1. spent an enjoyable half hour with the kids looking over these pictures

2. the kids are deep in the gift making excitement. they ask me, in code, particulars about the gifts they are making. i am continually boggled that they believe i can hold all that information in my head for recall. 6 kids making gifts x 9 family members = more memory work than i've done in years.

3. things i haven't done this christmas: make stocking for W (oh yes, make stocking for L too since i haven't gotten around to it the past 2 years), finish decorating (lots of things placed 'just for now' and never moved), figured out what happened to A's ornaments (he has only 5 and this is his 9th christmas..), read the nativity story door-a-day book that my kids love so much (at all, not once), made sugar cookies (dough has been waiting for over a week) and make gingerbread houses.

4. schools on break. what a relief! since w's been born we've been skimming the surface. but there's always plenty of reading around here.

5. rediscovered this week the joy of warm ovaltine.