Feeling Loved

So yesterday was my birthday and I am feeling very loved. It is great to have wonderful family and friends in my life and I feel so blessed and wonder how I deserve this, because sometimes I really am just a schmuck. But people love me anyways. One of the days cutest moments was the bubble bath the kids set up for me, complete with candles, tea, and chocolate and butterscotch chips to nibble on - I mean who wouldn't want to eat chocolate chips in the tub? All this to keep me out of the kitchen so Kevin could cook an amazing dinner of BBQ steaks. yummm..... So I am 37 and wonder what happened to all those ideas I had when I was 20. No there is not a mid-life crisis coming on!! I have 3 more years for that!

Random Thoughts

* going to Costco with friends is a guaranteed way to spend more money, but definitely a lot more fun
* the noise level in the house is exponentially related to the days away from Christmas, or birthdays for that matter, or a visit from Grandparents (only 6 more sleeps)
* birthdays in December are too stressful, I think I am officially changing my day to mid-June
* watching kids Christmas concerts is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon, can't wait for tomorrow!!
* to be FAIR with gifts for your kids, is it number of gifts or total price added together?
* when does hugging turn to wrestling? specifically with boys and dogs? If it ends in crying, I do think it has stopped being hugging, don't you?
* I love the house at night. I love the house during the day and I love the joy the kids bring and know the days slip by all too quickly, but once it's all quiet there's something nice about that too. When all the little heads are on their pillows in dream land. I know the day will come when I long for a little bit of something to go on around here and a little more noise, where things move around unknown to me, rather than staying clean until I use them again. Maybe the peaceful quiet has something to do with random thought #2.

I don't need all these calories

Baking day was yesterday! Here's a sample of some of the things I did. You'll have to pop over for a taste. Friends are welcome anytime!! I'm ready for you! My daughter came home from school and said, "Mom - you did baking without me!" Then she proceeded to make almonds bars which were obviously missing from my list and my boy's favorite.

I'm Done!

I'm officially done all my Christmas shopping!! Feels good. I do have to pick up one more thing that is on a raincheck once they get more in stock, but otherwise, all are hidden and ready to go :) Now I can start on the baking!! Oh ya and some Christmas cards.

I Love Christmas

Kevin took some very lovely photos of Christmas around our house and some out around town too. I posted the same ones on my facebook account too. Did I tell you how much I love Christmas?!! I love Christmas!! I think my favorite thing is the lights. I love to sit by the tree at night with a good hot chocolate and enjoy the glow of the tree lights and read a good book. I need a good book- read any lately? Let me know some good titles. Right now all I am pre-reading is the book I'm giving my daughter for Christmas (making sure it's not too old for her) It's Beverly Lewis so how can you go wrong? Quite enjoying it myself. Very light fiction is good for the soul every now and then!!
I was thinking though today how hard Christmas is for a lot of people and I wish that everyone could feel the same way about it that I do. That it really could be only about the gift of grace that we received in the smallness of an infant. What trust the Father must have had to send His Son to be completely helpless and at the mercy of a young mother. But then isn't the heart of a young mother the most trusting place for any child?

Up Went the Replacement Tree

It was the first time ever -- REALLY-- that we haven't found a decent tree on our hunt. Once we got the wonderful specimen in the house, it just looked scrawny!! And with everyone coming here for Christmas, that just wouldn't do, so I dragged the family to the you cut tree farm about a km away. We saw sheep and sat by the fire having hot cider while they chain sawed our tree. Didn't hold quite the magic as last weekend. But the tree is much fuller and bushy! So last night we had a family evening to decorate the tree. The kids were wound right up, even after running through the snow and sledding for an hour. I suppose it'll stay that way for another 22 days. Erin wanted a photo of herself with each ornament she hung on her new camera. I stopped after 21!! It was getting a bit monotonous watching a 12 year old pose with each ornament and give some silly facial expression! It was a magical Christmas moment!

Don't the parents look so excited in this photo?

Why I Don't Work Full Time

Last week I worked 38 hours and my house fell apart. Dishes piled up, kids went to school dirty, my daughter forgot her lunch, we ate out twice and I felt like I had no time for anything. I realized what I already knew, that I like to be home with my family! They are a gift! I have only 6 shifts booked in December and we'll see if I can keep it that way.