I just don't know.

It's January 6th.  We are six days in to the new year and I have to be honest...  I can't believe that Christmas is over.  I'm not alone in this feeling that Christmas just wasn't Christmas.  Several people have commented to me about this lack of Christmas-ness and now that Christmas (which never really felt like Christmas) is over...it's just weird.

For me - it was a positive thing.  You see, I typically am the girl who is rushing around from Thanksgiving until Christmas.  Rushing to finish my Christmas cards.  Rushing to finish my Christmas shopping.  Rushing to finish knitting and sewing projects.  Rushing - rushing - RUSHING!!!! 

Now, before I go on, I want you to know that I have not mastered the art of enjoying Christmas.  Infact, the moment I go and boast as to having mastered a stress-free Christmas, well, next year I could slip back in to my "old" ways...

My first step in this over-loaded Christmas feeling was the detox from the rushing.

1. I said, "No" to think that weren't my best yes.  {Thank you, Lysa TerKeurst, for your lovely book:  The Best Yes!  It really did help me analyze and pray over each decision.}

2. I spent each day reading Ann VosKamp's Advent read:  The Greatest Gift, which kept me mindful of Christ.  I loved this book because it wasn't Christmas wrapped up in Luke 2.  She had me studying and considering Abraham sacrificing Isaac and other Old Testament stories that ultimately point to the Messiah...which we (I - I - I!) tend to forget the pointing to Jesus.

3. We had a weird / random coldsnap in November and then it "warmed-up" -- I'm totally using that term loosely as it wasn't warm-up as in call-the-girls-for-pedicures warm-up.  It was just more mild.  Yes, more mild is applicable and more appropriate than a warm-up.

4. I set a knitting goal.  All orders had to be completed by December 18th.  This deadline removed all pressure a week before Christmas.  What a beautiful gift.

Bryan was able to have 12 days off from his job so he headed out here on December 23rd and stayed through January 4th.  Twelve whole days with my delightfully, charming brother.  We did several things and then some days we did very little.  We played Boggle until we ran out of paper.  We rode the train in to Chicago and went up in the John Hancock building where we viewed the Windy City from the 94th floor.  It was - by far - one of the coolest things we've ever done in the City.  We watched several Christmas movies and some not-so-Christmas movies...such as the new Ninja Turtles movie and the first Transformers movie.  We spent Christmas day with Pastor and Roxanne and Nathan and his family.  Bryan had coffee with Trudy's Bryan while I was at work.  We gallivanted about the city and drank a ridiculous amount of coffee.

I love that we could spend the holiday together.

We managed to enjoy a quiet New Year's Eve and dozed off at 10:30 and slept through the New York City ball drop.  We woke-up 6 minutes after the fact and then called it a night.  What party animals we are so not.  :)

And now, here it is January 6th.

It's blinding cold.  We are going to get done to minus-something-degrees tonight with a windchill that will make it feel like minus 35-ish.  Brrrrr...just typing it is making me cold.  Thankfully I have snuggly warm flannel sheets, flannel jammies, and coffee-set-to-brew at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

Stay warm, friends!!!

Wrapping...

What started out as a means of encouragement has turned into a holiday tradition.

Every December, Sara and I coordinate and plan an evening of coffee drinking and gift wrapping.  Sometimes there are even snacks.  

Out favorite little coffeeshop has ceased having late Thursday night hours so this year we moved our wrapping shenanigans to the Freeport Public Library.

The library's study room was perfect...aside from no Christmas tunes (which we will be using Pandora next year), the evening was wonderful.

Quote from The Greatest Gift by Ann VosKamp

In her December 14th devotional titled Light to Warm Us, Ann quotes Larry Libby as saying, 

"Late on a sleepy, star-spangled night, those angels peeled back the sky just like you would tear open a sparkling Christmas present.  Then, with light and joy pouring out of Heaven like water through a broken dam, they began to shout and sing the message that baby Jesus had been born.  The world had a Savior!  The angels called it 'Good News,' and it was."  ~ page 141

Christmas Sewing and Knitting...

My Thursdays – as of late – have been full of Meg’s Daily Grind and knitting with the girls.  I’ve gotten quite a bit done in those evenings.  I like it that the time is set-aside.  It’s marked on my calendar and I don’t schedule things on Thursday nights.  We are going to continue this in to 2015…and change up our “theme” – instead of a Christmas focus, we are going to knit items to donate…which makes my little heart go pitter-patter…so many cute baby hats for the area crisis pregnancy center.  Lions and tigers and bears – oh my!

Speaking of baby hats…I already have my first skein for a newborn bear hat.  It’s a soft brown – almost a tan.  It’s thick and should be a quick knit. 

The beauty of knitting for the pregnancy center is the hours that I knit can be spent praying for the recipient...which best explains why I love to knit for others. 

I do need to set aside the needles, however, and work on my brother’s Christmas present.  If you promise to keep a secret, I will let you know – it’s a fleece blanket.  The fabric is totally going to get me the award Sister of the Year and since I am not converting to Catholicism…I’m going all out with this gift.  Infact, when I searched the JoAnn’s database, I only found this fabric at their Janesville facility.  Within an 80 mile radius, only Janesville had the material in stock.  One Wednesday night inbetween clocking out of work and Bible study, I ran up to Janesville and purchased the beloved fabric.  The clerk, bless her heart, even let me use an extra coupon…thus saving me quite a chunk of change.

December 8th - Chicago Shenanigans

On Monday, December 8^th, I spent a day in the Windy City with my dear friend, Roxanne.  We managed to visit Macy’s and several fabulously decorated buildings.  Our stop at ChristKindl Market was delightful and charming…and interrupted with a mistletoe toter who was hoping for some lip action from yours truly.  A) Where have his lips been?  B) I’m not that kinda girl to go kissing just anybody.  I mean, HELLOOOO!  I probably would’ve opted for a cheeky smooch had he not been invading my personal space at a rate of 10 steps per minute – oh, and saying, “Well, this is awkward…”  Imagine my nervous laughter and quick back-steps.  Such a fun day with delightful memories…  We found a Gloria Jean’s Coffeeshop.  Madison and State – or atleast near there.  I introduced Roxanne to their Sleigh Ride beverage.  Changed her life…or at the very least – MADE HER DAY!!!  I had a large hot chocolate.  It was worth every penny.  Yummy chocolate-ness in a cup on a drizzily, dark, overcast day.

Christmas Cantata

Sunday, December 14^th was our Christmas cantata, The Lost Star.  The storyline was Caspar, one of the three wisemen (played by Dwayne), was returning 40 years after he found the Christ child.  He was returning to Bethlehem to bring him riches.  His servant girl (played by Katrina) shared with him how Jesus had been crucified and rose again the third day. 

The night before the cantata was the first time the choir heard the drama portion.  It wasn’t until Sunday morning as I sat in the choir loft and looked around to a sea of faces…some familiar and some not-so-familiar that the impact of the cantata hit me.  Caspar in all his Persian wealth could not purchase his way to Heaven.  He defended his “religious-ness” to the servant girl until his eyes were open and he saw…he TRULY SAW for the first time that God’s love came down in that manger when Jesus was born.  It was at this time that I thought back to my 9-year old self and how I recognized that I was a sinner and that God was presenting to me a free gift, I only had to accept it and ask Jesus to wash away my sins.

The Greatest Gift by Ann VosKamp

December 1^st I began an Advent read called The Greatest Gift by Ann VosKamp.  Day 1 made me a bit nervous…and I’m not meaning a BAD nervous…just a I-wonder-if-I-am-truly-going-to-enjoy-this nervous.  Now that it’s the 16^th, I can safely say that I am enjoying this Advent read.  Her reminders are to see Christ around you and not get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the DOING of the season. 

It's gnome-ish!!!

Made this for Jackson Gear

Flannel infinity scarves

Sunday afternoon Celia "helped" me work on Christmas presents.

Step #5

Friends + snacks + stamps + cardstock + stamp pads = 5 hours of fun

Step #4

Pumpkin muffins!!!!!!

Step #3

Splurge on new coffee and creamer

Step #2

Procure the supplies...

Step #1

Cut 75 sheets of 8.5 x 11 cardstock in half.  Fold in half and place in a basket...sorting them into groups of tens.