Christmas

It seems every year that after the turkey gets eaten..........those blasted 50 gallon Rubbermaid bins come out and send me into complete anxiety mania!!  We love decorating for Christmas, even Derek will put a Santa hat on and put lights and scenes of snow all over the house, village carolers, trees, candy canes, lots of lights and of course nothing but a fresh cut tree!  The kids enjoyed their visit to Sunrise Tree farm in Kings Valley.  We selected and cut down our tree ( only hand saws allowed as to keep the old fashioned feel).  Then we ate these decadent cupcakes, with hot dogs and hot cocoa by the bonfire.  The kids had a blast.  So after three days of decorating, getting the tree and decorating it, now we (actually Derek) are on to the outside lights!  I'm hoping to get our bins put away today, and just be ready to enjoy the season.  I am really going to "try" to just enjoy the moment and not get stressed out about the details that don't matter.  Isn't it about baking cookies with your kids (ones that they like) and not giving every plate to the neighbors (and telling your kids they can't have more than one because they're for the neighbors).  I say the strings of twinkle lights strung all over our kids rooms' from the ceiling that they adore we will just embrace.  They are totally ruining my pottery barn efforts in there, but they are happy and that's what matters.  Taking in the snow days when there are a million 5 minute trips outside and then a pile of water all over the hardwood floor, and 5 loads of laundry.  I will have many years to decorate a tree how I want (and have the ornaments STAY ON THE TREE), and rooms that will look perfect, but be perfectly quiet, and an immaculate  house, that will have no children laughing.......so my prayer is that I will be able to cherish each chaotic, messy, uncontrollable moment and be grateful for every gift (even if I get lavender lip balm from Derek) because I really need nothing, and have every reason to be joyous and content knowing I have a million reasons to be grateful.............and I will re-sight this line again when my IMac is still at Apple on Christmas morning..........

Happy Turkeys......

Thanksgiving was great........we were able to celebrate with lots of family and friends as well.  I guess when I say "great" I mean the build up of planning meals, shopping for ingredients, baking pies and sweet potatoes (which I hate).  It was really fun and started the kick off Wednesday night as Uncle Brock from LA came and took all the girls bowling, and to see Tangeled!  When they returned we all had waffles and bacon for dinner, and watched movies all night, and had Brock for a sleepover which the kids were thrilled about!!   Millie crashed about 10, Grant 1030, Lucy 11, and Ellie...........well she would stay up all night, so she went to bed when we all did around midnight:)  We spent the next day finalizing the last details before heading over the Grandma and Grandpa's for a traditional dinner, and some Christmas Caroling by the piano, and playing the Wii of course!

The actual dinner was one to be remembered or actually hope I get to forget.........Grant decided to have a complete meltdown as we were all sitting down to dinner.  I think the lack of food (picky toddler syndrome) and the lack of sleep (won't nap at Grandma's) had finally caught up with him and he turned quickly into a holy terror!  I spend the meal puting movies on........first the Inrcedibles and then Cars just frantically trying to make him happy so everyone else could gobble gobble.  Finally he landed on a movie and about 10 minutes later was sound asleep in Papa's chair passed out! I got to go reheat my dinner and eat in peace at last:)  That's the beauty of blogs, because one day our holiday's will be calm and quiet and we will miss this right?  Overall it was fun and a fun time was had by all!!