Arts and crafts

I think I actually bought the Groupon in the summer, and I know I booked the appointment before Thanksgiving, but yesterday, Cas and I finally went to do glass blowing.

It was pretty freaking awesome.

Overall, it was a very productive day.  It occurred to Cas and I that we may be visiting his grandmother and one of his cousins for Christmas, so we left the house a little early for the glass studio.  We went to the Bath and Body Works just up the street from the house.  I had a $25 gift card and a coupon for a free item.  When we arrived, they had a buy three, get three free special.  We got three apple-scented items, three vanilla-scented items and a bottle of the lotion I like to keep on my desk at school.  It was supposed to cost $90 before tax, but the three free and the free item coupled with the $25 we didn't need to spend (because it was on a gift card) left us with a bill of $17.76.  Nothing like coming up with a total that reminds you of the birth of a nation.  

After saving about $80 (after sales tax) on a few gifts, we headed to the glass blowing studio.  We were instructed to decide which items we would like to make, and we had to pick colors we wanted to use.  Cas and I chose colors that would go with our living room and pieces that would complement one another.  We were there to do something new, but we were thinking we may get some home decor out of the deal.  

It was really fun, and when we finished up, we were invited to sit for a while and relax.  I had brought a bottle of wine with us, and we drank it while watching the next batch of glass-blowers.  After we left there, I called the art store where we were waiting for a framing order to see if it happened to be in.  It was.  We picked that up and headed off to ship a gift to Cas' dad and stepmom in Florida.  

Today, all I have on my plate is a little more reading in Jeff's book and some help for my mom as she gets ready for the big holiday gathering.  

We have Christmas Eve tomorrow at my parents' house and Christmas Day at Cas' mom's place.  After that, I think we can exhale for a moment, then it's off to South Carolina with us so we can visit my big brother and ring in the new year.  It's a lot of family togetherness, but somehow, it all seems easier than last year.  Neither of us is worried about making a first impression.  I don't have to wonder how one dresses for which occasion and if I am overshooting the mark- I just have to see what he puts on and dress in kind.  We also don't have to decide if he's picking me up or if I am headed to his place.  It's really handy to be under one roof for that reason alone.  

I don't think Cas has ever been this organized with gifts before.  We have all of our Christmas stuff managed and wrapped, his dad's stuff is on the way out in a big, brown truck, his mom's birthday present is done, and I even have Mom and Holly's upcoming birthdays handled.  It's a lot easier when we buy gifts from the both of us, and I think he is really seeing the benefits of being with a woman who plans things out.