cozy

I'm not great with the blog posting. I've been meaning to for weeks and you know...
We've been having a lovely holiday season. I think seeing these seasons through my children's eyes helps me through the winter. Nadia actually looks forward to winter. I can't agree I'm much more of summer outside person. She says she always feels so cozy during the winter season. She says it's all the things I do around the house that makes it feel that way and just slowing down.

So you ask how do we try to do to keep it cozy? Well I start the day lighting candles it seems to help when your coming down to darkness and cold in the morning. We feed the birds and hear their songs. Most days we have a hot breakfast. Nadia says one of her favorite things about winters is my bringing her a hot breakfast or hot choc in bed.

We make lots of crafts around the holidays which adds to the smells which feel cozy. Nadia says just the smell of beeswax makes her happy and reminds her of winter seasons past. Can you tell she's sentimental like me? We switch from year to year what we do. I try to make some of our gifts at Christmas homemade though not nearly as much as I did when Ike and Nadia were little. Poor Francesca hasn't even had one doll or dress made for her (oh the guilt). We always make candles and gingerbread houses.

I try to cook one big meal most days. Lately because of the teens and Chris's schedule I usually plan our big meal for lunch. We make lots of bread and home baked goods. There is a reason I gain weight every winter.

I wish I could say I made evening super cozy but I don't I'm usually petering out by then.... Usually we are reading or watching something and then a simple bedtime prayers routine then bed. We do try to have cookies coming out of the oven most nights when Chris comes home. We make lots of batter and only cook in small fresh batches (this has helped a lot because in the olden days when I tried to fill the cookie jar they just ate them all stat) through the week. I try to make sure the Christmas lights,candles and tree is lit so he feels cozy when he gets home usually 8 or 9pm. I warm up our room with candles and turn on the electric blanket to warm up the covers before we get in, all things to feel cozy.

I try to have green things growing, forcing bulbs is one of my favorite winter things. It lets me feel a bit of the outside inside. I love how they smell of spring and give me a bit of hope. We try to and try is the optimal word here I hate the cold. We try to get outside as much as possible seems to help a lot. I really should make it outside every day but I can't always find the willpower.

So there you have my survival guide for the sun loving outside person during winter. And honestly if you are thinking I'm trying to be a bit Martha Stewartish here don't even... you haven't seen my clutter I'm no Martha. Anyone who knows me knows this :) The older I'm getting the more I see that killing myself to clean isn't what I want my kids to remember. I'm not great at being organized so what... big deal :)