Money not magic

It snowed over three inches over the weekend. The weather has been so cold (and will stay that way for the rest of the week), that the snow isn't going anywhere.

So driving to work this morning, with the sun shining and the snow everywhere, it really was a winter wonderland. With Christmas being so close, it rouses that truly magic feeling of Christmas, and I started thinking about all the things that we do as a family, or will get to start doing as a family when that magic of Christmas and the holidays is in the air.

You see, it's not really about the money spent, but the memories you create. I keep thinking about it's almost certain that Ava & I (and our other beautiful children who are not quite thought of just yet) will most certainly spend a holiday without Steve as he is almost certainly destined for his recall to active duty. And as I mused while drinking my hot chocolate and eating my sticky bun, I thought about the things we could do that don't necessarily cost money, but help that magic feeling of the holidays linger and create something truly special. Even if my husband/their father couldn't be physically with us to share in that special time.

Things like christmas music, holiday movies, neighborhood road trips to check out the lighting of peoples houses, giving to a cause greater than us, making decorations, taking photos, making hot chocolate on a cold night while creating something to send to Dad...All makes me think that the magic of christmas isn't in the money we spend, but the memories we take the time and effort to create..

I'll try and get some pictures of the neighborhood up, because everything looks so clean, white and beautiful. Merry Christmas all.