You may wonder.

where the heck I've been this month and well, you might not. :) I am not exactly sure to be honest. :)
I just thought I would check in though and fill you in on what life looks like, well a little peak at least.
I think I've been in denial that it is actually December. I might have dragged my feet a bit in my Christmas time preparations. Yeah, dragged is a good word.
We are almost done though and that's a relief to say!

When life gets busy I really try hard to remember an apple a day. It has been harder than I had planned to post about them though.
Zach is busy in December with work and then Scouts and I am up to my chin in everything else. It is nice to have things to do.
When things get crazy I'm doing good to get one note, maybe two, a week in a lunch for Zach. On days (like today) that I am relieved he is home so I can go lay down; I take a deep breath and kiss him for as long as he'll let me or until we both burst into laughter at our children's comments. :)
I need to do better at just asking for what I need and not hinting at it. :) And also getting to bed at a decent hour so I don't have headaches and I am actually okay with getting up in the morning!
With all we have going on, we are enjoying hot chocolate, cuddles by the fire and stories with the kids by candle light.
I really do love this time of year!

What have your apples been lately?

Now would be a good time

to make a list of all the great things you would like to do this month and mark it down! It seems if I don't write it down, I forget, if we don't make it a priority, it won't happen.

This habit is essential in the blessed time of year! So, get out your calendar, get out your bank statement and figure out how much money you have and what you are gonna do!

I love, love, love December! Here's to a lot of time snuggling by the fire, and enjoying as many sights and sounds we can!...without the exhaustion, contention and chaos. Good goals huh?

What do you enjoy the most about this time of year?

I LOVE this time of year!

I love the snow, the time with family, the new toys to play with and the memories that are made! Oh I do, I LOVE this time of year!

Even though it has been slightly frustrating to not have the internet for over a week it probably came at a good time. I had so much to do to get ready for Christmas and I know I couldn't have gotten as much done if I tried to keep up on my computer stuff. So, look at that, I found something to be grateful for when it drove me crazy at times.

All that time not having the internet saved me and I still stayed up til 4 AM on Christmas Eve/ Christmas morning! I know, you are shocked aren't you!

We had to leave our house by 8 AM to make it to my parents house before my missionary brother called around 9! Yeah, we woke the kids up at 7 and had TURBO Christmas! :)

It was wonderful! What a great day! Now, even a few days later I still feel like I have a Christmas hangover! But I loved it anyway!

I hope your Christmas was wonderful too! Was it?

Well, here is hoping the internet stays connected and I can make the posts I want to!

oh what to do at Christmastime!

Christmastime is a busy time but lets not get too busy that we don't have a date night or two!!!

Here are a few ideas:

1. Visit Temple Square or a park near you that has a bunch of Christmas lights....

2. Don't want to get out of your car and you have to take the kids? Drive around a neighborhood or two and look at all the houses decorated with lights! our kids love doing this!

3. Stay home, make chili, hot chocolate, watch a Christmas movie. I LOVE It's a Wonderful Life", "White Christmas" and "Elf". Have you seen the movie "Christmas Shoes'"? -Tear jerker!

4. Go sledding!

5. Visit someplace such as a mall and get pictures taken with Santa

6. Can't find a sitter? Stay home and play some Christmas trivia and read Christmas stories.

7. Go to a community Christmas concert. Look online or in your local newspaper. There are sure to be some free ones!

8. Invite some friends over, make yummy holiday treats and play games! We LOVE doing this one! We can put our kids to bed and play to our hearts content! (plus we have fun friends. :))

9. Visit an elderly couple for a little bit. A widow might be better! Bring some Christmas cheer to someone else!

10. Make treats and door bell ditch your neighbors! :)

What are some dates or traditions that you like to do with your family every year?

Christmas is Cozy!

I don't know about you but for me this time of year can be sort of crazy! I hope that amidst the craziness we can find time to get cozy!

Last night and Sunday night I sang in a community Christmas concert. I came home sort of wiped out from lack of sleep and then from the anxiety of performing. Zach stayed home last night with the sick kids (he came to Sundays concert). When I walked in he was making hot chocolate, we sat on the couch in front of the fire and the Christmas tree and enjoyed a cup of cocoa and a nice conversation.

Getting cozy and chatting doesn't have to take long. Just turn down the lights and enjoy the lights from your tree and warm cup of wassail or cocoa. Sometimes when we take the time to slow down, the Spirit of the Season can be felt a little easier.

I hope you will try this apple.

12 days....

I have seriously dropped the ball this last week! What bums we out too is I had some fun things to post! Don't worry, I'll still do them...

My kids have been so super sick this last, like month! But the last week has been the pits. Zach and I haven't gotten much sleep and it seems I have been doing good to keep things functioning here at home and Zach staying a wake at work!

Next year I am either celebrating Christmas in July or I will at least be ready by then!

Enough about me! Today the 12 days til' Christmas starts! I've got to do something!

Because I am already up to my ears in "things" to get ready, make and so on, I think I will celebrate with dinner time conversations.

Tonight- name 12 things you love about Christmas

11-name 11 Christmas songs (you could even do, name that song!)

10-tell about 10 things you would like to do for others

9- talk about the meaning of Christmas symbols, which is your favorite

8- what do you think about as you fall asleep Christmas Eve

7- what Christmas stories have you read and would like to read again...stories you haven't and would like to read

6-favorite holiday foods

5-say five things you are grateful for at this time of year

4-favorite Christmas memory

3-go around the table and say three things you like about each person...including yourself!

2-what is your favorite thing you have done so far, this Christmas season

1-tell about the gift you are going to give to Jesus throughout the next year

If this is too much for you to remember and still want to do something around the table. Growing up we read Christmas scriptures by candle light around the table. It keeps my kids attention and they love that they get to blow out the candle! Here are some from my Primary lesson Sunday:

Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7 :14, Isaiah 9:6-7, Alma 7:9-10, Helaman 14:1-6, 1 Nephi 11:18-21

So, there ya go! Do you like to do anything to count down to Christmas? What have you done? What questions did you think of when you read my list? Hope your preparations are going well and you're able to do lots of fun things as a family!