All The Christmas

Hello, my friends! I hope your last week before Christmas is going well in the way that works best for you. If I have learned anything throughout my life, and indeed I have, one of the most important is this: Do life in the way that works for you. Do what gives you peace. If being done with the shopping, wrapping, and baking brings you joy, then feel free to do just that. If the excitement of shopping on Christmas Eve among the music and people brings you Christmas spirit, then enjoy! Social media has allowed us into the homes and lives of complete strangers, giving us ideas and inspiration yet also bringing comparison and feelings of inadequacy. Our parents and grandparents never had to deal with that, and they created and enjoyed beautiful and joyous Christmas times by doing what they loved for the people they loved. So, this Christmas, give yourself the grace of confidence, peace, and contentment. You deserve it. Ok. End of speech! Moving on!

We spend a great deal of time as a family in the days leading up to Christmas. So far this week, we enjoyed a cookie decorating evening hosted by Peyton and Christopher at their cozy Christmas home. The girls and I went over early, and they cut out and baked the cookies. While I was sitting and visiting with them, I took this picture.

And realized this.

This was a year ago! My girls. Almost exactly the same, one year later! Everyone else joined us later, and we had pizza, decorated the cookies, and then watched Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, one of our favorites. It was a great night, made even better by the snow that fell all evening.

Thank you, Peyton and Chris, for a super fun evening!

( She reads here! )

Yesterday. Flynn spent the day with Madison, making their traditional gingerbread house together. This is a tradition Madison started years ago with Flynn and is something special they look forward to each year.

How special is that?? After the fun afternoon of making the gingerbread house and paper chains and eating dinner, they asked us to come over for an impromptu movie night! So, we piled into Steve's truck, me in my cozy clothes, and headed over. Rhett and Kyrstin joined us, and we enjoyed the movie and the most delicious hot chocolate ever! My sweet sister-in-law Beth gifted us a homemade mix she made from her mother's recipe, marshmallows and candy cane spoons, so we took that over and had it during the cold December night.

In addition, we are watching birds...

And snuggling in our cozy house this week.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my friends. I will be around to visit soon!

Billie Jo