Christmas this year was one wild ride! With all the prep, late-night gift wrapping while the kids were sound asleep, and the constant worry of keeping the magic alive, it felt like I was in a holiday tornado!

We celebrated our Christmas Eve Eve party (Friends television show inspired) with our friends Fiona and Kristen. It’s always a blast with Christmas pyjamas, gifts and Chinese food!

On Christmas Eve we joined our friends, the Snells for a sweet dinner at their house. This is our second year at their home and they’ve become our chosen family here in the beautiful Kootenays. The kids love ending the evening off with a swim in their hot tub! 

When we got home, we had a little wind down. After getting tucked into their beds, I read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ under a dim light. It wasn’t fancy at all. It was just me in the corner of their bedroom reading off of my phone while their eyes became heavy. They loved it- and so did I. New holiday tradition unlocked!

Christmas morning everyone woke up at decent times and waited patiently for us all to get downstairs and open the stockings Santa left us. Nick and I opted out of gift exchanging, but indulged in stockings instead! 

The kids tore into their Christmas sacs filled with wrapped gifts from Mom and Dad. While they were busy playing, we whipped up breakfast. I went for the classic pancake mix but topped it with a homemade brown sugar syrup that was to die for—seriously, SO good!

By 3 PM, the infamous “Christmas Crash” hit. It happens every year, so we decided to shake things up and head up the road to White Water for some sledding fun. Out of the four kids, two were totally into it, while the other two were a bit more “meh.” It’s definitely tough to please everyone in a big family! Still, we all shared some big laughs and made adorable memories together. The views were gorgeous, and the fresh mountain air felt amazing!

The following day, I noticed my anxiety beginning to escalate. Lately, I’ve been feeling increasingly overstimulated and easily irritated. In an effort to regain my sense of calm, Nick and I took down all the decorations, including the Christmas trees. Earlier in the day, I tackled a DEEP clean of our home. Every bathroom and bedroom was scrubbed and organized, with bedding washed, dried, folded, and neatly put away. I even organized the playroom in the basement, sorting the new toys and stowing away some of the old ones in storage.

As I worked, I could feel the weight lifting off my shoulders. The transformation of our space instantly made me feel rejuvenated! With each tidied room, my mind felt less cluttered, and I found myself walking lighter and feeling happier. It’s amazing how much our environment can influence our mood!

I’m in this funny in-between space right now! Christmas has wrapped up, but there’s still so much holiday cheer to soak in. I’ve got “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” playing on repeat in my head, and let me tell you, the line about “mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again” hits way too close to home! 😂 I’m really enjoying all these sweet moments with my kids, but I’m definitely craving some good old routine and our usual rhythms. Balancing the holiday fun with a sprinkle of normalcy sounds just perfect!