A quiet December.

It's been a pretty quiet December for us this year.

I'm actually kinda proud to say that we have nothing left on our schedule, but to celebrate actual Christmas with our families. 

It seems like the past few Decembers we have been rushing from one event to the next....heck, I think that could easily describe our past few years.

Last Spring, I decided that I was tired of it.

We've cut back a lot on our social schedule you could say.  I finally had that realization that we do not have to attend every party or dinner we're invited to.  We don't have to make every field trip or play date with friends. It's okay to say "no thank you" or that we're already busy....even if that "busy" is just us staying home as a family. 

Can I be honest with you? 

Doing that has been one of the best things we've done for our little family.

I've seen a change in us over the last six months.

We're happier.
We're less stressed.
We're spending less money.
We're finding things around the house to keep us entertained.
We're closer as a family and a couple.

It seemed like for awhile, we weren't happy unless we were going going going. I find it funny that these days, it seems like we're not happy unless we're home.

I know your thinking "duh" but lets be honest, its way too easy to get caught up in the going going going cycle and before you know it, you haven't stopped in months...or even years.

When the holiday season rolled around, I made sure to keep our schedule as clear as we could.  I'll admit that our November was pretty crazy, but the weekend of Thanksgiving was the cut off. 

I had a few things that I wanted to do for tradition sake. We went to see lights as a family and we had a Nana/Olivia/Mommy date to see Rudolph at the Center for Puppetry Arts.  Otherwise, our December has been filled with walks around the neighborhood to see lights, working on Christmas crafts and our advent tree, or cuddling up on the couch to watch Frosty & The Berestain Bears Christmas for the umpteenth time.  

Watching her get excited over the same lights night after night, has been a reminder that I do not need to be rushing her from this event to the next, in order for her to truly enjoy Christmas or to make the memories. 

Once again, life has sent a gentle reminder that it's the little things.

To be honest, I'm excited to keep this "less is more" thing going through the upcoming new year.  In just a few months, it's worked wonders for our little family. I'm excited to see what a whole year could do.