Holiday stress

Today I woke up and suddenly remembered something: if I am putting off doing something, it's not because I don't have time. It's because I'm scared; so I decided that it was time to start blogging!

I notice my priorities are shifting. I want my family to have a beautiful holiday season. I want them to have me, standing in my authority, relaxed, having fun. I don't want my evil twin -- "Stressed Out Crazed Mom" -- to show up. Therefore, I have taken a proactive stand against holiday stress.

Instead of sending holiday cards today, I spent a half hour with my calendar and blocked out loads of time for all of the events happening in the next ten days. I blocked out "tea time" so I can chat with my girls every afternoon. I added an hour cushion on both sides of every commitment I have so I can be relaxed getting there and about going home. I blocked out "dressing up" time before each party so we can all look our best without my yelling at everyone to get to that point! I even added laundry time to make sure those "ready to wear" duds are actually ready to wear!

I have declared my shopping "finished." I planned the simplest menu EVER for Christmas Eve, and every time I start feeling guilty about it, I am going to write down three reasons why it makes sense to UNcomplicate my life -- or three reasons I want to focus on the family and not the food!

So what am I going to do with all this free time? Here are my holiday resolutions:

I am going to sit in the "company" room and just take in the lovely decorations I've put up.
I am going to actually read every holiday card I receive.
I am going to laugh more, dance more, make more hot cocoa, and listen more.
I am going to LIVE IT UP and cherish this beautiful life I've been blessed with.

I hope you will do the same. My holiday wish is that you will be richly blessed with the love of friends and family and that you will soak it up!