Christmas Preparations 

“This year will be different…”.

  
I think I start out each year like that around this time of holiday preparation.  Whether it is to only get the kids ‘one gift’or to not overbook weekend plans, I usually still fall into similar patterns.  However, the day after Thansgiving this year Jesse and I changed at least one habit to set the tone of the season in the Wheeler house!  It might be small, but it’s a step!  (You’re on the edge of your computer chair, right? 😉).

  
Ok, so we put up Christmas lights, got our tree, and decorated it!  The day after Thansgiving!  Not impressed?  Many families do this?  Ok, well we haven’t before, so I’m counting it as our first Christmas miracle this year (more to follow).   

 And last year Selah asked us every weekend why all the neighbors had lights and we didn’t until we were basically forced to put them up one week prior to the holiday.  We also may have only had our tree up and decorated for two-ish weeks, total.  And with the price of trees lately, let me tell you, that might be as much motivation as a 5 and 2 year old bugging you.  Close, at least.  

  So, off to the tree farm we went!  It was a fun family day.  Dad put up lights on the house, Mom fashioned a drought-tolerant ‘tree’ of lights to add to our invisible landscaping (it’s as impressive as it looks in the pictures – try not to be jealous of our newfound expert lighting skills), we picked out our tree in record time, and the kids had a ball decorating it and setting up the mini-nativity.   

 We may have lost baby Jesus between the couch cushions a few times, but I think so far he’s been successful in pulling off the miracle of not completely vanishing to the unknown location that likely our missing socks, small game pieces, and single Legos must reside.
   I think the process and the outcome were exceptional, if I do say so myself!  We felt accomplished at least!  😉
   My favorite part was preparing together for the season, spending uninterrupted time with the kids, and seeing their excited faces filled with joy with each new step.  What fun ages these are for Christmas!
   
   Jesse and I also had a laugh-cry moment putting up lights, which is always fun.  I had grand visions of my “light-tree” in the front yard to make up for our lack landscaping, and I’ll just say, during the day it is less-than-impressive (some people…those with more shame than we possess…might call this type of thing ’embarrassing’ actually. Ha!).  

At night, it’s better.  Not as amazing as it is in my vision, but not as laugh-worthy as it is during the day.   
 If nothing else, Asher asks to run through it every evening, so we’ll chalk up the “light-fort” as a 2015 success that has brought great joy despite its humble existence 😉.

   We’re hoping that the beginning of our Christmas season will start all sorts of new healthy ‘firsts’ for us this year.  Here’s to looking for more Christmas miracles in our beautiful everyday.  ❤️