2 days before Christmas, Scott was talking with our son and he mentioned how he asked Santa for a remote control Lighting Mcqueen car. OK here’s a slight problem because we hadn’t gotten him a remote control one. I had just gotten him a little matchbox size mcqueen car for his stocking (because Santa does the stockings at our house). So, I went out to Target on Christmas Eve to try to find a remote control Lighting Mcqueen car, with no such luck.

Last night the kids helped me decorate a birthday cake for Jesus and after singing Him Happy Birthday, followed by a few favorite Christmas carols, we enjoyed cake and ice cream. Apparently, it is an unwritten rule in our house that when you eat Jesus' birthday cake, you don’t need to use silverware. [] (https://latc.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/seriously-forks-are-overrated-in-this-house.jpg)

After dressing the children in their finest, and forcing them to pose for pictures in front of the tree, we went to church this evening for the Christmas Eve services. When one of our pastors got up to read Scripture, he said he would be reading from John 1. My son leaned over to me and said, “Mom, I thought the story was in Luke 2." This was probably one of my favorite quotes from the evening.

Isn’t it amazing how something so simple can trigger a memory so deep? You hear a song from your past and suddenly you can feel all those emotions and feelings you felt so long ago…it’s like it just propels you back in time. Yea… Faith Hill does that to me. When Scott and I were dating in college, I spent one memorable Thanksgiving at his family’s home. That evening we were sitting around the dining room table playing Rummikub when I remembered that the Faith Hill TV special was on that evening, and I commented on that fact.

We decided to take a spontaneous trip to DC this Saturday. And by spontaneous, I really mean spontaneous. When we left the house we were deciding between a trip to Hersheypark or the local train garden and drive through light display. Basically, we were looking for a fun evening out enjoying some holiday cheer. As we were driving, we got the idea of going into DC to see the National Christmas Tree.

As we were getting ready to go to the tree lighting ceremony downtown my son asked, “Mom, can I tell Santa that he is not what Christmas is all about?" I love that as we anticipate Christmas, my kids know that we are preparing to celebrate Jesus' birth. Yes, they know we are going to have presents under the tree, and they even sat on Santa’s lap at Scott’s work party, but when I asked my son what he likes best about Christmas, he answered, “celebrating Jesus' birthday.

When I was little if you wanted to make my mom mad, all you had to do was ask her who was visiting when she was cleaning house. Oh how I remember the look she’d get on her face when I would say that….seems my turn has come… After decorating our cookies yesterday, I realized it was time to deep clean my kitchen. Once I scrubbed down the icing covered counter, it only made me realize how scummy the other counters looked.

I’ll just go ahead and admit that I am a big bloggy dork, because since Megan first mentioned her Sharing Christmas carnival, I have been eagerly looking forward to it. Yes, I even wrote it in on my calendar. The idea is to share your home at Christmas.. kinda like an Open House… only you get to go in your PJ’s and you don’t have to struggle to find small talk (yea, can’t tell I am an introvert, can you)?

After years of research in my test kitchen, I have found that Krusteaz sugar cookie mix tastes better than any of the “from scratch sugar cookies” I have made. And not only do they taste good, but literally, you pour the mix, add water, and stir!! This is crucial for me, because with my three preschoolers, Mommy needs to spend her time managing the flour and cutting out of the cookies, not measuring and mixing.