Ten on Tuesday

1. It's the most wonderful time of the year.  I sing that all the time and mean it about half the time.  Singing it can be a tension breaker.  Reminds me that whatever I am worrying about is really not a big deal.  Like I said, I sing it all the time.  (I even sang it to a stressed out mom at the dentist. Just trying to spread the cheer.)

2.  After Thanksgiving I was super excited about decorating for Christmas.  I got all of the boxes down.  We went to our friend's tree lot and picked out a tree.  I even put the lights on all by myself and it only took an hour and a half.  The kids decorated the tree (pending my approval of ornaments) and then I was spent.  Lucky for me, I have an amazing mom.  She has simplified her decorating, so when I called for her help she loaded up her truck with Christmas past and came over.  Christmas exploded all over my house.  I told her to go big and she did.  It is super sparkly.  Super sparkly is my theme for life.  Thank you Mom for making my house look amazing for it's debut Christmas.   You are the best.

2.  The kids each have a tabletop tree for their room.  Somehow we lost Emory's during the move.  Mom took her shopping and she got a 4 foot tree instead.  She also bought her the new Justin Beiber Christmas album.  It's funny.  I like most of it but rapping The Little Drummer Boy is too much.

3.  Packy was really into decorating his room.  After he finished his tree he started taping stuff everywhere.  I wasn't really paying attention when he asked me if he could use the snow.  I thought it was cotton snow.  It wasn't. It was tiny pieces of snow and he "snowed" his room.  The good thing about Packy is that he doesn't really like a mess so after about an hour he wanted to clean up the snow.  I gave him the vacuum and he took care of it.  Everything else stayed.

4.  Saturday morning one of our friends called and wanted to know if we would be interested in being in a parade.  Um, yes.  So the kids and I went to ride on the Beechtree Supply float in the Bolingbroke parade.  It was so fun.  They threw candy canes and peppermints.  Us moms sat in the middle and made sure no one fell off.  If you have not ever been in a parade you should put it on your bucket list. 

5. Do you know the song Strong Enough by Sheryl Crow?  I have always liked it.  It came out on her first album in 1993 and by this time I was quite aware that I was a handful.  Someone was going to have to be a strong man to put up with my mess.  Jason has proven to be strong enough over and over again.  He would not let me self destruct during the end of my active addiction, as bad as I tried.  He stayed, when leaving may have looked easier.  I love this man and he is for sure strong enough.  (The only part of the song I don't like is the lie to me part.  Don't lie.  Rigorous honesty.) 

6.  I was having my quiet time the other morning and I looked over at the baby Jesus in one of my Nativity scenes.  Sometimes the Christmas story seems surreal.  That a baby was born and lived a perfect life and then died so that I might have eternal life.  A baby. Sometimes I read the Bible and wonder why God designed the world the way He did.  (This is the kind of thinking that makes my brain hurt.)  I just know that I am amazed at the Christmas story, when I actually think about it. 

7.  Did you know there is a Jesus Calling for Christmas?  You sign up and they send it to you by email.  It's really good and helping me stay peaceful.  At least until everyone wakes up in my house.  You can sign up by going here and look for the Christmas devotional on the side.

8.  See the picture above?  That was my first attempt at a Christmas card.  Why is it so hard?  Two of my three were crying.  See the anger in that clenched fist? I remember doing the same thing when I was little.  Christmas cards did not get taken without screaming and tears. I want to break the cycle.  My mom was even at my house trying to calm me and the kids, and reminding me to do it differently.  I think Satan shows up when Moms get out their cameras for "the" picture.  The sad thing is we might not even send a card. (I did get this one of these two hamming it up.)

9. I called a man to come to my house and sharpen some knives.  Guess who came?  Packy was so excited.   He was thrilled that Santa dropped by to see our Christmas decorations.  But he did not want to sit in his lap. (My knives are crazy sharp.  Fruit Ninja sharp.)

10.  I watched my big kids sing tonight in their Christmas program.  So sweet and special. I love Christmas hymns.  I even enjoyed the 5th grade band.  If children singing Christmas hymns does not get you in the Christmas spirit, nothing will. 

11. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less. ~Anna Quindlen (taken from Ann Voskamp's blog)

Another mantra for December.  I am such a get it done person.  I want to treasure the moments.  Create memories by just being with people and not the gifts.  Slow down.  I am going to try. 

12.  Thank you to my sweet friends and my "happy".