10 Days to go...♥

Hello Lovely Friends! ♥ 

 It's exactly 10 day until Christmas! It's coming fast!  As far as preparations go, I'm in pretty good shape.  How about you? 

This weekend I finished up all my wrapping, wrote out a few cards, and started to plan our Christmas dinner menu.  It's going to be simple this year.  I just love simple.  

And the older I get, I love it more and more ♥

 On Sunday we had our first snow.  

I woke up to everything being covered in white.  

It snowed off and on all day.  Not really amounting to much, but just enough to give everything and icy dusting.  

Today it's freezing cold and it's all frozen over ♥

Winter is here! Brrrrr.......♥

Rob and I were up and out early for 7:30 mass and then we went for a cozy breakfast at a local spot.  7:30 (am!) mass on a Sunday morning is not always easy (I'm being honest) but I'm always happy once I'm there.  It's such a nice way to start the day - and the week.  

Once home I did some cleaning and lit a new candle that I picked up on whim from CVS!  

I thought it was so cute and smells divine! :)

I wanted something sweet, so I made a quick batch of Toll House chocolate chip cookies! ♥

Yes, premade dough in a tube and I don't regret it.  It's the best! 

(...and such a time and mess saver- you don't even need a bowl! :)

I spent the afternoon wrapping gifts like one of Santa's elves while snowflakes blew by the windows, stopping only for a hot chocolate to go with my cookies.  

While the rest of the family was watching football and napping, I was determined to get it all done...and I did! 

YAY ♥

I often think about what it was like when John was little.  So many packages to wrap.  Lots of toys with batteries, cars, trains (tons of trains!), and action figures. Visits to see Santa, Christmas shows, rides in our PJ's to see lights, baking cookies for Santa, the elf on the shelf....every night! How did I find the energy to do it all?! I loved every minute of it!  However, I'm so happy and content with where we are now and Christmas's are just as fun and joyous as they ever were.  Go figure! Yes it's different.  But different doesn't mean bad.  It's actually very good.  And I get to sleep in! (so there's a bright side to everything!) 

I hope all your preparations are going well! Try to enjoy these next 10 days. It's OK if everything doesn't get done.  It's ok if you're house isn't fully decorated or if you don't get to the post office in time.  People understand.  And that's not what Christmas is supposed to be anyway.

I think the next 10 days are the most exciting of the entire season and the best way to spend them is sitting around the tree doing absolutely nothing...well, you know what I mean! 

Have a lovely, festive day! ♥

Stay cozy!!! xo