I honestly can not believe that Christmas is going to be here next week! Time is flying and I am still waiting for it to slow down. I guess it is never slow when you have a three year old at home with you. Myla and I are together all day long, unless I am shooting. She asks every time I go on a shoot if she can come and help. My response is one day when you are older you can come with me. I truly hope this happens. That was a little side note.
There is a internal struggle I wrestle with on a fairly regular basis. It’s no secret, I am a doer. I love a schedule and have a list in hand for each day. And I love spending time with my daughter. I know that these moments I have with her will be short looking back. Myla is growing so fast. Some days, I want to pretend that there is more time in a day and there is nothing on my to do list except to have a tea party with her. All day long! I also know that it is good for her to know that her mom is busy managing a home, cooking meals and cleaning, and running a business. She does help and work along side of me where she can whether it is a dust cloth in hand or peeling carrots, she helps. Last night she helped put the stamps squarely on the corner of our Christmas cards.
For this Christmas season as schedules get busy and the to do list grows, there is shopping to be done, cards to be mailed, and laundry to put away, I wanted to be purposeful and make time each day to enjoy Myla. To get on her level and be with her. Something small, something she liked, and something we could do together. Each morning there is a piece of paper in the advent calendar with the activity for the day. She finds the number and I read it out loud. Some of the activities have included: go to the library, play with play dough, bake cookies, read Christmas books by the Christmas tree and there are a total of 24 simple things we get to do together. What do you like to do to pause time in the day and enjoy this Christmas season?
Last year we remodeled our family room, which included my husband making a new mantel.
This is the second Christmas we are enjoy having this room done and I love it!
My favorite Christmas decoration is my advent calendar from Garnet Hill. It will be hung up each year.
I finally got some new pictures in our frames. This one is a favorite of Myla from our time in Napa Valley this September.
Thanks so much for sharing this, Jamie. I am a doer as well and thrive on getting my “to-do” lists done. However, I am more and more aware these days that my boys are growing up under my feet faster than I can believe as I am running around getting “my stuff” done. I am convicted of how much opportunity I am letting slip away as I pursue things that don’t last. I struggle to know how to balance the responsibilities that face me every day and taking time to invest in these precious lives that will be grown and gone faster than I think. Thanks for sharing this practical idea. Your fireplace is beautiful and I LOVE that advent calendar! That might have to go on my wish list for a future Christmas.
I’m drooling over your fireplace. That’s on our list of “would really like to have” in our next house.
The whole mantel is so pretty.