Only two more weeks...

As I sit here writing this, it is December 11. My to-do list is about 11 pages long. Our first family Christmas celebration is exactly one week from today, and I am fighting what feels like my 11th cold of the season. (I think my sweet boys and I just keep passing them back and forth). I just spent the first half of the day at church, volunteering in the four -year olds room for the first service, and staying for the second service so that I could take part in communion and hear a good friend sing. When the boys wake up, it's off to the mall for some gift shopping. And then there's the laundry, the cleaning, working, and all the baking that has to be done in the next few days. Oh... and I also turn another year older this week. (I don't have time to turn another year older... nor do I really want to creep that much closer to 30). ;) Jaden also just made me watch "Christmas Bubble Guppies" for the dozenth time.

...And despite all of this, I am so happy it's near the middle of December. I'm trying so hard to not wish the days away, to not get overly excited for the celebrations upcoming, but to celebrate each day. I'm not eager for January, I'm not anxious for another Christmas with our young boys to be over, and I'm not wishing for they themselves to be another year older. I'm trying to soak up every little event that makes this time of the year so special in their eyes. This Thursday night, we'll be making a trip to Santa's Workshop downtown Cedar Falls so that we can see if the boys like Santa up close just as much as they like him from far away. Friday night we are planning a Christmas lights drive after supper. Brandon points at every. single. house. that has Christmas lights - whether it's a big display or just a wreath on a door... he senses the magic in it. Every night before bed, Jaden and I read a different Christmas book. And the Advent nativity "calendar" hanging on their bedroom door is filling up with Mary and Joseph, the Jesus star and the angels... all waiting for Jesus to be placed on Christmas day.

And it wouldn't be December without some cut-out sugar cookies and a variety of frosting colors to choose from. This was our kids' first experience decorating Christmas cookies, and it didn't disappoint.

As soon as Brandon caught sight of the festive M&M's, he quickly forgot about his cookie. I think he would have eaten the whole bowl had I let him.



...And then things got a little crazy. A little too much sugar... a full moon... and three cousins getting together -- must all be ingredients for a wild night. Lets just say the adults didn't get to do too much relaxing with their wine glasses on this evening.

Hope you all are enjoying this Christmas season... just two weeks left!