and the season decends...

I never cease to be amazed at the power of simplicity. The art of living simply but Intentionally. This last weekend/beginning of the week has been hard. As in kids had fevers, flu, now hacking wet shake in your boots coughs. And Jer and I had little sleep, not just because of the kids being sick but also because when Remembrance Day hits we HAVE to stay up and watch Band of Brothers. Over the course of the weekend but from start to finish. So we did. And then we paid for it. I seem to be straying, back to simple living. We were running around in frenzied craziness with sick kids, and trying to fit in every last thing we HAD to do. Then last night I said NO. First to Cole's soccer practice last night, then my choir rehearsal last night (last of two before our concert GASP) then today Cole's pre-school and any idea I may have had to get out of the house. Today we rest. We eat chips, we bake, we play with little people and we decorate our mini christmas trees, we craft with glitter and glue and dollar store horses, we take naps, we listen to christmas music, we watch christmas cartoons, we play some more, we read books, we make smoothies, we dance, we enjoy. Our lives are full. But full in that different wonderful delightful way. By just saying no, i feel such peace and my kids feel it too. And this extra time at home affords us some time to make all those crafts on pinterest we never have time for! It also affords our imagination some fun as we find ways around our "no getting out the christmas boxes of decorations until after Jer's bday" meaning not until December 1st! But that doesn't mean we can't make some new ones! And forage for nature decorations! So we did. In the beautiful sunshine yesterday, my wee brood and I went on a nature walk and collected chestnuts (the last of them) pinecones, and evergreen. We now have a christmas table tray with our antique green oil lamp, some boughs of evergreen that cole stuck in modeling clay, and a candle. It's lovley and smells even more so. We also took out our christmas craft from last year - the snow globes! If there's time we may make some more, but this years craft is creating a winter wonderland on our desk under the tv. We glittered up some plastic horses from the dollar store for it today. So even though we havn't gotten out the boxes christmas has made it's way into our home! Now we just need to get crackin on our gifts. Luckily we only buy (make) for our immediate family members, and our God children. This year thanks to Pinterest - I have all my supplies for my sisters gifts, Jars for moms and dads and grandparents, and I just have to get crackin on my god-kids gifts by finding some small pieces of wood! Oooh i love this time of year, I just have to remind myself what it's all for and to Keep it Simple!!!!