Christmas time

I haven't blogged in soooooo long, but Jeb is doing so much more than he used to, it is amazing to just take it all in and play with him instead of observing while he does things independently. I don't want to pull myself away to tap tap about what he is up to. I'm so thoroughly enjoying him at 16 (almost 17) months.

So, Christmas is just around the corner, and this time last year, I was just about to  be admitted to the hospital, although I didn't know it yet. Having pancreatitis and having my gall bladder removed certainly made for an interesting Christmas, although it was far from what I'd dreamed Jeb's first Christmas would be like. This year, we've been able to do more already. We've put up two small, toddler proof trees, one that I hope to relocate to the guest bedroom eventually. We are opening an advent calendar every day, and using the hub's old felt one his godmother made for him as well (its more secular). Jeb and I have Christmas music dance parties most days in the living room, and he has even "helped" me bake a batch of spritz cookies or two. This year, I put up some white lights on the light post, and although I had planned to hang greens that we trimmed of the pines in the back yard on the front of the house, that hasn't happened yet. I can't get free time and a nice day coupled together. I love this time of year so much, the beauty, the joy, the tradition, the family and friends. The miracle of a baby sent to save the world. It is all so amazing!

We are so looking forward to our trip back east this year. We live three hundred miles from the majority of our friends and family, so as soon as church is over on Christmas day, we will hop in the car and begin the journey to eastern PA for a blissful two week excursion. It is a little chaotic, we live out of bags, carefully plan who's family gatherings are what days and try to pack in as much visiting as possible over such a short amount of time it kind of makes your head spin just thinking about it. We will have Adams Family Christmas, Reimer Family Christmas, Coates Family Christmas, a New Year's Eve party with our camp friends (and a Nana to babysit Jeb so mom and dad can have adult time this year!!!) and other visits to various friends and re-visits to family along the way. It will be fantastic, although, I do wish we were closer to home, and could start establishing traditions that didn't involve traveling three hundred miles on Christmas day and then living out of suitcases for two subsequent weeks.  That day will come, for now we just have to take what we've got.

The spirit of the season has infected me and today, I'm hoping we'll get a bunch of the shopping checked off. I'd like to bake about a hundred cut out cookies like my dad and his mom before him used to make. I might get a batch of thumb prints done in there too. DIY Christmas gifts for adult Reimers also need to be baked, mixed and frozen for cross-state transit. Most people would look at this list and grumble, I feel blessed that I'm able to find the time this year to tackle it, and give of myself.

Peace, joy and love to you this season!