A Christmas Poem (it doesn't rhyme!)

Twas the morning of Christmas

3:30 to be exact.

When out of the dark

Came a wandering boy

I think Santa came

he said with such glee.

Mom and Dad were sleeping

All snuggled in bed,

Come get in with us

They begged sleepily.

Every hour to follow

he would awake,

something's noisy,

is it morining ?

His words would say.

 Giving in to demands

we turned on tv.

Please watch these we plead

so we can just snooze.

Shortly thereafter

the others arose,

excited and jumping

 it's Christmas morn.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Eve, then and now

When I was young, we would go to my grandparents every Chrsitmas Eve. I would sit in her kitchen and eat all the holiday candy I could before I was discovered by a well meaning adult worried about my appetite. My very favorite treat was crackers with a dollop of peanut butter covered in chocolate. I always thought my grandmother made those just for me, and I don't remember her denying that, but, now I know better! My grandmother's house had that grandparent smell and fell. Warm, full of joy, and she always laughed at my imagintive stories. One of my most vivid memories is of her Chrsitmas tree. It was white with red decorations and lights. An angel adorned the top of the tree and presents were piled high underneath. There would be envelopes hidden in the white branches for the parents and a wrapped gift under the tree for us grandkids.
 It was....magical.

I don't have a picture of the real thing, so this will have to do. Picture it with red lights and big red bulbs (not the shiny kind, the ones that were wrapped in thread, remember those??)

Fast foward some years (let's not get into how many exactly!) to present day. Since we have been married, Dan and I have gone to my grandparents as a couple. I would still sit and eat as much candy as I could until discovered by a well meaning husband worried about my health. The tree is no longer white and the decorations are no longer solely red.  Some years we would see cousins with their spouses and children, and Aunts and Uncles. Each member of the family stopping by at some point during the two days of Christmas to this central location.

Now, the envelopes hidden in the branches are for us grandkids and our spouses. The gifts wrapped under the tree for our kids. The teasing from Grandpa showered on our children. The seats we sat in, our children now sit in. The favorite treat of mine is devoured by my own children hoping not to be discovered by that well meaning adult worried over thier appetite.

 It is still......magical.

This year we will be unable to go to my grandparents on Christmas Eve. We will see them instead the day after Christmas. The tree will be in the same place it has been for all of my life, the candy still the same, the feeling of joy and laughter and hugs will still be there. I am so grateful my kids have great grandparents. I am even more grateful we get to see them as often as we do.
 It will still be....magical.

So Merry Christmas Eve. May your family fill you with joy, peace, and love where ever they may be.

A White Christmas, maybe.

Every year I get my hopes up for a beautiful and enchanted white Christmas. What I usually get, on a very lucky Christmas, is kind of cold, sunny, and very little snow, if at all. I remember having white Christmas' as a kid, don't I?? Or was that another instance of "it looked huge when I was little, but now it's not so big". This year, my expectations are a little more realistic. I know the temperature will fall somewhere in the 40s and there will most likely be sun, and there will probably be no sign of snow.

But am I still hopeful??

YES.

Maybe, just maybe, there will be some snow on the ground to crunch under my feet as we load up our van with gifts and kids, heading to see family. I still believe.

(This is not really my house by the way! I just wanted a pretty picture of a house with snow.)

 

As Promised

Here are the adorable pictures of our church christmas program......

Tyler was a shepard..

Santa..we meet again!

Isaac was an angel (it was a costume mind you)

Our regularly schedule program will return next week....

Today was our Children's Christmas Program. It was adorable. I had been asked to write a narrative of the Christmas Story and then ended up in charge of the whole thing. Oh, my nerves were alive this morning as I walked through doors to face the kids. I had some really good people helping me, or should I say doing it for me as I became a chicken with no head. All in all it was beautiful, the kids circled baby Jesus (with out being told to) and it looked like a moment from history. I could just imagine this scene in real life (minus the jeans and costuming we had!). The angels so excited their wings couldn't stop fluttering, the shepards unable to keep the secret, the Magi in all their magesty coming to a stable to worship a king. Despite my frantic mind this morning, I feel refreashed and more focused on the true meaning of this season. I feel a hunger to dig deeper and find out more, more than what we are taught as kids. Who were the Magi? How powerful were they really? The shepards, Gabriel, how many people were their in the stable, lets dig a little deeper.

 I promise pictures soon of my adorable angel and shepard. For now, it's bedtime. Good Night!

Maybe Santa needs a second job this year......

Last night for our Advent Family Fun Activity, we wrote letters to Santa. Nick scribbled on his page babbling happily in my lap, Isaac asked how to spell words and drew pictures of what he wanted, and Tyler....well....Tyler wrote a LIST. Not I would like this and this, he purposely picked different things to ask for on this letter than the one he had written at school. 

Uhmmm.....Tyler......Santa won't be able to bring you everything you ask for, he has to buy for other kids too.

 No, momma, Santa doesn't buy toys, he makes them, so he doesn't have to worry about how much they cost. (oh, crap. now what do I say??) 

Well, your right. But he may not bring you all of those things (just to let you know what was on hsi list: I Pod, Leapster 2, Dirt bike, Tony Hawk bike, and the list goes on!)

 So, he is 7. I knew someday he would want lots of things, and I was going to be prepared for that day. Well, I was not. It seems to all be happening to fast. 

We finnished our letters and put them in envelopes. They are on thier way to the North Pole now 'wink, wink' , to Santa's workshop. It was fun, of course, it's always fun to do stuff together. I find this especially true, now, with one in school during the day.

Isaac was concentrating very hard! Look at that Tyler smile, it's the best.

Yup, we let him have crayons. Yup, we clean crayon off walls and floors. It's worth it.

It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas

This weekend, we went to our town square. We are the county seat (I am afraid it is by default since we are most likely the largest town in the county with our outstanding 350 population),  and it was all decorated for Christmas. Various buisnesses and churches had stationary floats (they called them windows) that you could walk around and see. They had a stage set up with groups singing Christmas carols. It was very neat. I love experiencing culture (large and small, here and there). We also got to meet you know who! Santa! All three of the boys were excited. The two older ones told him what they wanted and Nick just smiled at him, it was very cute. Here is the picture with Santa.....

the hats that the older two are wearing were a gift from grandma when she went on a trip to Germany. They love them and look super cute in them!! Well, 'tis the season!

Christmas Tea

I mentioned in my last Quick Takes that I was attending a Christmas Tea this weekend. Well, it was today and it was wonderful. Lots of food, music, food, and NO BOYS!!!! I will say that I was a little sad when I had to tell my sweet wonderful boys that they could not go with me. They promised they would be really careful with everyone's pretty china. Alas, I went alone. I loved being in the kitchen helping the ladies put out the food and arrange it so beautifully. Smiles and thank yous and giggles were flying in all directions, I couldn't take it all in at once. I must have circled the room ten times just looking at all the beautiful dishes. There was some things old, some things modern, and some things borrowed. (almost sounded like I went to a wedding there for a minute!!) We ate and drank yummy hot tea with saucers underneath, sang Christmas carols, ate some more and then it happened. Something that has always amazed me when ladies get together. I like to call it Clean Up Magic. It all happens so fast and so well and so cheerful, you would think they all had magical wands that they wave in the air and 'poof' it's clean and put away. I got to be a full fledged part of that magic this year, and there were large spans of time I felt I was in the way. I would just grab a dish towel and start wiping, a smile was sure to follow. I didn't have a magic wand, but I really think some of the other ladies did. We got it cleaned up quickly and everyone left with their to go boxes, empty holiday serving dishes, and boxes of china. What a day! I came home refreashed, full, and all giggled out. A good day with the ladies, and much needed I might add!

P.S. If anybody out there has one of these magic wands, could you please tell me where to get one, I would like it for my house!!

Thanksgiving countdown......3, 2, and 1!!!

My overzealousness (is that a word??) about Thanksgiving has burned brightly and hot and is now just a memory in my head. You know the old saying, the road to nowhere is paved with good intentions. Ok, I admit that is not the real saying but that's the one I am going with today.
 But I am thankful. Very thankful. I am excited for what this holiday brings for my family and close friends. There is time off work and school to be together, decorating to do, turkey to be eaten, and games to be played. Of course we will at some point be involved in a battle to save the earth and all the people in it (my Isaac loves his pretend play!!). There will be parades to watch and family to call and laughter to be felt deep within our bellies. It will be a joyous time. In conclusion we are a grateful family for all the changes we have had this past year and all the joys we share together. So I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your family, even if sometimes you don't get along!!  ;)

Thanksgiving countdown.....days 6,5, and 4

I have not given up on my quest to give Thanksgiving the recognition it deserves,just..streamlining. Or making up for my not posting by giving it some sort of professional sounding title (like "streamlining") that makes no sense.
A quick little recap of the past 4 to 6 months of my life. Work, move, work, stay home mom, lots of "free time" (or so I thought), over volunteer myself due to thoughts of abundance of free time. Good. All up to speed. SO, I got to busy and didn't blog as much as I thought I would. You know, with all my free time. I also have not ever had this much chance to spread my creative writing wings, I have to admit I am feeling tapped. I find that I am unsure of what to write about. Life just seems to be happening to fast these days to remember what happened so I can blog about it. And I also feel that maybe it becomes a bit boring to hear about my kids ALL the time. (of course I do not feel that way when I read other blogs with daily updates on kids, I laugh right along side of you as if we were best friends talking on the phone.) Maybe it's my story telling technique. Or maybe I am simply just not used to my world revolving day in and day out around the care of my kids. I admit I am struggling with the day to day care of them at home. Oh, I have always loved them and my world has always revolved around them, but there is something to be said about the difference of going to work and staying home. (and that something is a discussion for a different day!) I suppose it is a matter of changing that switch in your brain. I am not sure where that switch is. I have changed a couple, but that hasn't seemed to do the trick. I still seem very task oriented.
What does all this have to do with Thanksgiving?? I am thankful for the chance to get to experience both worlds in my life. Not many women have this chance, and while I don't always see it as an oppurtunity I most certainly am trying to. I know this time will soon pass and as always I am trying to hold it as long as I can. Isn't that what we do as mommies. Hold onto the present until it becomes the past. Then we have good memories and thankful hearts.
Thank you to all those amazing mommies out there who keep blogs daily about their kids and encourage one another. Your days give me hope that I can do it, and your experience gives me resources. Thank you.

Thanksgiving...7 days to go

You will notice that this post was actually suppose to be written a day ago. Well, sometimes I procrastinate a little to much. Please accept my aplologies and enjoy the 3 posts that will be done in one day!! (oh my!)

I watched a video on history.com about Thanksgiving. It was a short three and a half minute video on why we celebrate Thanksgiving. It had the first thanksgiving to be in 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated a community feast with the Indians after a year of being taught to farm and hunt and fish. It goes on to say that in 1777 the Continental Congress declared all thirteen colonies to celebrate one day for the victory over the British in the battle of Serratoga. Later on in our history a women by the name of Sara Joesepha Hale began a one woman letter writing campaign to the government on the benefits of a national holiday to give thanks (she is also given credit for writing Mary Had A Little Lamb). She told of how it would be a good way to unite our country. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed into law that the last Thursday of November be that day. A day of thanks. A reminder that we are United.

Are we doing that??? I wonder if my boys will learn the same things about our country's history that I did. Will they learn about all the reasons we are such a great country or just the basic, watered down facts. At any rate, there you have it in a very small nutshell. My short research into why we celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

Thanksgiving countdown......8 days to go.

Well in keeping with the spirit of my last post I have decided to dedicate the next week to Thanksgiving. Each day I plan to write something about the holiday. I am going to start by listing a few things I am thankful for. I will spare you the usuals and try to go a little deeper, yet short as well. I wouldn't want to over share!!

I am thankful for the abundance of mentor moms I have access to. Their experience, not just knowledge has been an amazing tool for my mommy tool belt. What is even better, is that they have all come from different backgrounds and I have met them all at different times on my mommy journey. Most of the time not realizing the impact they are having on me.

Along that same line I am especially grateful for mommies close to my age with kids the same age as mine or the same gender. (It seems no matter how hard we try, our boys are simply born with certain challenges and our girls others, why fight it?? Someone just help me make it out alive!!) This is something I did not have until my second child was about two.

I am thankful for the ability to write freely. As a professional writer wanna be, I am so grateful to the generations before me that decided this be an important part of our country. Of course, I can not leave out all of those who continue the tradition of serving. My utmost respect for you and your understanding families I give to you.

I am thankful for God's grace. I haven't always known where I will find it or what it will look like, but it does always seem to be there. Thank you for letting me question you in my journey and your patience as I find you.

Lastly, I am thankful for nap time. Without it, I would not be able to sit and read all the wonderful blogs and find new ones and write and read and enjoy quiet!!! My sanity is blessed by you!

Feel free to do your own Ode to Thanksgiving Week with me!! Who knows what we will find!!

It's Coming,,,,,Thanksgiving..... did you remember????

Thanksgiving is coming and it's been on my mind. Normally Thanksgiving is a "tremor" to Christmas. A precursor to the big one. But this year I have had this nagging feeling that it needs to be something more. Why?? I have no idea. It is not a holiday our faith celebrates for any special reason, other than to give extra thanks that day, so why all the worry so suddenly??
Let's skip that question, I really have no idea. I do know that I must follow the nagging feelings (they always know something). So tonight at dinner I told everyone that every night from now until Thanksgiving we would say something we are thankful for and you can't repeat what you said the night before. I don't know what this will accomplish. Hopefully just an awareness of the holiday and our interpretation of it's meaning. But I still feel like something is missing. There are no special items to wear and  no cookies to bake like the two holidays it's sandwich between. It seems it should be an important holiday. But it's placement leaves us using it as a much needed breather from Halloween and before Christmas. A defining point in time (the end of fall colors and decorations and the beginning of the Christmas season and winter wonderlands). This year I will make it more. I will find a way to teach (or at the very least, expose) our kids to why it is important. Maybe it will help us to voice why we are so thankful on a much more regular basis. Or maybe it will simply ward of the nagging feeling in my belly.
At any rate, my excitement for Christmas will have to be put away on a shelf in my mind and the anticipation for early decorating be kept in check. Thanksgiving, here we come!!