Currently December with a Mentor Text

It's December 1, and I'm actually on the ball and one of the first few to share my currently with Farley (we'll see what number I end up with by the time I'm finished though).

Listening: Steven and Keagan both take Sunday naps, so I call it "mommy time". Steven likes to pick on me about it because I get very grumpy when they don't take their naps. I need my peace and quiet once a week to just do what I want (blog usually) without any interruptions!

Loving: We actually started decorating for Christmas about 2 weeks ago (don't judge), and it has been so much fun to watch Keagan interact with everything. Seeing his eyes light up as we turned on the Christmas tree for the first time, watching him rearrange our village people, giving him his first nativity...it's just so much fun! Tonight he gets to see Santa come through on a fire truck, so I'll be sure to get some pictures. I know this is his third Christmas, but it still feels like the first one. I'm sure I'll say the same thing next year as he is even more aware!

Thinking: With all the excitement of Thanksgiving (and some late night Christmas shopping online), I've been going to bed much later and sleeping in a little late as well. Today the alarm went off at 7:00, and I struggled to pull myself out. Tomorrow's going to be tough...

Wanting: I love chocolate, and Steven has a great, simple recipe for fudge. He doesn't like to make it much, though, because he knows I'll devour the entire thing and then complain when I gain weight. Maybe since I'm at my goal weight, it won't be as big of a deal this year!

Needing: Like I said earlier, my sleep routine is messed up right now. But I was getting bad about not getting up early enough to do my workouts before break. Hopefully I can get back into that routine as well. We'll see if I make it tomorrow at 5 though. Positive thoughts, right? If I do my workout, I can eat more of that yummy fudge!

Favorite Tradition:  I really struggled with this one because I seriously wanted to put everything! I love Christmas - shopping, food, movies, books, time with family, lights...all of it! So I decided to put one that was a little more unique to my family. I grew up in south Mississippi, near New Orleans, and there was a book that the local news would read on Christmas Eve every year called The Cajun Night Before Christmas.

It's so much fun - Santa is pulled on a skiff by a team of alligators with awesome French-inspired names. My dad bought the book and began to read it to the family once we moved to GA. Then I try and share it with my kids for a great comparison lesson now that I'm teaching. I also have The Irish Night Before Christmas, but nothing can quite top the Cajun version in my eyes! Do you have any favorite versions of the Night Before Christmas? There are tons!

***I realized after posting that this book would also be perfect to link up with Collaboration Cuties today also!