Today felt like Christmas

1. I had two daughters ride in to church with me for early morning meetings.  Made the start to my day brighter, and the ride more lively.
2. There was oil in my lamp.  I was prepared and the meeting was SHORT and productive.
3. I got to sit with my family in Sacrament Meeting and enjoy the all-music program which focused on Christ.
4. We were in the car and driving out of the parking lot less than 10 minutes after church was over.
5. I met my piano students at a local nursing home and we held our Christmas piano recital and holiday sing-a-long with the residents there.  I think we'll make it an annual tradition.  The Spirit of Christmas was so thick we all felt wrapped up in it.
6. I received my first bottle of wine as a gift from one of my students.  It was very elegant and lovely.  How thoughtful!  And the kids were horrified to imagine me drinking it.  And we laughed.
7. We had company for dinner.  And they were fun!  (AND they're relatives!)
8. The main ingredient at dinner was Bourbon Chicken.  Again with the liquor.  And laughing!
9. We celebrated Leeli's 10th birthday and laughed at the irony of me asking her to make her "bite" of the cake ladylike so that there would be enough cake for everyone.  There's just nothing ladylike about taking a bite out of the side of your birthday cake; The daughter, the daughter! Tradition!
10. Had Family Home Evening and finished reading the Book of John together as a family!  I won't include the part about how long it actually took us, but it was rewarding.
11. Everyone (except me) put themselves to bed by 8:00pm.
12. And now I'm sitting in front of a cozy fire in short sleeves enjoying the peaceful solitude that comes only when the other six people living here are fast asleep.

If those were my 12 Days of Christmas, I'd be completely filled and ready to ring in the New Year!
Happy Sabbath to you, and may the next six days find you enjoying some down time and wrapped up in the real Spirit of Christmas.