Thursday, December 11, 2014

The Holidays are upon us

My computer tower died a week or two ago. So I have been a bit M.I.A. from all social media. My blogging, I have missed the most. I have a journal blog too and the last week and a half will be the only days I missed this year- sad face. I admit that it's been an exceptionally great week and a half though. I have gotten all of my Christmas stuff done-completely done!...presents wrapped, Santa's bag packed, stockings made and stuffed. Yea, I had to catch up and finish making Lincoln's stocking and Penny's. It was quite the project and every time I think to myself, why did I start the tradition of making stockings?!...I can only assume that I'm undeniably nuts!...every year I threaten to throw them out and buy us all matching ones and every time, Rick tells me- "Don't do it!!". I've had to think a bit harder this year concerning Santa Claus which only makes me more bitter because I hate the idea of presents but I came up with some good solutions this year. I narrowed gifts down to just a few each. I'm sure most of you have heard of the "1.Want 2. Need, 3. Wear and 4. Read" GIFT idea. I went with this only my kids didn't NEED anything, so I may have substituted that one for something else or didn't bother with it all. I also made it so my kids only get One present from Santa Claus and the rest are from family and mostly mom and dad. I want so badly for my kids to not get so caught up in the presents but more in the Giving and of course the special celebration of Christ's birth and all that applies and so I've tried to do things to help them understand this concept. I had my kids each pick out a gift for each other so that they could understand the giving part. We walked around the dollar store and they each found the perfect gift for each other. Lincoln really struggled with this as he looked back and forth between a Minnie mouse puzzle and an Avengers puzzle..." But can't I get this one for me too?!" He said, holding up the avengers puzzle. I had to remind him that we were just looking for a gift for Lizzie right now and I did everything I could to get him excited about giving it. He helped  wrap it and wrote on it all by himself. Lizzie did the same for her brother. I've had to be more clever when it comes to Santa like not wrapping the presents that come from him. Lizzie is getting too smart now and so to keep her childhood alive, I won't be wrapping Santa's gifts this year. Although, I'm not sure it really matters, but it saves me from having to wrap a few more things.
 I'm thrilled that I get to relax and enjoy this Christmas season for what it truly means to me now that I have the stressful things behind me. And I've had time to forget the things I got for everyone so I will be just as surprised for them when they get to open them.... I don't have to think of another present for the rest of the month and that is the nicest gift I could get right now. I tell Rick each year and I mean it, that the best gift he can give me is that I can buy whatever I want, whenever I want any and every other day of the year.
I am looking forward to the time we will get to spend together as a family and with family. We get to travel to Salt Lake this year and I'm so excited to see everyone. We don't go up north enough!
I hope everyone's Christmas preparations are coming along nicely and I will be posting again soon with Christmas pictures. Until then.

Family Pictures

Family Pictures












































Thanksgiving

It was a joyous day filled with love, food and family. All of the family was together including my grandma and grandpa. It was wonderful and makes me feel so much gratitude for the family I have. Surprisingly, I only got one picture from this day. I normally carry the camera around with me on such occasions but I was way too busy preparing our pretend Thanksgiving meal in the kitchen set with the little ones. We made tacos and pizza and french fries and lots of fruit shakes-It was quite the feast!!! This picture was of the Thanksgiving 5k we ran, the three of us. It was the perfect start to our day and I'm thinking of making it a traditional thing.
Happy Thanksgiving!