of fun for the girls and a great night to celebrate all the work they have put in.

With less than 2 weeks to go until Christmas excitement is really brewing. Cannot wait for the big day!