Christmas Crazies

Dear Santa,

I really have tried to be nice.  Really.  But when you have a day like yesterday, can you blame me for being a little naughty?

 

The day started well.  I had a freshly mopped floor and the kiddos woke up in a good mood.

Then they started eating.  Eating at our house apparently requires a large helping of pestering and rude noises (remember the three boys?).  Enter grumpy mood.

I wonder at 11:30 why I am so ravenously hungry.  Oh, I forgot to eat breakfast.  At least the kids were fed.  We eat lunch.  I remember to eat that.

That afternoon it started raining.  Hard. 

Mr. Two decided to play with his Moon Dough playset.  After being told no.  On the floor.  With Mr. Three and his anything-on-the-floor-is-good-eating-self right there with him.  Enter even grumpier mood.  Mr. Two is in time out, as is the Moon Dough.  Mr. Three is crying in the next room while I clean up the mess before it becomes an after-lunch snack.

 

It is still raining while I pick up Mr. One at school.  I'm near the end of the carpool lane.  Mr. One is soaked.

Handsome Husband is gone for the evening on business and it's still raining.  The fridge is looking bare, with a pomegranate, two oranges a sad bell pepper and some zucchini.  Instead of braving the grocery store with three children in tow in the rain, I bum leftovers from my parents' fridge.

I put Mr. One and Two to bed after a story and a short movie.  They are still awake over an hour later.

I start work on the zucchini bread I've been trying to make for a week now.  Mr. Three gets into the Christmas craft box.  I stop grating zucchini and clean up the mess.  Then Mr. Three starts crying and gagging.  He throws up a red button.

 

Now, it's nearing 9:00 pm and I'm on the phone with Handsome Husband and Poison Control.  The other two are still arguing in their room, obviously awake. 

Handsome Husband comes home quickly (thank you!), and I'm off to Phoenix Children's Hospital Urgent Care for x-rays.

Luckily, no buttons anywhere else.  I may be checking poop for a few days just in case.

I drive home and don't realize until I'm a mile up the road that I am going north instead of west.  I also realize my minivan is on empty.  Detour to the gas station, here I come. 

I arrive home after 10:30 pm to sleeping children, a half-grated zucchini, and a patiently waiting husband. 

 

Today, I am typing instead of eating breakfast again, and I really need a shower.  I have kids coming over in 20 minutes.  I will have 6 children ages 5 and under this afternoon.  Do I get extra credit for that?

Santa, I am trying.  I will be nice.  At least I'll try.

Pantry Presents

 
Who needs gifts under the tree when you have a pantry full of brightly colored packages? I love this baby!

Christmas Spirit

I'm not sure this is what is meant by Christmas Spirit, but what a cute little spirit he is!

Christmas Preschool Activities

I just quickly wanted to share a few links for some really great Christmas activity packs.  Enjoy!  I know we are.  Thanks to the wonderful ladies who created them and then offered them on their sites. 

Nativity Preschool Pack from 1+1+1=1

Preschool Christmas Activities from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Preschool Advent from The Activity Mom

Hello Gorgeous!

For those of you that know me, you know that I have a serious love of things feminine and vintage, and chocolate.  My birthday was filled with lots of things that fit this bill.  A flattering, gathered purple dress, jeans that make me look thinner, fabulous pewter ruffled heels, vintage inspired jewelry, a gift card to JoAnns to buy whatever I want, a great oversized purple purse, this chocolate cake.

 

All of these things were perfect, but my very favorite gift?  Handsome Husband has been working on this one for a while now. 

He rebuilt a vintage chandelier that was hanging out in my parents' garage.  We think it belonged to my grandparents.  It involved a lot of work (rewiring, buffing, cleaning, etc.), but the payoff was huge.  I'm not even sure about the origins of this chandelier, but I have this romantic idea of its past life.  I love the sparkle it gives to the dining room.  I am so happy I married such a handy man!  To top it off, he even designed a beautiful birthday card inspired by the light fixture.  Love!

Thank you to all who made my birthday a splendid event, especially to my husband, who really does light up my life!

Advent

 

Three days late in posting, but I still wanted to get it up...

I had my Christmas story advent books all wrapped up before Thanksgiving and sitting on the bookshelf.  My boys have been so excited to start the book reading again.  Here is my original post and some book suggestions.  I have added two new titles this year.

I Spy a Christmas...

You know we love a good I Spy book at our house...

Merry Christmas Splat

Splat is worried that he hasn't been good enough for a gift from Santa.  See what he does to make up for it.  Good pick for the younger set.

I also put together a new advent calendar, this one has the scriptures, questions and activities that I found here.  I love this idea.  It's a simple way to keep remembering Christ and the story of his birth throughout the month of December.  Added bonus, it's a cute decoration in our home. 

Do you have any advent traditions in your home? 

Trimming the Tree

Monday night was all about family and tree trimming.  I put together a family home evening kit on the symbols of Christmas a few years ago.  This is a perfect lesson to start off tree trimming.  Interested in the details?  I'll post them at the end.

We sang a Christmas carol and had our little lesson.  I was excited that Mr. One remembered many of their meanings already.  We then let the boys have fun decorating the tree, while Mr. Three slumbered nearby. 

They loved looking at the ornaments and asking where they came from.  Can you tell where little hands can reach on our tree?

After a cup of cocoa with lots of marshmallows, it was bedtime for little boys.

Then, Mike and I finished trimming the tree.  We may have rearranged some of the original ornament placements...

Oh, the soft lights glowing on the tree.  It is just heavenly.

Symbols of Christmas FHE

 

Opening Song:  The Nativity Song (Children's Songbook, pg. 52)

Scripture:  Luke 2, Moses 6:63

Lesson:

Put up the undecorated tree.  Explain that many of the decorations and traditions we have at Christmastime are to help us remember Jesus Christ.  Explain that as they help you decorated the tree they will learn what each symbol means.  For each symbol, take turns placing the object on the tree as you explain their meaning.  Read the corresponding scriptures as you put up the decorations. (I used some Christmas clip art that I copied, colored and laminated.)

Tree:  Christmas trees are evergreen trees.  They do not die in the winter, but stay green all year through.  This is a symbol of eternal life.  Christ made it possible for us to live with him after we die.

Scripture:  Moses 1:39

Lights (small stars) and Star:  We often use lights, candles and stars in our Christmas decorations.  These represent the new star that appeared when Christ was born.

Scripture:  Matthew 2:9-10

Candy Canes:  This candy is made in the shape of a shepherd's staff.  The shepherds came to see baby Jesus.  Christ is known as the goood shepherd.

Scriptures:  Luke 2:8-9, John 10:11

Angels:  Angels announced Christ's birth to the shepherds.

Scripture:  Luke 2:10-11

Red, White and Green Ornaments:  Christmas colors are symbols of Jesus Christ.  Red represents the blood of Christ.  Green represents eternal life.  White represents the purity of Christ (he was perfect).

Scriptures:  Luke 22:44, 3 Nephi 12:48

Gifts (to put under the tree):  Gifts represent the gifts the wise men brought to the Christ child and the gift of the Savior that Heavenlty Father gave the world.

Scriptures:  Matthew 2:1 and 11, John 3:16

Activity:

Decorate your Christmas tree together.

Here is a follow up activity that you could use also.

This is a symbol matching quiz from the Friend magazine (Dec 2009).