We are about one month out from Halloween, two months away from Thanksgiving and have fewer than three months left to do our Christmas shopping! That means that September, who is leaving us this weekend, was the calm before the storm!
Speaking of holidays, look what showed up in my mail box this week – all at one time! Yikes!
So, are you ready? Are you a holiday planner or do they just creep up on you? Have your kids picked out their halloween costumes yet? Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Ah, the questions.
Grab your cup of coffee, tea or whatever and join us today. Comments are always open, but Casual Fridays are just more fun.
Thanks to Laura, Eliza, Yvonne, Mike, Laura, BrownBaron, Anastasia, Wendy, Marcie, Laura, Jane, and Genesis for joining us last week.
PS – don’t forget to enter my giveaway from Designher Gals and let me know if you are doing the Gal to Gal Virtual Walk.
Filed under Casual Friday
Brooke wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 9:10 am
GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!!! It’s a calmer Friday than I thought so I am psyched! We are headed out of town for the weekend and I glad to have a break.
Hmmmmm…the kids have halloween costumes, and VERY little Christmas shopping has been done. I am dreading that. Making a list of who I need to buy gifts for, making sure I buy them. And don’t even talk to me about wrapping. I think that this year hubs and I agreed that I get the basement – with a radio and/or tv. That way I can spread out and enjoy all of this.
Ohhhh – October begins all of the craziness! (But i do love it all.)
Char wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Brooke – good for you taking a break – I am really feeling like I could use a weekend away, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon. Things are just so busy on the weekends here.
Yeah, I’m Here this week! First a BIG hello and missing Casual Friday last week totally through my Chi out. Whatever that is! I was totally off kilter this week.
Anyway, this is a topic that I LOVE LOVE LOVE because I’m already half finished with my Christmas shopping. I Always start in August. That way by the time the holidays roll around, I can just go shopping, enjoy the decorations and not feel the rush of the holidays.
I have enough of that trying to make it to all the family dinners and organizing the kids schedules. Being a blended family from blended families, the calendar looks a mess by the time Thanksgiving arrives.
We’re having a Fall Festival this weekend locally. I’ve been making homemade granola, pumpkin butter (yep, pumpkins from our garden) and apple butter for two weeks now.
It’s supposed to be nice this weekend – 75 and sunny – so I am really looking forward to it. I usually earn enough to finish out my Christmas shopping this weekend.
Char, do your kids love when the catalogs start coming and they can start working on their wish list?
Lisa-Marie wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 9:34 am
My Mum had an inspiration this year. She took my daughter out to buy a Hermione costume for the Harry Potter release in July with the understanding that it would be her Halloween costume. Done!
Christmas – I can’t even think about it.
That is a lot of catalogs!!
I’m a planner. I have to have it all thought out or it drives me crazy.
btw, pop over to my site and enter to win a downloadable Christmas Planner from Marcia Francois (the Organising Queen)
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-giveaway-christmas-planner-by.html
Neena wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Despite my best intentions the holidays usually creep up on me. I hesitate to buy Halloween costumes too early because my kids are known to change their minds (before I had kids I used to fantasize about actually making their costumes – maybe next year!). For the December holidays, I have a list in progress, but that is as far as I have gotten.
Char wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Gayla – I am so glad you made it today! And so jealous that you are together enough to have some serious Christmas shopping done already. I am not sure what my kids even want yet. Well, I have some ideas for my youngest, and one idea for my middle child, but no ideas for my son or my husband.
Lisa-Marie – I have a feeling that Harry Potter, Hannah Montana & High School Musical will be the big Halloween hits this year.
Laura – I hadn’t received any catalogs in ages and then all at once they arrived – and more have come since. The kids will have fun going through and making their wish lists, though. I will have to enter to win that planner – I love planners.
Char wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Neena – I am really bad about Halloween costumes. We have a big box of dress up items and I usually just have the girls concoct an outfit from there 
We’re getting closer and closer to Christmas. You can almost taste it. Whenever my kids mention the holidays I tell them to focus on Halloween first hehehe.
I don’t think it’s so much of being organized as it is that whole “don’t go up or down the stairs with your hands empty concept” that my mom taught me.
I always make the most of every shopping trip I take. If I’m at the pharmacy waiting on scripts, I pick up birthday cards I may need 6 months from now.
If I’m in the local SuperCenter for groceries, I keep my eyes peeled for something any member of my family will like.
I’ve got a steamer trunk that I put everything I accumulate in and at Christmastime, I open it up and start wrapping.
Believe me, no more than I get out of the house, I’m not wasting a single trip 
What I find most sad is going to the store and seeing Halloween stuff right next to all the Christmas displays.
I like my holidays one course at a time
Ok, out the door to have a lunch date with hubby. We’ve had a sick kid home most of the week and need to get OUT.
Enjoy everyone and have an awesome weekend.
Gosh, is it that time of year already? I know what you mean Gayla about the holidays all being out of kilter in the stores with Halloween & Christmas all at once.
Blogging wise, I’ve started a Weekend Writers Cafe
http://www.growyourwritingbusiness.com/?p=325 (open Friday to Sunday) at my blog. If anyone would like to pop over and say hello, you’d be very welcome. You can leave a link of interest to writers or bloggers, or just drop by.
Brooke wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 10:51 am
WOW Gayla! Make the most of every trip – I LOVE IT! My problem is that I don’t have much time while I am out…so I am really focused. But I really like what you do and will have to implement that now!
I looooove the holidays. To me, it’s perfectly fine when companies start the Thanksgiving and Christmas season so early. It puts me in the holiday mood!! Maybe that’s why I get so depressed come January. No holidays to look forward to!
Happy Friday everyone!
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Lucy wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 11:26 am
I don’t think we’ve got quite the same ‘holiday season’ thing going on over here. Halloween isn’t such a big deal (though the marketers are working on it), and of course we don’t do Thanksgiving.
We do have Guy Fawkes night, though, when we celebrate the fact that the Houses of Parliament weren’t blown up by protesters a few centuries ago … but all we’ll do for that is wander over to the pub, admire the huge bonfire in their field, and watch some fireworks. Not much planning needed for that.
Christmas, though. Christmas is a big thing …
Amanda wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Okay I am sorry for being late. SO MUCH HAPPENING THIS WEEK been working with a new pr company, bought a brand new server. Dealing with a lot of crap.
First I thought my computer broke. Best Buy quoted me at $400 and a minimum of 80 hours of work to fix it I took it to my stepfather he fixed it within 30 minutes.
Then my internet went out. Which was fun since I couldn’t do anything. Now my vonage is out. my internet works but then we lost so its been a VERY FUN TIME
Char wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Amanda – sounds like a rough week! I hate it when technology doesn’t cooperate.
Hi Char, and Happy Friday everyone! I am SO glad it’s the weekend. But please take the time to join in the discussion about Associated Content that is going on at my freelancing blog. I REALLY am curious to hear my fellow writers opinions. The link is http://internetmarketingreview.org/blog
Have a great weekend, all of you!
Denise
homemom3 wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I’m here, running a bit behind…well kind of. Had your link up early this morning.
Movies? Bug, Next, Gracie, Knocked Up. I’m watching three now (not all at the same time no. I watched Knocked Up yesterday, very funny but not for kids at all. hehe.
Planner? Normally, except with all the decisions we are waiting to hear we can’t plan nothing until we know. Everything is up in air and stressing me out because of it. I love to plan, hate when I can’t. Don’t even know about costumes this year.
Gayla- that sounds like so much fun. I want a fall festival and the apple butter sounds yummy, never tried pumpkin butter though.
laura wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Well, I’m really late today. Is anybody still around (I brought my soda).
I am sooo NOT ready for the holidays.
pickel wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
Okay, I made it!
I have some shopping done but I’ve been waiting for the double points a Oompa! Came today…but it only runs through Sunday. You can order directly through my site if you like Oompa (yes, shameless affiliate plug).
homemom3 wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Laura- I’ll be here all night. lol, nothing to do here at this house. 
BTW- working on my month of no soda here shortly. (4 weeks on Monday)
Amanda wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Month of no soda! Thats amazing. I just started to lower my caffiene and soda intake. I end up drinking more milk, which I am now switching to organic milk. it tastes so much better!
Char wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
So who is seeing this site in pink now? How does it look? Keep the green accents or no?
Amanda wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I think you should stay pink. I love it.
Neena wrote @ September 28th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Pink for October is great and for a good cause. But honestly,m I like the green better.
Genesis wrote @ September 29th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Thanks for the link! As for holidays, I´m a mess. I always have these great big plans and then suddenly it´s the day before Christmas and I haven´t done a darn thing. I found a website the other day on organized Christmases, can´t remember the URL (I did post it on my blog, I think) and they send you a daily checklist starting 6 weeks before Christmas. That might be just what is needed! 
I´m jealous of all your catalogs! Isn´t it just so much fun to sit and drool? :
homemom3 wrote @ September 29th, 2007 at 6:46 am
Char- your site looks GREAT, I love the pink it looks better. I tried signing up for the walk but it wouldn’t take my paypal card.
Char wrote @ September 29th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Amanda – thanks – chances are I will change it to something else for the winter – I just can’t help myself.
Neena – don’t worry you’ll get used to it
Genesis – checklists are always good. But I’m like you – as much as I try to get organized, I always end up leaving stuff to the last minute.
Homemom3 – that’s odd that they would take your PayPal card – mine went through fine.
homemom3 wrote @ September 30th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Char- did you say it was visa or something?
pickel wrote @ September 30th, 2007 at 11:29 am
My mother was able to finish up all her children’s Christmas shopping at oopma yesterday. Head to my site for the details and free shipping over 65$.
I also finally got AJ’s Halloween costume. He wants to be a pumpkin. The only place I found a nice one was PB Kids and they were out. That will teach me to shop late (huh, Oct. 1 is late?) I finally found one at Target.
I finished the kids gifts too! our theme this year is games so everyone gets something fun!
Now, Char…I need some help from you! How do I fix my header text?
homemom3 wrote @ September 30th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
We haven’t even begun yet since we aren’t sure about anything else and Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday.
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