It's December!

I turned the calendars today (I love calendars and have a few...no computer/phone calendar for me ever) and I felt goosebumps, really I did.  A bit of nervous (oh, my here we go....) A big deep breath, but mostly pure excitement. 







It's ooey, gooey wonderful to be a stay - at - home mom this time of year.  I love 'wrapping up' my home, making it cozy and magical for our little family.  I love, love the dark nights and that it gets dark so very early now.  I love hot soups on the stove and pies in the oven.  I love making our home a safe, wonderful place to be home for Christmas. 

The girls loved opening the little door on their advent calendar today.  Oh the excitement on seeing a simple picture of a Christmas tree.  





Last night just before dinner we ventured out to mail that all important letter to Santa.  It was a bit hard to get a picture since Anna could lift Abigail and mail the letter with her at the same time.  Believing, it's magical and we will forever! 










Christmas books.... I love taking those out.  They are scattered around my house in little piles.  I try to have them in categories:  decorating, cooking and crafting, fictional stories, kids books, and more.  They are just so pretty to look at and wonderful to cozy up with.  I'm trying to find a few extra minutes here and there each day to do that.  I so enjoy the season when I fit in some things that I love to do. 
















Anna has a Christmas snow globe collection that comes out each season and is on her dresser.  This year I found a wonderful set of Christmas chapter books for her to read each night during the season.










We're off tomorrow to NYC.  This is the day trip of my dreams.  I've been thinking about this 'Christmas in New York' trip forever.  We bought tickets to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular on our 15 Wedding anniversary this July.  I love how the tickets were printed on our anniversary.  They are supposed to be great seats and we even get to have our picture taken with a Rockette and Santa before the show.  The red and green dresses ("twirly" dresses they are called)  :)  are hanging up and ready to go.  I can't wait!





I've also had to pack children's Tylenol, a bag of cough drops, lollipops for sore throats, and tissues.  Anna is home from school sick today.  Resting and coughing all day today.  Hoping she makes a quick recovery!  Busy today also baking special Christmas cookies for Abigail to have whenever we stop for a snack.  And special hot chocolate she's not allergic to in a thermos.  Traveling with an ee child is always stressful.  I have to bake and pack anything that I think Anna might get to stop and order.  There is nothing worse and her eyes looking up at me and saying, "can I have that?  am I allergic to that?"  I always have to have something special for her. 

Can't wait for New York City!