Christmas Week...

Lots to love this Christmas week...

  
1.  Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing 'Christmas Canon.'  It always makes me tear up and reminds me of our wedding day.

2.  Michael Buble` Christmas CD---because I'm sure he'll go down in history as our modern day Bing Crosby.
  
3.  Last minute shopping for stocking stuffers with Cruz while Beau was at his networking meeting.
  
4.  A night just for me.  An early bedtime for Cruz, my very own Papa John's pepperoni pizza, complete with an extra garlic sauce, extra tomato sauce, AND extra cheese sauce for dipping, and a fire-and-movie night on the couch.  I was so excited to watch 'Little Women,' I was seriously giddy.  Like five-year-old, wake-up-at-five-o'clock-to-see-if-Santa-arrived giddy.  And the movie---did not disappoint!

5.  Scouring the internet for an hour in hopes of finding a recipe for a particular Christmas candy I was craving.  I secretly stole one off a plate in the school's office, and was only sure of peanuts, marshmallows, and Rice Krispies.  Turns out I was close---a little white chocolate and peanut butter and voila!  These might just become a new tradition around our house! 

6.  Some Christmas crafting.  This is the first year I decided to get a little crafty with some of our Christmas presents.  First off, remember when Cruz got busy with the finger painting?  It was all in hopes of scoring his cute little hand-print on a white coffee mug for his Grandpas and Grandmas.  After we discovered very quickly that toddler hand-prints on ceramic dishes were next to impossible to achieve, I contemplated my ability to excel in the homemade craft department.

Thank goodness for Craft #2!  These little coffee mug warmers were a blast, and they make the cutest gift for a teacher, co-worker, or friend.  I scored these white travel mugs from Younkers, and had fun scouring the Christmas sock collection at Target.  Cut a five inch piece of sock, pair some hot glue with funky buttons and fleece, and you have a unique coffee mug sleeve.  Just slip the sleeve on when you're done, roll the edges to hide frays, and pair with a gift card to Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, or any java-type place.  I think old sweater sleeves would work well, too.

And finally, my favorite yet...

S'more Time Together.  Comes equipped with everything you need for S'more fun!  Little cardboard boxes from Hobby Lobby, some cellophane bags, fondue sticks, and little fondue burners complete with all the s'more fixings.  These were fun to put together and even more fun to think about our family and friends lighting them up!  We're using our s'more's kit by the fire tonight---they'll make the perfect dessert after our Christmas Eve feast.

7.  A Starbucks treat after Mexican food.  Lower temped hot chocolate steamed in a sippy cup, topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.  Peppermint Mocha for me, Caramel Latte for Beau, and a drive through town to look at Christmas lights.

8.  A sea of blankets piled on the living room floor, a toddler's infatuation with the fire, and one of our favorite Christmas classics, Elf.  Because, 'smiling's my favorite.'

9.  Deciding last minute to delay my planned five-course Christmas meal for another night this week.  Because a stress-free bowl of chili and s'mores by the fire after church just sounds so much easier.  
  
P.S. You just earned another day in the fridge, you 9 lb. spiral cut ham of goodness.

10.  A light dusting of snow to make an (almost) white Christmas.


Merry Christmas Eve.  

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you- he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."