Christmas is my favorite holiday for many reasons. It's just that feeling you get around this time of year. It gets cold outside and dark early. Everyone hurries in and bundles up together under a blanket. It's when you get your hot bowl of chili and hot chocolate and settle in for a nice night watching a movie. Every year I get so excited for this time. This year it snuck up on me. Feels like it was just a few weeks ago we were going to the pool and drinking lemonade outside. I've tried my best to get into the holiday cheer and I've struggled this year. It's true what they say...that the older you get the quicker the time passes. I guess I've just been so busy juggling life with my 3 kids that I have yet to find the time to get some holiday cheer. I decided to try and get in the spirit and decorate my house!

I dragged in all the decorations, put the babies down for a nap and the fun began! I even turned on Christmas Pandora music (and ignored my husband's eye rolls--he really was a good sport though). We struggled trying to decide what to do with the stockings. We normally hang them on the TV stand with our cute Christmas stocking holders, but we knew that wouldn't work this year. With my tiny tornadoes they'd be jerked down before you could blink. I finally had a great idea for them, no matter how silly it may look. I just couldn't put out my decorations sans stockings!

Laugh all you want, I know it looks a bit ridiculous with them hanging from the curtain rod. But hey, it works! The babies finally woke up from their nap and it was so wonderful to catch their reactions from the tree. Lucas was still getting over being sick but even he was excited.



And then I remembered why I always love Christmas so much. It isn't the presents or the food (although they are both great too), but the joy I see on my children's faces. The spirit of the season that brings family together. No matter how small your family may be, it's still wonderful to all be together during the holidays. It's just a feeling in the air. The scent of pine and cinnamon, mom's homemade chocolate covered pretzels, watching children's faces light up from tales of Santa Claus. I have still yet to buy one gift, but it was that day that I finally got into the holiday spirit. I'll be going shopping soon and then there will be the fun of wrapping and watching my daughter shake the gifts to guess what's in them. She was spending the day with her grandparents the day we put up the decorations, but she was thrilled when she came home. Since I don't have a picture to post of her from that day, I'll post one of her beside a blow up tree. We went shopping one night and she was so excited about the Christmas decorations that I had to take a picture!

Isn't she cute?? This has also been the first year that I've been able to get her to understand the real meaning of Christmas. That it's also Jesus' birthday and not just a day that Santa comes to bring gifts. She talks about Jesus' birthday all the time and that makes me proud. We also have an elf on the shelf. Izzy named her Glowy and loves her. Our elf doesn't do pranks though. Mama doesn't really have the energy for a pranking elf, I might just have to kick her out :-P

I hope this finds everyone doing well and I hope you are all getting in the Christmas spirit! It'll be here before we know it with how fast the time is flying by!

Talk to you all soon.

Hugs and Love,