AP Moment of the day ~ Making the house smell like Christmas in one or two easy steps!

I know, this doesn't sound very AP, but it really is. Taking care of you is one of the prime AP tenets.

After yesterday's drama, today was a very slow one. We were planning to visit some friends but they were sick unfortunately, so we stayed home. Hubby surprised everyone at the office by going to work this morning and I surprised myself by not wanting to do anything but loaf around, read tacky novels and sip tea. It turns out my body needed a rest from the stress I suppose, although I hadn't felt stressed at the time, it most likely took something of a toll on all of us. I did finally manage to get some things done and I was out with the kids running some errands, in the darkness that is 4pm at the moment, when hubby called me. A cousin of his had died suddenly this morning. He was only 46 and had shown no signs of illness or any indicators..... it was such a shock for everyone. I realised that when we arrived home we'd need to make the place nice for when Daddy got home. We hurried home and first put on the porch lights and the Christmas tree lights. We lit some candles around the place and I started the fire going too. We emptied the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen, fed the dog and tidied up a little, but the finishing touches were to simmer a pan of water with mulled wine spices in it and to put a gingerbread cookie on the warmer of the stove. This lent such a Christmassy aroma and feel to the house that, together with the fire and the lights, really made our house seem a relaxing haven for him to come home to. Of course he still had to face the squeaking dog ( she goes inSANE when hubby comes home ) and the bouncing kids who leap up and down up and down the moment Daddy's hand hits the door handle, but once the chaos was over, the atmosphere was able to calm him and he and I were both able to relax and be peaceful.

If only it would work so well on the kids......!!!