I Got Nothing Done... I Got Everything Done

Today I was sick but oh so happy.  I was home.  With a little one.  It made my heart so happy. 

(sunny kitchen and new crayons)


(christmas coloring books)


I didn't get anything done.  And I loved it!



Abigial looked and sounded horrible this morning.  I'm glad I kept her home for a day of rest.  If she feels anything like what I feel like today there's no way she could have gotten through a day at Kindergarten. 

(with not much of a voice I got out all of our Christmas books on cd. I love them)


We had a sweet day together.  Going slow. 



(I love my nativity)


We just happened to have some dough in the refrig from last weekend. Just enough to make some cookie friends.







And a special box arrived while we were home today. It brought a huge smile.





As she checked out her very own teeny, tiny viola.

(we peeked but won't take it out until her lesson)


Oh and another gift from Scott. How many days of these Christmas treats possibly last?



I think I'd like to have Anna be home with me one on one next week... maybe she just won't "feel well".

Little Things Go a Long Way

One of the first things I do when I decorate my kitchen for Christmas (or any season) is my little tea area. I don't save my Christmas china cups for the "big day" but use it all season long.



All set for my morning cup of tea or our tea together at night.



And just when I needed a little pick me up... there's no "calling in sick" for mom...

I found these tucked under my kitchen gingerbread tree this morning. 

"I found these and thought you might like them.  You make our home so nice no matter what the season. Love you!"

(little "let it snow" and "home" signs)


"I know how you love curling up to a Christmas story.  No one loves Christmas more than you!" 



And just this weekend Anna said (not to me but kind of out loud like a proclamation) "Our house is always so festive all year round." 

Be still my heart... I could go for months on these! 

Winterfest

It snowed all day today. It was so pretty and the best part was that it melted as soon as it hit the ground.



(Christmas Gingerbread theme in our kitchen... Abigail spent a lot of time in her jammies this weekend)




Scott and I are sick. I know, not good to be hit with what feels like the flu on the very same day. I'm hardly ever sick and Scott in our 16 years married has never done what he did today. He came home around 10am and went to bed til he had to go to an evening meeting. I just kept plugging along with a food shopping trip, cleaning, cooking, and laundry. Maybe I'll pay for it tomorrow. He'll be better and I'll be worse.







I love all of the Christmas up. As I walk around the house I make a little list though of what still needs to get decorated. Some big things like the real tree and some smaller things like, "where are those little evergreens in a pot that go on my kitchen window sill?" But I'm trying to not stress. Better yet, not to think about about it all.

This weekend my brother and his family met us for Winterfest.



At our CT Trolley Museum (we go there a lot in the summer) they do a fun Christmas theme. I saw it on their summer brochure and decided we should check it out... with cousins to make it all the more fun!







It was so much more than what I expected. A three mile trolley ride in a non enclosed 1920 trolley car... freezing... through the tunnel of lights.



It sure felt like Christmas.



And then inside the museum it was all decorated with over a hundred train sets. So cool.





And Santa.





And hot chocolate and Christmas cookies I brought for everyone.







Our first family fun Christmas adventure this year. It sure was a good one!

Oh this song...

Little Country Trees

This tradition started because I wanted the girls to have "kid ornaments" and my real living room tree I've named my "Sax Fifth Avenue Tree".  I'm super picky about it and barely even let the girls go near it since it's covered with glass ornaments.

So the little country trees were added to our family room.  Each Thanksgiving morning the girls find two new ornaments on our Thanksgiving mantle. 



And the fun begins. (This is not a Hallmark commerical, but it could be... this is how they really react.) The whole opening their new ornaments takes them a loooong time. They're sweet that way.





They watch each other.



And take their time.



And take their time.



It's like this on Christmas morning too. They make it last forever.





We love it this way of course.

I write on each box why I picked each ornament for them so that each year when they take out the box and unwrap a treasured oldie but goodie they remember why mommy and daddy picked that one for them.

"To Abigail, my sweetest little Kindergartner, may your school days always be as happy as they are now. Filled with friendship, learning, and love. I'm so proud of you this year. I love you."



I gave this one to Anna last year and last year she hung it in the back. I'd move it to the front and she'd move it back to the back of the tree. Ugh... such a sign. This year I nearly fell over when she hung it front and center! Be still my heart!



So these little country trees have ornaments that light up and sing, penguins dance around.









It is filled with places we've been.



And homemade ones from preschool too.







For sure a tradition we'll have for a long time. We'll either have to add more little trees or get a bigger one. But I like the little ones the best.

I told Scott this year that some day when I'm old and grey I'll take out these boxes and read my little messages that I wrote to the girls and cry. The best parts of Christmas are the remembering. My all time favorite decorations are the ones that pull at my heartstrings because they are memories of Christmas pasts with my babies.  Last year is here.  :)