Staying Home and Staying Sane: ....my fingers are typing...that's a start

Thursday, December 27, 2012

....my fingers are typing...that's a start

Such a long break.
I'll be honest, I haven't felt really motivated to write lately. Plenty of freelance work has come my way and as a stay at home mom that extra income is needed. So, blogging is placed on the back burner for an indefinite amount of time.
I am also a huge traditionalist in many ways. Christmas time at my house is like walking into an unorganized, not so wonderfully decorated version of a Hallmark store. We have a little table set up for all of our singing, light up Christmas decor...and we press the on/off buttons as much as we please.
Christmas music takes over my house and my car. And I sing along. Loudly.
Our Advent train takes center stage every morning before school, the younger kids waiting to see what I have planned for an activity that day. We have an Elf on the Shelf, of course. His name is Buddy Lightening. We also have 2 new elves that hang on the tree, Jingle and Jangle. These are to be hidden in the tree away from each other every night. Don't forget the countdown ornament!
It's a lot.
A lot to remember each night as the kids all go to sleep. A lot to prepare ahead of time. A lot of Christmas spirit to uphold. But we do it. It's worth it.
Please don't picture my kids surrounding me as we read the note from the Advent Train with looks of awe and wonder on their faces, reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting. Sure, there were a few mornings where the kids acted a teeny bit like that. But some mornings, they fought over who would find the stinkin' little elves in the tree, who would click to the next day on the countdown ornament and who would open the paper from the Advent train.
More of those mornings than the others.
I still believe it is worth it though.
Traditions are important to me.

Our Christmas season stays busy throughout....with 4 sets of grandparents we have plenty of places to go and people to see.
Now, that it is all over I find it hard to take the tree down and get back to normal. I enjoy the spirit and the love that others seem to have this time of year. I find happiness in old Christmas songs and doing Christmas-y crafts with the kiddos. Hot chocolate, hot cider....bring it on.
On New Year's Day we will start to take down all evidence of Christmas decor...sadly.
Until then, I am determined to enjoy being completely lazy, sucking down enough hot chocolate to fill a tank and reading newly downloaded books on my Nook.
Here's a peek at our Christmas.
My hope to you is to have a beautiful New Year.