Can you believe that Christmas was already nearly a week ago? They say time flies, but to me, it just flashes by. Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? It's my sincere hope that you did. I know that as we get older, our lists tend to become a bit more selfless, don't they? My Christmas wish is always to have the people I love around me, and to be able to give them things that make them smile and bring them joy. 

For the past two years, my son has begged for a Nintendo Switch. While Sacha and I thought it would make an excellent Christmas present, we couldn't wrap our heads around spending $300.00 on a video game console for our son. The Switch topped B's Christmas list again this year, so with a pull of our resources and a lot of hard work, we were able to give him the gift he truly wanted. 

While B was completely excited to open that game console on Christmas morning and has enjoyed playing with it ever since, no other gift as compared to the books he received from family members. He fell is love with the Zack Zombie books we featured on MBP several weeks ago, and couldn't wait to get his hands on more of the books in the series. He loves them so much that he can't put them down. He received at least five more books, maybe even more than that, and in just one day, has read three more of the books in the series. While he could have been listening to music, playing a video game or with a new toy, he chose reading instead... early in the morning, at Chick-fil-A during lunch, in the car, and until his eyelids became to heavy to keep open at bedtime.

New rainboots protected little feet from the mud at the playground and allowed us to take the kiddos on a little nature hike at the park with extended family. We could have been home, playing with dolls, but chose to get out into nature and to be active as a family. Yes, the boots were a gift to Beanie, and she has hardly taken them off since she opened them on Christmas Day.

A Nerf football provided hours of fun at the park for B, and Bean has loved creating art by using her new desktop easel. No screen required. While my kids have plenty of shows and movies to watch or games to play, or Fornite dance moves to copy from the screen and work to perfect, our Christmas break has been more about enjoying the gifts that really speak to our personalities- our interests, and help us hone in on particular skills. 

Bean sees her brother reading and wants to read, too. She's recognizing letters, and we're trying to get her started with early reading, just like we did with her brother. The best part of my day yesterday was seeing B reading to his little sister... and later on, they did cuddle up together to watch Star Wars, but I could hardly blame them for wanting to!

Just seeing my kids doing the things they love most warms my heart. To know that our family members and friends love them enough to give them special gifts that they will truly love and enjoy is so very special to me- and to them. I got everything I wanted for Christmas and so much more... and guess what? There's even more to come!

 I can't wait to share more with you!

In the meantime, what did you get for Christmas? 

I would love to hear about your most-loved gifts and why they mean so much to you. Please feel free to drop me a comment so we can continue the conversation.