It was *that* good

For him, it was a KNOCKOUT of a day:



For her, there were screams of delight, and that's all a mother could ask for:



Until next year, Christmas, when we meet again.

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose

It took me a while, but I realized this year that it has nothing to do with Santa's nose that gets him up the chimney. It's the sugar high from eating all the cookies, fudge and candy that bounces his butt back up that fireplace.

Ironically, after grazing on the 4 essential food groups: chocolate, peanut butter, confectionery sugar and sprinkles, my children begged us to go to bed at 7:07 p.m. tonight:



Thanks NORAD - Santa was a little too close for comfort when they saw him on the web site crossing the pond from Ireland. A little panic set in. Genius.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

My Night Before Christmas tale...abridged version

Twas the week of Christmas and all through the house, the kids were still fighting like two rabid mouse (Work with me, ok?!)

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes of a big snow storm that missed us, how dare!

The children were nestled, all snug on the couch, begging for popcorn, and candy and such.

Mama in her PJs and Dad in his sweats, had found out the Falcons had just beat the Jets (go Pats!)

When out on the lawn there arose such a quake, the girls from next door must be home for school break.

Away from the couch I flew like a flash, tore open the chips and settled down with a dash. The TV glowed like a new fallen snow, but there was still nothing on it that we wanted to know.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but Rob Thomas on TNT in some odd looking gear. With a star-studded tribute to Christmas on hand, I knew in a moment I'd be hearing a band!

More rapid than eagles my snackies they came, and I laughed and I cried when I called them by name:

"Now potato chips, Now cupcakes, Now Reeses and cheese! On crackers! On Veggie Dip! On Rice Krispies Treats! To the top of my tongue, to the pit of my stomach. Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in my gut all the grumbling and stirring of each little nut. As I drew up my hand and was turning around, more treats and goodies is what I soon found.

I was dressed in my stretch pants, from my head to my foot, and I know all that food I could easily put,

In my stomach, down my throat, in my belly with glee. But I had to stop quickly before it fattened me.

So I stepped away slowly and made a big sigh,

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a sugar high!"

If you promise not to tell...

You can read about what I bought a couple of special young ladies in my life for Christmas here: New England Mamas

And can I just add that I am in COMPLETE denial that Christmas is a week away. I just started enjoying holiday music on the radio and the 5th rerun of Rudolph on ABC Family.

Bah humbug. Give me one more week to soak it all in, please!

He's never coming down

That little blob covered in 6 blankets and 37 stuffed animals is my son. And he may never sleep close to the ground ever again. He did tell the Elf on the Shelf to be sure and let Santa know he has bunk beds now, because last time he came he only had one bed. Details, details.

Change of seasons

I know the Winter Solstice isn't officially until December 21st, but let's just talk winter weather for a moment, shall we?

COLD. That is C.O.L.D - as in winds always seem to be blowing and temps keep dipping back below where they should be, according to me.

We put wreaths in our windows this year for the first time, and we keep having to rehang the one outside our bedroom. Kind of a pain, but I'm in a battle with Mother Nature and not backing down.

Now, let's talk other changes that have come with this season.

Teeth. Yeah, back to that loose tooth issue I have with my daughter. We ended up visiting an oral surgeon last week. Looking like she may be having some of the giggle gas to get that puppy out, along with a couple more. Surprisingly, she didn't dart for the door like she does at the dentist. I think the surgeon's soft, slow, I'm-not-going-to-jump-into-your-mouth approach worked. We shall see Jan 6 when we have to go back for the real deal.

But out of that appointment seemed to have spawned a new sense of fearlessness. Maybe she realized she doesn't have to be afraid of everything unknown? Maybe turning 7 last week flipped some switch and she's going to try new things? Maybe she had no idea what she was getting into when she proclaimed on Saturday,

"Mommy. I'm ready to get my ears pierced. Let's do it today!"

I've never had an issue with pierced ears. Not a huge fan of the 3 day old with new studs glistening, but I had always said when she was ready she could let me know and we'd have at it. Plus, makes gift giving super easy when you can always throw a cute pair of earrings into the mix.

So, off we went. And it went far better than I expected. Especially when the first one went through her ear, but never put the backing on, so the nice lady had to squeeze that on by hand. It hurt watching it.



Second one was a piece of cake (for me, anyway) and she's been glowing from ear to ear since she got them in. Her brother has also been glowing because we had promised when he turned 5 we'd put the top bunk on his bed. That also happened Saturday.

The earrings I don't think I'll regret. The bunk bed - I'll let you know after the first tumble down the ladder.

Seasons Greetings!!

Starlight is a fraud

That elf on the shelf that we have - he/she's a fraud. Nothing magical about it at all.

My kids have done the following to each other since he/she's arrival:

hit
pinched
taunted
teased
cried
whined
tortured
screamed
shouted
swore (new phrase from my daughter while doing homework last night was "Suck it". You heard me. Suck it. I think she saw the horror in my eyes and said, "Is that bad?")
whacked
pushed
elbowed
kicked
fought
and all around ignored my threats that Starlight is watching and will tell Santa everything.

So if you are thinking of spending the cash, don't bother. And for those who watched Modern Family last night - can you really follow through on canceling Christmas, cuz I'm just about there?

Happy Birthday Snow Angels

I really can't remember a December without snow. It seems since my daughter came into this world 7 years ago, we've had a pretty significant snow fall of some sort to mark the month. And with her brother following suit and arriving exactly 5 years later, he too only knows of white Decembers.

So my little snow angels celebrate their big day today (up before the sun to open gifts), and head off to school in a fresh coating of snow, reminding me how quickly the winters meld together and the years blur, but the love I have for them is as strong as the day they entered the world. Happy Birthday!

First flakes of the season

This brought a little bit of Christmas joy to our house this weekend.

Pretty, right? But I still can't help feeling that things are a tad off this year. This year was the first year I didn't take the picture of the kids for our Christmas cards. I missed shouting, "Get closer. Stop making goofy faces. Pretend you love each other. Closer. Smile. Smile. Smile."

We went out to choose our tree yesterday and when we put it up it ended up being 2 feet too short for my liking. We were trudging through a mud pit at our local farm (in my favorite UGGS - go ahead, call me petty, but I love those boots) so we sort of rushed picking out a tree and the kids were cold and repeating "Mommy, do you like this day? I don't like this day with all this mud."

We took a horse-drawn carriage ride - around the parking lot - of the local strip mall in town - in the freezing cold - and then visited Mrs. Claus and her very, well, uhm, well, "Elfy" Elf. He was certainly into the role.





To date, we haven't gone to see Ole Saint Nick yet. Every Christmas event we've been to we've missed him by a few minutes (or a whole day) and now the thought of squeezing in a visit to the Mall Santa is not top of my list.

I have no exciting gifts for anyone this year. I can't think of anything that screams "Wait-until-you-open-this-you-aren't-going-to-believe-what-is-under-the-tree-I-am-the-most-creative-gift-giver-ever!" It seems iTunes gift cards just don't solicit that reaction. *Sigh*

I know - I know. Those are all "things" that are making me sad. I'll turn it around. I just need a little Christmas magic and for that I lean on the spiked egg nog sights and sounds of the season.

We attended hubby's company Christmas party last Friday. It was fun pretending to be part of an organization of more than 12 men. I forgot what that was like. My daughter took a picture of us dressed up...then her brother wanted in on it...with the snowman...and I swear our house isn't sinking to the right.



Tomorrow I volunteer at the Santa shopping day for the school. I shall steer 3rd and 4th graders to the perfect gift for their parents - for under $10.

Wednesday is supposed to bring more snow and I'll get out to do more shopping this weekend and maybe something will jump out at me as creative and fantastic as a gift. Next week is the Christmas Show for the K, 1st and 2nd graders at school - that is always so fun(ny).

I hope you are finding ways to stir your inner-Christmas spirit. Share them so I can join in. Or check out what some of the local ladies are doing here: New England Mamas

In a crowded restaurant...

My son asks me, rather loudly:

"Mommy. Was I hatched from an egg?" (snickers from patrons sitting around us)

Me: "Ahhhh. No, you weren't."

Him: "How was I born?"

Me: "From Mommy's belly."

Him: "How?"

Me: *crickets*

Him: "How, Mommy? How? How was I born?"

Me: "It's really not something we talk about at the dinner table at a restaurant."

His sister: "Don't worry. When you get married to a girl you'll find out then."

And that ends any apparent need for me to discuss the birds and the bees with my son, because his future wife will take care of it. Phew.

Stress-ember

You may call it "December" in your world, but I call it Stressember in mine. Why? Oh no particular reason, just a million little ones like:

Two birthdays with two birthday parties

A trip away for work

Yearly Doctor visits

Hubby's holiday party

Tree choosing and decorating

Present wrapping

Gifts for teachers, mailman, paperboy and hair/nail stylists

Cookie baking

Christmas dinner planning

Advent box filling for 25 days

Move a certain elf around the house every night

Christmas card sending

Umpteen fundraisers and charity requests

School picture retakes

Half-day here, no buses there

No-food-allowed gifts for friends in school(s)

Try to remember what night the Christmas specials are on TV

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm nauseous from thinking about it all and need to go rest. But really, isn't it the most wonderful time of the year????