Our house is still a mess after opening gifts yesterday morning, but it's a lovely mess. I don't mind the stuff lying all around right now. We're enjoying the time spent together helping the kids play with their new toys.

Norah got a Bible that she will be able to read herself, a hamster for her Webkins and thanks to financial gifts sent weeks ago from her uncle, aunt and grandparents, Norah also got several Legos sets. (Thanks, Family!)

Avril got a large Aqua Doodle pad and several Little People toys. The Little People were a gift to us from our friend Kim and her daughter Sophie who had decided she had outgrown them. They were given to us just a few days ago, so we kept them aside from Avril, wrapped them up and let her enjoy the thrill of tearing the paper off the big boxes and beginning to play with them for the first time today. The "grand neighbors" also bought the girls several presents including magnetic dress up dolls, gloves and clothes.

Dwayne gave me a car dock for my cell phone, a few very nice kitchen utensils and two very, very nice new pans. Dwayne has yet to decide what he will get for himself. Note: I don't even try to buy him gifts anymore. He's too tech-savvy and particular about said technology for me to even try. But, I think he's thinking hard about a television or some fancy tablet/computer thingy.

We baked our ham, made green bean casserole and used our Vermont cheddar in a homemade mac and cheese today. And, we shared this dinner with a single friend from church. She stayed to visit after the meal and helped Norah build one of her new Lego houses.

I feel very blessed and content. This is the first year I feel free of the greed that so easily tempts me this time of year. I am keeping the worship music on and the fire going. I've been getting up early making hearty breakfasts, then later, napping on the couch under a quilt with my feet warmed by the fire.

We're supposed to have a blizzard. And, I sincerely hope the weather is so bad that we get stuck at home tomorrow. In my spirit, I'm not finished enjoying this holiday yet.