I know I said I'd be saying adios in order to get my crazy Christmas house in order, but I came across this article in my dark and still quiet time this morning and thought you might need the reminder (as I did)...
Relationship over rushing. People over pressure. Meaning over mania. ...You've been entrusted with one life, made up of days and hours and minutes. You are spending them according to your values, whether you admit it or not....
Read the rest on Shauna's blog. Merry Christmas friends!
I thought I was on top of things. I already have like 15 presents wrapped. And a decorated tree. And my in-laws' gifts purchased. But somehow a thousand things are on my to-do list already this Monday morning so this is my cry of, "Uncle!" Something's gotta give this week and it's the blog dear friends.
Today I'll be grocery shopping, sending out the last batch of Christmas cards, buying a gift for the babysitter and starting my final homemade gift (which promises total awesomeness if I'm actually able to finish it). Tomorrow there's wrapping and baking and a doctor's appointment and then from Wednesday on it's a blur of social engagements and oh yeah, Christmas day.
I have loved all of our little morning chats this year so much. I hope your Christmas is very merry and hope you stick around for more in 2012!
My amazing in-laws picked the Squirt up on Monday afternoon and drove up to Beech Mountain North Carolina for a little holiday getaway (with a toddler!) and some East Coast skiing. B Daddy and the rest of us are driving up Thursday to meet them, and in the meantime Sweet B and I are enjoying some girl time - finishing up homemade Christmas gifts and making more cookies than should be legal.
I got this picture text from my mother-in-law this morning:
I almost started crying. Sometimes my sentimental motherly side comes out of nowhere on me. Or maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones. Either way, I'm really excited to join them this weekend and see if the little man has learned some sweet moves.
My sister has been doing this activity from Lil Light O Mine with her daughters to help them get in the Giving vs. Getting spirit this Christmas season. Yesterday we were the recipients of an awesome note from the Squirt fan club(number of members - 1. Cousin Kate.) telling the Squirt how much she liked coming over to his house and having him chase her. Honestly!
I love all the ideas Lil Light O Mine has. They are simple, doable things that help teach kids the joy of giving. So we decided to jump on the bandwagon and bring some Christmas cheer to our local children's hospital. (Which just so happens to be where Aunt Anna works.)
The Squirt and I mixed up some peppermint bark, dipped some buckeyes and then went to town decorating Bakerella's gingerbread heads(which turned out SO cute I squealed. For real.) to take to the nurses at the CHOA ER, who have been earthly angels to this family on two occasions already in our short time with kids.
It was really fun to talk to Squirt about what nurses do and why we were making goodies for them. He totally understood by the time we got to the hospital why we were there and what we were doing. Not to mention it was really fun to see Aunt Anna at work and see all the fancy ER equipment.
If you're looking for some fun (and easy. Seriously. You do not have to decorate cookies...) ways to spread Christmas cheer in your neck of the woods, check out Lil Light O Mine's Light 'Em Up Idea List. There are tons of great ideas even if you don't have kids!
Hard to believe a year has already passed with this little one. And yet I have truly felt every day of the past 365. The days are incredibly slow but the years go quickly someone told me once. So true.
Sweet B has been a challenge for us in many ways. She was a spitter. Remember this?? She wouldn't touch a bottle until she was 4.5 months old. She has been an early riser from the get go. She sleeps fitfully and teething has been a bear to endure with her. She HATES being alone. She wants to be held (preferably by mom) 24/7. Generally speaking if she's in her car seat she's screaming at the top of her lungs.
But when you put her in any kind of childcare the report is always the same, "she's so sweet!" or "We just love her!" so she clearly has a few endearing qualities as well...
She has an infectious giggle. When she smiles I think my heart will break. By the grace of God she's walking already. (I can't imagine carrying around a 16 month old when I'm 9 months pregnant.) She learned to communicate much earlier than the Squirt. She gives kisses and high fives and waves buh by to Da Da. When she and the Squirt actually play together I feel every bit as privileged as I am to stay at home and watch them grow up together.
We celebrated her first year with us this past Saturday with our families. Since it was the SEC Championship game that day for Georgia I decided to just go with it and we had tailgate food, a football cake and gave out footballs to my nieces as party favors.
It's killing me that I am making a bunch of gifts this year and can't share the awesomeness with you guys in advance. (Approximately half my followers are also family members and will be on the receiving end of my craftiness.) So I wanted to share some of my favorite things I've seen across blogland that I will not be making myself this year. All B Daddy wants is a finished slipcover and he's not even getting that...
Are you giving any homemade gifts this year? Is your shopping done already? (If so, I hate you.) I'd say I'm about 40% there. If you don't count all the half-finished projects. If you do...I'm probably sitting at about 10%.
Just wondering how your Christmas decorating is going. I've had a lot of help over here and our decorations are already starting to show a bit of toddler lovin'.
Frequently right, oftentimes wrong, but never without an opinion. I'm a big believer that God writes a better story every. single. time. I am continually surprised by the joy this crazy life brings. You should probably know I occasionally swear in front of my kids.