A small round up of bite size "paleo" food gifts... and a confession.

Confession time. Growing up, my mom (and dad) were awesome with their advent calendar. My grandmother made it, and every night my parents would either put a piece of candy in there for my brother and I, or a "hint" for us to find the candy ourselves. My brother opened the even days and I opened the odd days. And my mom would get really great candy for it.

For the first time, this year, my mom gave me an advent calendar to use with my blossoming family. We don't really let E have candy, and we've been doing this paleo thing... but I thought we might do it anyway. So I bought some nice candy. And then I brought it home. And then I ate. it. all.

You guys, it was totally ridiculous. I guess I had been feeling a bit deprived, and I just went crazy on the stuff. I'm breaking out, my nursling Josiah is breaking out, and moreover, I'm not feeling great, physically or emotionally, because of it. So. Ridiculous.

I just ate the last of those stupidly good Ghirardelli squares, and I say good riddance. We are sooo going to do things differently next year, so I'm not going to sweat it. I learned my lesson.

I've made a few grain-free, processed sugar free desserts lately (for us and for gifting), and I'll put links to the bite size friendly ones below. I'll be pulling these recipes out next year for advent!


Raw Coconut Macaroons

Almond Date Truffles  (just a note on these-- if you don't have almond butter, coconut oil subbed great for me.)

Cocoa Dusted Maple Glazed Walnuts

Rustic homemade Marshmallows with Honey

Advent

And here we are-- in the last week before Christmas. Each year it sneaks up on me, although I've tried harder to savor the season this year. In my head, I see us ending the day reading through an advent book, candles lit, quiet Christmas music on, dwelling in the peace of knowing our Saviour is born. In reality though, the ceiling lights are blazing, the television has Elmo's Christmas special on, and we're trying to just get the boys down to bed before they become totally unmanageable. And then we clean up after the day and prepare for the next. Not really the Advent season I had pictured!

I know that these times aren't forever-- there will be time in the future when our kids, then they're more mature, can handle learning more about the season. So I'm attempting it now, at least, this very moment, by myself. It is quiet here in the living room, and the Christmas tree is lit. I will ask God to prepare my heart to fully celebrate the miracle of this season, and of His life in us, in me. As crazy and chaotic as my life seems, my heart is totally at peace, folks. I am saved; I am rescued; I have found the One my heart loves. I am grateful that the Father sent us Jesus.

A week left.

I can't really believe how long it's been since I've written here. Would you believe me if I told you I hadn't had the time lately? It's mostly true. Of course, I have spare moments here and there, but I usually use those to figure out what I'm going to do next, or bemoan my hectic day. Not time well spent, of course, but time spent regardless.

It's been a hard few days. Elias is getting a molar in, and Josiah has a cold. Both of these lead to less sleep at night AND during the day. I haven't had an hour to myself in awhile, and I'm one of those people that needs to be by myself at least a little bit each day. Or mama gets a little cray-cray.

It's the first sunny day here in awhile, and when the boys wake up from their nap (which I expect to be soon, sadly), we're going to bundle up a little bit and take a walk to the post office to send some Christmas gifts to my family out west. Nothing fancy-- just some food gifts, wrapped in a way to make them feel a little more special, I hope.

Merry The-Week-Before Christmas, all.