Less than a handful of shopping days before Christmas. Boy, you can tell if you try to go ANYWHERE! People tend to be rude, roads and parking lots are nuts, and general anxiety can be felt in the very air!

In my good intentions to teach Isabelle the less material side of Christmas, she has wanted to donate hygiene items to the homeless, baby care items to the Red Cross, and toys for Children how won't have such a nice Christmas! It feels wonderful to hear her talk about giving back! <3 Hope my pockets can handle it!! ;)  She even wanted to give a used book to her classmate secret Santa, in an effort to reuse and be more green. I had a hard time explaining why she needed a new gift! lol! Glad my lesson is sticking.

In other news, I go to an Orthopedic tomorrow morning to have my MRI read. My "leg" pain has been getting worse. I am afraid of the results, though I have a hunch it is a herniated disk and they will opt for surgery. Prayers, please!

On to happy things!!! First, a bit of unhappy, I have "outgrown" my embroidery machine. It just is too much trouble anymore, between the software and whatnot. For Christmas (albeit, a tad late, as in probably next week) I will be the PROUD owner of a Brother 650E!!!! Matt, my husband, is getting it for me!!! <3

LOTS more embroidering in my future! Not just clothing, but also hats, bags, jackets!!!!! I am so excited!!!

Also a bit apprehensive, since it is a LOT of machine to learn. Worrisome, since we start homeschooling in only a few weeks and I am not sure how much time we will have. I still feel blessed though!!