The Santa Story

I am waiting for a load of laundry to finish up and then I am headed upstairs for a whole lot of folding. My king-sized bed is covered. I did have to make a small sliver of space for Mike to sleep in. He put the ear plugs in and the eye mask on and went to his happy place. Tonight I will be watching 13 Going on 30 (love that show) while being a laundry slave.

I thought I would take a minute and post our Santa story.

Well over a week before Christmas we headed to Wheeler Farm--a tradition of ours--to see Santa. It is a great experience--a great santa in a quaint old house. A hay ride and hot chocolate. I get to take my own pictures of The Man with the kids. There is usually no line. Mike got there before we did, only to discover that due to budget cuts Santa can only make it there on Fridays and Saturdays. I was bummed because I knew the kids (especially the youngest two) really wanted to see him. The night was not a total loss--we went and froze our patooties off at Zoo Lights.

I helped the kids send Santa an e-mail, so I thought things were covered. Wenesday--two days before Christmas--Christian can't stop talking about how we have to see Santa cause "he won't remember who I am and where I live and I gotta tell him what I want and when are we going to see him? "

What's a mom to do. I was in some desperate need of a Santa. I didn't want to do the mall thing--that beats out that pile of laundry on my bed by a mile for the place closest to heck on earth. So, I called up my sister Camille and she tells me that Miss Margaret was having Santa visit her preschool that very day. So I called up Miss Margaret and she said, "bring them over."

Miss Margaret (aka Mrs. Clause) is an angel. Christian went to her preschool before we moved and I am telling you, this lady is a sweetheart. Her Santa is the best too. The kids got their moment with him. Christian got to convey the important message that he is not too young for a DSI. Christmas was saved.

Back in business

We had a wonderful Christmas. We did have some major computer problems, but Jeremy saved the day. We need a new computer, but we are trying to make this one do for a little longer. I have taken tons of pictures and I am still making my digital scrapbook pages for December.

Guess what I get to do tomorrow?

Partially undecorate the tree then add some lights to it then redecorate it.

Mike likes to blame it on the cat (she likes to climb the tree) but I think it is a wiring/electric-type problem. Half of the lights are out and that just won't do. Also, you might notice a few ornaments on the ground. Everyday there are a few on the floor courtesy of you-know-who. I waited to buy nice glass ornaments until our kids were no longer toddlers. Now we have another kind of tree pest.

I love getting the tree up--it is one of my all-time most favorite activities. I just have to look at this re-do as another opportunity to decorate the tree.

day 13

making Christmas dreams come true since 1999

Wednesday night was what I like to call our annual "accountability meeting." This is the time when I haul out all of my purchases and show the loot to Mike. I get excited for the magic of Christmas morning--for the fact that I have found the perfect items for our children and other loved ones. I like doing the planning and the wrapping and the hiding. Mike, well, he tolerates the meeting. I tolerate his comments about the consumerism Christmas has become. We discuss how to raise well-adjusted, non-spoiled children. We share our hope that the true meaning of Christmas is not overshadowed by the "stuff."







Guess what I found in one of the bags of gifts? My precious notebook with my precious lists. I had already re-created the list, but it was good to get my notebook back.







A few months ago I heard from my girlfriends about the Zhu Zhu craze (they are battery-operated hamsters.) Then the kids saw the commercial. Mike works near a Toys R Us (the place I lovingly refer to Heck on Earth.) He found out when they got their shipments and then back in October, went and stood in line. He scored two of the little hamsters and their accessories. I thought it was really sexy of him to go stand in that line for those hamsters for my babies.







I want to tell myself that I don't like the craziness of the hard-to-find toy, but I have to admit, I kind of like the hunt. I actually did my first ebay bids this year and, I must admit, got quite a thrill from the experience.







Back to the story. So, after going through the gifts, I stayed up and did the wrapping. I have a very specific method to my madness. Each kid gets a special wrapping paper. Then there is a separate wrapping paper for the gifts from the big guy. This paper has to be hidden and then removed from the premises in order to keep the "magic" alive. The gift tags from the big guy are typed. Then I bag it all up and hide it in the basement.







I have to do a good job at the hiding because I have very snoopy kids. They come by it rightly--I was a total snoop. My sisters and I did a lot of snooping and a little finding. My parents got smart and started hiding Christmas gifts in the caskets. (I grew up living in a funeral home--another story for another day.) Christian has already found a few things. He saw the big horse I bought him. I pulled out a trick I learned from my mom. I told him it was for the poor kids that live down the street and not for him.





While wrapping, I watched a recorded Letterman. I like him. I don't like that he might be a scumbag, but I think he is oh so funny. So, I am listening while wrapping and you can imagine my excitement when this came on.



Crazy cat ladies do exist, and apparently they make DVDs.

day 7

I will continue posting about cats

I have been ridiculed as the "crazy cat lady." I have been teased for seriously loving our precious baby cat tigy wigy (said in a high-pitched baby voice.) I have been told that my home is now contaminated with cat germs. But, I too was a hater. I didn't feel the love until recently.

All I have to say is that if you don't think this is seriously cute, you need to do some soul-searching cause you probably don't have one. (Kidding...kind of.)

day 3

Cleaning day. I got all the decoration boxes put away and after school the kids helped get the house clean. While we clean we like to listen to/watch Mama Mia. Something about that music just helps.

The girls took a break from chores to do some tumbling.

Kitty love.

This is my newest favorite Christmas song--lame video, but great song.

day 1

I am making another attempt at documenting December. It is my most favorite time of the year.

This is the kid's tree. It is becoming overloaded with their ornaments. This year's ornaments are bobble-head turtles we bought in Mexico.
Right after school, they rushed in the house and grabbed their advent calendars. They have been salivating over them since I brought them home a few weeks ago. They finally got to dig in to day 1.