Just what did you put in that cup of Christmas cheer?!

Can you believe that I'm still recovering from my finals? I don't think I've ever taken this long to get over the stress at the end of the semester and settle into the holidays. The Christmas tree is up and decorated and I was going to decorate the windows with lights tonight. Maybe it's because I haven't done a lick of shopping yet. Yes, it's true...I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet. I'm sure I'm breaking some sort of law, but oh well.

I feel bad sometimes when we get little gifts or cards from others and we usually can't get something for everyone. Maybe I'll bake a batch of goodies...that's always easy. One thing that I'm pretty thankful for is that we have never put ourselves into debt trying to buy something for everyone or buying a ton of things that will just end up being forgotten by our kids a couple weeks later. I always try to think of a few things that I know they will appreciate and they are usually items that are very inexpensive. I've never been one to rush out and buy the latest toy, outfit, or gadget. It could be because we've never had a ton of money to throw around, but also because I really love focusing on what Christmas is really about. I love feeling the reverence of the quiet, snowy nights, watching the snow fall softly, spending time with my family and friends, hot chocolate and good food, and knowing that the Baby Jesus was born into this world knowing why he came and loving us always. It's amazing. Of course, the presents are nice too, I just don't like how to some people, that's what it's all about. That's not for me, no thanks.

So, for my first official day of my break, I spent the day cleaning up around the house and trying to make it more cozy. I love having the time to work around the house. I hope I can get it put in order before we head to NM. I also want to rearrange Henry's office for him. It's become quite the pile of stuff and is hard to navigate at times. We both have some of the same ideas for it and I hope we can do it before I start school again. I love projects. If we get it going soon, I will post some pics.