Peace on Earth

Christmas Eve has been such a lovely day.  It has been filled with peace and love.  There should be a frangrance named after it.  Chrsitmas Eve.  I would spray it often in order to bring back the memories of the beauty of this day.  Sweet family time, beautiful worship at church, yummy food and God's spirit of joy filling our home.  The stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, "Santa" still has some work to do, but other than that we are all ready for a great Christmas day ahead.  I love being a mom anticipating the fun that the kids will have tomorrow.  Merry Christmas and May God bless us, everyone.

We have been haulin' out the holly over the past few days.  With Christmas songs playing on the radio, and the lights on the Christmas tree glowing we are making memories and filling the house with joy.  We started out the week with a shopping trip to the dollar store.  The mission was to spend $3 on a sibling,$1 on mommy and $1 on daddy.  Prior to the trip, we threw the kiddos names in a hat (Meredith offered her's up since she was wearing one) and the kids each picked a name to buy for.  They decided to keep their pick a secret which made the mission even more fun. I loved seeing their excitement while they picked out their treasures.  I could hear them giggling and whispering to each other, exclaiming "don't let mommy see!" if they thought I was getting too close. 

Once we got home, they couldn't wait to wrap their gifts.  Their spirit of generosity towards one another was beautiful for this mommy's heart.  I knew it would disappear soon and they would be back to fighting over who's turn it was to play the Wii so I soaked in every minute of it.  Their packages tripled the number of gifts that were under the tree.  It's REALLY beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

Later on that night, I made some cut out cookies for us to frost.  I baked.  Yes... it was a true labor of love because I do not like to bake.  AT ALL.  But King Soopers was all out of the already baked and cut out sugar cookies, because don't you think for a second that baking them myself was the first option.  I was so happy to find out that such a thing (pre-baked, pre-cut out cookies) even exsisted.  Thrilled was how I felt.  Then my high went to low standing in the store listening to the mean lady at the bakery tell me that they sold out of those last week.  I wanted to ask her if she would make me some more.  I didn't.  Instead I made my way around the store gathering all of the ingredients that I thought went into cookies.  I googled "EASY sugar cookie recipe" and then heated up the oven, got out my mixer from storage and then baked and cut out 8 dozen cookies.  I was cutting out gingerbread men, Christmas trees and stars when Michael came into the kitchen and asked "Can we make dinosaurs too?" Of course we can, my little man, because nothing says Christmas like a frosted longneck!.  So I made a few of those too.  The next day, we had some friends over to play and we decorated the cookies.  They were so pretty when we were finished, AND they were SUPER yummy. 

We finished off our day by watching the Christmas Charlie Brown movie.  Mommy was a tad cranky by that time, but other than that it was the sprinkles on top of very Christmassy day.  There is quite a lot of Christmas spirit around this place!  Now, in the words of Marky... "if it would just SNOW!!!"

What I know tonight...

• 3 of my kids went to bed way to late - I can always count on #3 to be sound asleep before I make "the rounds" (you know what I'm talking about, moms!).  Thank goodness for that!!  #s 1, 2 and 4... not so much...
• I'm so happy that Patrick came home tonight.  I need another driver in the house... I mean... I'm thrilled to hold his hand over dinner (delivered pizza) ... yeah, that's what I meant. 
• it's Wednesday and 3 of my kiddos still have big things going on this week
• if I could work full time doing hair, I would - really.
• I am suffering from "I didn't get enough for Christmas for the kids" syndrome.  It always hits me on the 15th, the day I try to be done with shopping. 
• I would like to make a prime rib for Christmas dinner.  Some friends of mine swear it's a cinch.  Should I try it?
•  As a Colorado girl, I think that I SHOULD say that I'm sad it hasn't REALLY snowed yet this winter... BUT - truth is I AM THRILLED!!!  I hate snow. 
• troulble-making-people are so tiresome.  SO. VERY. TIRESOME.
• I want to remember that Jesus is really the reason for all of our celebrating.
• I have a lot of wrapping to do
• I loved rocking my baby boy tonight
• I loved snuggling with one of my daughters
• the laundry is never done around here
• I have a furniture rearrange going on in my mind once I take the tree down.  Can't wait!!  
• I really need to go see "Woodwards" Christmas vingnettes in order for it to really feel like Christmas... this weekend it will happen.
• I can't forget that I have 2 birthday's to get ready for before January 1.  Oh boy... 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!