getting ready for christmas

Just a few random things about this beautiful Christmas season:

1. Our house looks like a little kid designed it. Well, that's kind of true: hubby asked the kids how they wanted the house to be decorated this year, and they told him. So there are purple lights on the swing set, red and white candy cane stripes on the tree, red and green on the front stairs, and I don't know what else. It's very colorful--but part of me wants to rearrange it into something a little more aesthetically appealing. Like, oh, I dunno--all white lights. Boring! I know it! I caved on the Christmas tree this year too. We've had a white light tree forever, but this year the kids begged for colored lights and I said OK. Gag! Good thing the kids are so cute when they beg...
2. I'm wondering how much longer til Jo catches on with the whole jolly big man thing. We keep getting package delivery trucks--FedEx, UPS, DHL--all addressed to daddy, all from places like toycamp.com and discoverytoys.com so I'm just waiting for it to all click. Sigh...well, as long as she doesn't speculate out loud with her 5-year-old little sister. Let's preserve the innocence as long as possible, 'K?
3. Must. Resist. Urge to snoop for presents!!!
4. You wanna know what Santa's bringing the girls? I'll give you a hint: it's almost impossible to find in stores because it's always sold out. We've never let the girls have one of these before now. I'm going to enjoy it as much as they will. It's more money than we've ever spent on any one present before. I'm still not sure we made the right decision in getting it for them, because I don't want them on it nonstop. Or me, for that matter. Did you guess yet?!
5. Two words: Ice. Storm. One more word: Sucks.
6. Anyone got a good Christmas CD? I need something that's poppin--not something that's going to put me to sleep. I love my Bare Naked Ladies Christmas CD, and my John Denver and the Muppets Christmas CD and my Christmas Songs CD, but beyond that I'm struggling to stay awake listening to some of this stuff.
7. Is there some kind of conspiracy going on? I cannot find any good Christmas movies on TV. I want Scrooged, darnit!!

OK, time for bed. PS: It's my brother's birthday today, the 12th! He's 26, the old man. ;) Love you, Joe!