Johnson Smiles

I'm back with a quick December Daily update. Day 16 The 16th was when the snow began.  Luke and I felt like it was an early Christmas present by 3pm that afternoon EVERYTHING was cancelled, and not just for the night, but for the WHOLE weekend. Day 17 Of course our weekend wasn't actually full of lazing on the couch with a book, watching Hallmark movies as I'd dreamed it would be.  But we did get a lot accomplished with our free time. Journaling reads: The boys were up early (like before 7am) shoveling snow.  We didn't get the 9" they thought, but there was still plenty to shovel.  We used our free day as a catch up day.  I finished Christmas shopping while Luke an the kids got groceries.  Tonight, it's up late to finish wrapping the kids' gifts. Day 18 Sunday was FREEZING.  The kids had practice for our church program at 8:30, at which time I was reminded of a birthday party Cora had been invited to later that day. ...

For the 15th I chose to include the story of how Beau and I went to the Advent Penance service at church.  When we got home Luke and the girls were watching a Christmas special on TV.  We love Christmas specials, and they're always so much better when you catch them on TV.  It's just not the same when you pop in a DVD ( why is that? ).  Anyway...we used to watch Christmas specials every evening all through the month of December.  Every night after supper it would be " what's on ABC Family's Christmas countdown tonight? ".  Now that the kids are older we are often gone in the evenings, and even if we're home there's often homework and school prep to be done.  So when there's a night where we are all home and can catch one of those specials it's extra treasured.

The 14th was my birthday.  It was a busy ordinary day.  It always seems to be this time in the month that I have to start being more intentional about looking for stories to tell, and remembering to take pictures.  On days when we're just hanging out or days when we're doing special holiday things like baking or wrapping presents, it's easy.  It's the days when we're busy with just ordinary things that I tend to struggle.  Today was work as usual with all the kids a tad on the grumpy side, but really, can you blame them?  It's been arctic like temps here and we haven't been able to get outside for a week.  After the kids left it was a quick sloppy joe supper before the kids and I headed out to Religion.  I'm teaching Beau's third grade class this year.  When we finally got home for the night it was fleece jammies, a glass of red wine, and early to bed to try to work on catching up to Beau in Harry Potter.  Since I didn't have many pictur...

The kids are out of school early today and I have a ton of things to catch up on, so today's page was just a super quick, get it in the album, type page.  Our evening was Luke getting his Christmas present early because it's hard to fit a 60" TV under the tree.

Just a quick post today so I can get caught up posting my December Daily pages.  December is flying by, I can't believe there is only one more weekend before Christmas!  We had a busy week last week, and I think we all kind of hit a wall.  The kids requested on more than one occasion to "just stay home" and the girls are both fighting the sniffles.  I even had a nightmare (yes, nightmare !) that Christmas was over and it all but passed my by.  I was so relieved when, after a few minutes of waking I realized we still had a couple weeks left to enjoy the season.  Here's the days I've been working on: Day 7: I knew I wanted to include an "around here" post at some point in this album since it is our first Christmas in our new home.  I liked seeing the same familiar decorations in a new setting.  I didn't have many other photos or stories from the 7th, so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity. Journaling: Around here we're pulling out...

The story for the 6th was how we rang bells for the Salvation Army.  We were scheduled to ring from 6-7, and nothing was going right all afternoon long.  I knew we had a busy week ahead, so I prepped meals last weekend. Since my daycare kids don't leave until 5:30, giving us less than 30 minutes to get back out the door, I planned on pulling one of those meals out tonight.  All I had to do was throw meatballs in the oven for the kids to grab a quick bite before we left, totally doable.  Ha!  Famous last words.  Well, take a late pickup, followed by an early pick up, in addition to wild school agers who were making messes faster than I could clean them up, and it was just not going well. Sidebar.... can we just take a minute to appreciate the incredible ability 6 and 9 year olds have to cause a flurry of chaos upon arriving home from school.  I mean really.... papers and boots and snow pants and snack dishes and " lets play a game ", " lets do a craft...

I loved Ali's idea of using the "5 things" card today.  Yesterday didn't really have one big story to tell.  There just seemed to be a bunch of little things going on that are depictive of life in December for us.  A daily overview with 5 quick things we're doing right now worked perfectly.  I also liked that it was 5 things on the 5th. Five Things 1.  We're sorting box tops for the kids' Santa Shop fundraiser this week 2.  We're compiling a baking list for the weekend. 3.  We're getting lots of deliveries...all after 5pm. 4.  We're working on a Christmas jigsaw puzzle. 5.  We're listening to Cora read Christmas stories to her sister.

Ok here we go with December Daily days 2-4. I always seem to fall behind on the weekends. Day 2 For the 2nd I focused on the story of how the kids play league soccer in December with some friends.  Beau and his friend Colton played last year, and this year Cora and her friend Rory joined them.  We always follow up soccer by grabbing drinks and a bite to eat before heading home.  This week the kids wanted to have a sleepover and we agreed.  Our elf Jingle wanted in on the fun and they woke up to find him hanging out with Colton and Rory's elf Chippy.  He didn't stay long though, by the time the kids got home Jingle was sitting in Sylvie's tree (before she even knew he was gone!). Here's a look at my day 2 page. Journaling reads: "We're keeping up the December tradition of Friday night soccer followed by dinner and drinks with the Swansons.  Tonight we agreed to let Beau and Cora sleep over at their house afterward.  It turns out Jingle stopped...

Good morning! I woke up this morning and literally gasped as I stepped out of bed.  Right above my nightstand is a window and I looked out to a world covered with freshly fallen, undisturbed SNOW!  A smile lit up my face as I paused at every window on my groggy stumble downstairs for coffee.  I just wanted to take in this first snow in our new home.  It's so much more magical in the early morning, still dark hours, with not a footprint to be seen.  I was actually tempted to wake up the kids so they could share in this magic, but, as it was 5:15am I decided the magic could wait.  The magic for them will be donning their snow pants, boots, and coats to try out those new sleds anyway.  As my coffee brewed I stared out the window and thanked the Lord for this beautiful Sunday blessing.  This post isn't the typical December Daily post (that will come later ;) but instead an observation.  This time of year I have noticed 2 extremes. ...

Here we go with December Daily Day 1.  I'm using Ali Edward's main kit again this year.  I've loved having a kit the past few years, and I pretty much stick to the supplies in the kit (and leftovers from previous years).  Today's story is typical of the way we welcome December each year, with the kid's Advent calendars and greeting our elf, Jingle. Day 1: Journaling reads: I had the kids' Advent calenders all ready for them under the tree this morning.  Before I was even out of the shower there was a knock at the bathroom door.  It was Cora, "Mom, Jingle's back!".  Our elf has returned for the season!  I came out to find Beau downstairs, excited, and already in his Santa hat.  My heart is full seeing his Christmas spirit.  As we met downstairs for breakfast he also had his spy video walkie talkies in hand.  Thus is his story this year.  So much spirit, but laced with suspicion and doubt.

Happy December everyone!  Welcome to the BEST month of the year (insert squeals and shaky hands here)!  And with December comes, you guessed it....December Daily!  I'm so excited to get started on this project again this year.  I really liked posting to the blog each day last year.  It kept me accountable and helped keep me from getting too far behind.  I'm going to try to keep up with it again this year, even if I don't share my pages, as a place to get my daily stories down.  I started today with my "reason why" page.  My reason why for this project always boils down to keeping me present.  Looking for those magical little moments that make this season so great, and being present for them.  It's so easy to get swept away in the to-do lists, shopping trips, and hustle & bustle this time of year.  This project centers me and brings me back to the things that matter most.  It keeps me intentional about being present and taki...