1. I’m finally starting to get in the Christmas Spirit. I don’t know why, but I’ve had a hard time switching gears after Thanksgiving. It hasn’t really felt all that Christmas-y here, what with freakishly warm 68 degree weather and all. But today I’m blaring my favorite Christmas CD’s (Mariah Carey and Amy Grant. A strange combo, yet both fun to sing along with) and putting up more decorations and suddenly it’s feeling a lot more like Christmas is just a few weeks away!

2. Also contributing to my newfound Christmas spirit – Toys R Us notified me this morning that the lego set that Zeeb has his heart set on was back in stock. Whew, was that a relief to see! Zeeb asked Santa for that specific set and I was in a bit of a panic trying to figure out how I’d explain that Santa let him down. (Also great? T R US is having a buy one get one half off sale on legos right now! Quick, go shop before they run out of everything!!)

3. Didn’t this week seem freakishly LONG and yet over in a flash at the very same time? I’m thinking it’s because we went from November to December right in the middle. That flip of the calendar threw me off my game. But I know it’s not just me because Hubby and the kids were all saying last night that it felt like it SHOULD be Friday.

4. So we cheated and did our Friday night tradition on Thursday. Pizza and a movie. But a short movie because it was a school night after all. Our pick? The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. A classic and one of my faves. What’s YOUR favorite Christmas movie? We have a ton in our collection but I’m always looking for more so please share. :)

5. I just got a new advent devotional in the mail this morning so I’m starting it a few days late…. “Pursuing the Christ” by Jennifer Kennedy Dean . It’s nice and small so I don’t feel too overwhelmed having to do a little catch-up. She wrote that Live A Praying Life study I did last year. I like her, she’s deep without being hard to comprehend.

6. My favorite quote from the reading I did today:

“In the gene pool of the Word made flesh, grace is a dominant gene.”

7. And the absolute capper in ushering the Christmas Spirit: Kelly at Laugh Every Day. Or more specifically, her 12 Days of Kindness project.

Every day for 12 days she and her children are looking for low or no cost ways to share the Christmas spirit by doing an act of kindness. Today she chose to donate to Bykota House as her act of kindness. Of course I loved that in itself, but I really just like the project as a whole and I’m feeling inspired just reading about what they are doing each day. I feel so lame admitting this but I’m kind of afraid to commit to joining because this time of year really kicks my butt and what if I’m totally lame and don’t follow through? But I’m going to pray about it and talk to the Hubby and kids and see if we can’t get ourselves in gear. I know it would benefit our family far more than it might benefit anyone we choose to do the acts of kindness for. If you want to join Kelly’s 12 Days, just click on over and grab the button and go for it!

More Quick Takes here.