In which I consider what I’ll be doing each of the next seven days (because what’s a Quick Takes post without a theme?)…not an exhaustive list and probably lame, but not a bad exercise as I work on my breathing exercises this morning…

7 Days til Christmas (December 18)

Tomorrow is Family Christmas Day.  That means travel and more travel and then traveling to get home for the other family Christmas.  Today I have to make sure I’m done with all the things that I would work on tomorrow if I could (like bills, grocery shopping, general mayhem control).  Oh, and I have to make sure I have camera batteries.  That’s critical.  Did I mention the writing projects?  And that I have a parish bulletin that’s due Wednesday?  Maybe the first thing on my list today is to make sure I PRAY and BREATHE.

6 Days til Christmas (December 19)

Family Christmas the First: all of my siblings will be in one place, and both new nephews will be together with my girls, and there WILL be pictures.  Then we’re off to Family Christmas the Second: most of my husband’s siblings in one place (one notable exception, sob), and, if all goes well and he’s up for it, Poppa Gene too!

5 Days til Christmas (December 20)

We’re decorating the Christmas tree and putting up all the decorations.  I love the years I can wait until the Fourth Sunday of Advent.  Now that I think about it, this is the first year it’s worked out this way.  It makes us all really anticipate Christmas and it makes it so clear that we’re not in the Christmas season yet.

4 Days til Christmas (December 21)

Eep!  Of the three bulletins I’ve had to do for my parish job in the last two weeks, I still have one to go!  I have to get it proof-ready today or risk not having time enough for my proofing volunteers to read it!  I have a feeling it will be a day of exclamation marks and the reminder to PRAY and BREATHE!

3 Days til Christmas (December 22)

Tuesdays are riding lessons and usually a slow sort of recuperation from life.  I’ve always found Tuesdays worse than Mondays, and when my schedule allowed me to schedule Tuesdays as a cushion day, I took it (and am better for it).  This week, however, I think I’ll be using the cushion to make sure I’m ready for

2 Days til Christmas (December 23)

I’m already calling this “Just in Case Day.”  Just in case I don’t have the dinner figured out, the shopping done, the bulletin sent, the last minute details remembered.  I’m not entirely sure what this day will hold, but it’s open, just in case I need it to be.

1 Day til Christmas (December 24)

Believe it or not, we have nothing planned.  Nothing.  Not a thing.  We’re going to midnight Mass, but I’m already looking forward to the 24th as a day in my jammies, slurping lots of coffee and cuddling small girls, husband nearby.

What does your week before Christmas look like?

Find more Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary, where Jen hosts the weekly fun.