Day 341.

Family. Is there anything more refreshing and easy as being around my family? I cannot wait for our family Christmas get-together coming up in 2 weeks - and so today, having my parents come up for a day of Christmas shopping, was a great foretaste of fun.

I am grateful for family time at Christmas.

I guess I'm counting Christmas-time as now, because it just felt festive and fun and we were Christmas shopping afterall. It was so great to have a day where my parents and I took the kids shopping and I didn't have to brave a mall or any store alone! It was three adults to two kids, and believe me, we felt outnumbered! But the kids really did great, considering we were at the mall for SIX hours. Seriously? How did that even happen? All I know is that I'm exhausted, and while it's a good kind of exhausted, I was definitely hitting the couch with a glass of wine minutes after we walked inside. Ahhh....

Yesterday during Sunday School, Janie prompted us to think about how we in the class were able to find peace in Advent, amongst a busy holiday season. My answer came to me quite easily. For me, I'm just trying to do less. Less parties. Less playdates Less on my to-do list and more family time. I find if I do less, I feel more. I feel like I have more energy for the important things like loving and playing with my children. More time for making playdough and snickerdoodle cookies. And more time for Christmas cards (which I don't find stressful and actually find fun to address, stamp and get off in the mail). So, cheers to less! Less is more during the holidays for me this year, and may less busyness mean more time to recognize my many blessings.