to celebrate, to spend a lot of time with family & friends, to laugh, to give, to reflect and be thankful. This year we've done a lot of all of those things. The kids have been so giving this year, understanding that although it's fun to get gifts it's also fun to give gifts. So they've been on a giving spree - making cookies and giving them to others, making cards and giving them to friends & neighbors. I'm eating up their enthusiasm! This year we didn't do the Polar Express, we didn't do the North Pole Experience, instead we spent time together talking about Christmas, talking about our wishes, and doing a lot of crafts. Brielle has made so many snowflakes I can't even count them (some of which have gone to neighbors & family). Tyler has been writing stories, making books. He's encouraged Brielle to write stories as well so most mornings they are up early at the kitchen table, coloring, drawing and writing fun and sometimes crazy action packed stories. And since it's been unseasonably warm here we check the forecast daily hoping for a cold, wet day so we can light the fire place and sip on hot cocoa with marshmallows (our favorite!) :) I think it's finally starting to get cooler - yay!! So many things to be thankful for this Christmas - my amazing clients (I really do have the best clients out there and I'm so thankful for them!), my families health, my loving husband and my two silly kids, and my friends (who I've neglected a bit during busy season - thankfully I think they forgive me) :). Here's a little sprinkle of the things that make it feel like Christmas for me in Arizona. :) Merry Christmas to you!

Brielle's Room - the kids wanted a tree for their room so we got these little trees for them to decorate. They don't want to take them down after Christmas...but they'll see them again next year :)