Ten fabulous days of Christmas this year

Suzi waving excitedly at the Christmas parade...

Because she saw this guy! This Christmas is going to be magical for her.

Growing up and in college, I was spoiled by long, lazy Christmas breaks. Mama was a schoolteacher and Daddy worked at a university, so we had days and days off at Christmas together. I myself had 2-3 weeks off for the holidays, at least. Then I got a job, and learned that when you work retail you don't have this luxury. The past three Christmases I worked at Jennie G's and had to work either Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas. I don't think I ever did work Christmas Eve, but working the day after required rushing back from our out-of-town families to be in the shop by 9:00 am. And I certainly worked the week or two before Christmas and directly after. Jordan would be off work and while he was home playing with Suzi, I'd be stuck in the shop. I know it wasn't that big of a deal. There are people who are forced to work all holidays, even on Christmas Day. We were lucky to have our jobs, but like I said, I was spoiled.

I knew having oodles of time with family at Christmas would be a perk of being a stay-at-home mom, and it definitely is. Jordan is off from the 18th through the 27th--ten days total, including weekends. Ten days to hang out at home with our girls, bake goodies, make crafts, wrap gifts, watch Christmas specials... heaven! We're going to Jordan's parents' house Christmas Day and this year we actually get to spend the night. While we are there, we may even meet up with one of my best friends and her husband who we haven't seen in years.

I spent most of Thursday getting our house Christmas clean. I did dishes, laundry, organized, straightened up, and vacuumed--even under the coffee table. (There was some interesting stuff under there.) I love our little house with all its Christmas decorations and big fluffy recliner and Phibby the couch dog.

I've also finished up my last round of thank-you notes so I can stop feeling bad about that, and yesterday I made truffles with my mom. We've got a few other things to do, but at the top of my list is spending time with my husband and our two girls.

My try-to-get-done-before-Christmas list:

clean the van out so we don't have to ride with a bunch of junk

help Jordan finish up making a couple of gifts

make a couple of ornaments

wrap our last few gifts and put them under the tree

bake apple crisp

make chex mix

bake cookies

watch the Nativity Story movie

watch the Grinch, Frosty, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, and Rudolph

listen to my favorite Christmas music

I am glad to be doing these things. I am glad to have time to do these things. God has blessed our decision for me to stay home in so many ways.