Brrrr....

Today:  I am   cold  .

Like, for reals.  It's cold here.  We were only at 7 degrees the other morning and the rest of the day we didn't go above 15!  What the heck?!  It finally decided to start snowing Thursday and that usually warms us up.  I never thought 20's would feel so good.  But seriously... brrr.

I'm excited for the holidays this year.  Every year I've gotten better at what to get for gifts.  This year I can officially say that my husband is the only one left to shop for now!  I usually get teased a little bit for being on top of Christmas like this, but the thing is I hate shopping around for gifts not knowing what to get, then I get an idea and it's sold out... everywhere... and then I end up just buying the "next best" thing.  Which usually turns out to be junk.  Plus I really enjoy being able to spend Thanksgiving and all of December with just my family.  I don't have the major worry of gifts.

Every December we do the 12 days of Christmas with the kids.  We used to do this when I was younger and we loved it.  For our little family we have changed it a bit so it can stretch out for the entire month instead of trying to do 12 things the 12 nights before Christmas.  It starts with me making a Christmas countdown chain that we hang up in the dining room.  Every morning a link gets ripped off.  Thirteen links are blank.  Twelve links have something fun on them.  I usually buy a few movies and during these 12 days we'll have a few movie nights.  Sometimes we go to dinner or play a new board game.  One night we go see Santa or drive to see Christmas lights.  I try to find things that make us spend quality time together and enjoy one another.  We also choose a few families or people to do Secret Santa for and spend one night sneaking their gifts to their front doors.  My sweet little girl LOVES doing this one!  Last year was the second year we have done it and I couldn't believe the joy she found in leaving a present for someone.  It warms my heart.

Another reason I love to get my shopping done is that as my kids get older and I see the joy they find in the LDS gospel and Christ, the more I want to spend the month focusing on why we have Christmas.  I feel like being able to spend time with our family is one giant step on this path.  Christmas really is a truly enjoyable and warming time.  I love making meaningful memories with them in both the physical sense and the spiritual sense.  I hope they value this time we spend together and one day do it with their own families.  We do have a secret plan to buy two of our closest neighbors houses and turn our section of the street in our own family sanctuary... so maybe Grandma {me... one day} will just continue this on at my house.  Just kidding.  I know my kids need to sprout wings and fly away from the nest one day. 

BUT, and this is a big but, it is hard to hide this many presents around our house.  Really hard.  I mean... really hard.  It takes a lot of plotting and planning and focus.  One slip up and I've destroyed Santa Claus.

I better go find a way to warm up...

xo, Heather