15 Minutes of Christmas

I washed the floor last night at 9:48.  And I was up cleaning a bathroom at 5 something.  I have a cleaning list/routine and I stick with it.  It's just the way I am.  Except that now I'm in my darling classroom from 8:00 am until at least 4:00.  Our evening is spent with homework and laundry and
D R I V I N G to dance and viola, etc.  I start working on planning at 8:00 pm and then start all over again.  I'm not complaining.  I'm not really even tired. I don't require the normal amount of sleep.  I can go to sleep at 10:30 and be up at 4:50 every day, no problem.  But I'm busy.

Last Sunday night I was bummed about the Holiday weekend being over.  For a moment I felt like I was going to miss Christmas.  You know, that sweet time between Thanksgiving and Christmas week?  I knew I'd be teaching, and tired, and driving.  Yet I knew that my house would be all twinkly and pretty.  Where was the enjoying?  I had to find a way to make it happen.

So many wonderful things were already planned out on our calendar.  A baking day, putting up the real tree, watching Jingle and Belle and holding the stuffed animals that bark along with the movie.  I planned it all in so I knew it would happen.

It was the little things that I was worried about might not happen.

So I decided that I would set aside 15 minutes every evening for Christmas.  On a few of the days I took a quick picture.  Nothing fancy.  Just a reminder to me that Christmas can be everyday.

~Monday~

(making sure the big things happen)



~Tuesday~

(chocolate banana muffins and tea by the tree)


~Wednesday~

(a favorite magazine and a pretty placemat)


~Thursday~

(I read a Christmas story to her every night from Thanksgiving to New Years but this night to make it my '15 Minutes of Christmas' I put cute PJ's on her and read a book new to both of us)


It felt good.  Just 15 minutes felt like the busy of life didn't steal away another week.  Christmas was sprinkled throughout each day.  And that is the magic of making Christmas happen.