Christmas Octave Day 5

Monday meant Mama began easing the children back into a routine. We will continue to take this week off school, but I had the kids resume daily music instrument practice and our "school" will be writing several thank you notes per day, to be done by the week. I'm also trying to guide us back toward more well-rounded meals and not just a free-for-all.

As far as myself, it's past time that I get myself back to daily violin practice and daily exercise, the latter of which is going to be so important as I move into the second trimester. But right now it seems laughably impossible when my body feels like this! A conundrum, indeed.

On to festive topics . . . decorating gingerbread houses, take two!

Ready to go!

Joseph couldn't understand delayed gratification so just ate his candies without decorating.

Update: And that night, "the plague" hit us. So many families around us have been dropping like flies with various unpleasant illnesses. Now it's our turn. So, I guess I know how we'll likely be spending the rest of our Christmas octave! I am grateful we didn't miss Christmas day itself due to illness like so many of our friends did.