I like to think of the holidays like a huge storm.  You know, the kind the news reporters hype up and tell us to prepare for.  We hurriedly go out and buy “emergency supplies” to be ready for it.  Then the storm comes and it is just that, a storm.  You either are prepared or not, but after it passes, it’s calm. The holidays really are like that: For months we try to select just the right gifts, decor, food menu, party plans, etc. Within hours it’s over. I feel like the calm after a storm.  However, it is a good feeling.

This year we tried not to get too caught up in hype.  We tried to focus on the reason for the celebration.  We tried to do more as a family.  We tried to serve and give more than receive. We were prepared.  Prepared not to listen to the hype, not to get caught in the holiday snares, not to forget how blessed we are as a nation, family and culture.

Even though the “big” gift giving holiday is over, the holidays still envelope us. We are still surrounded by our families, time, and gifts. My tween reminded me again of simplicity. We had gotten a MegaBall for the family for Christmas. It’s an ice cream maker that you roll around as a family…you can use it camping, as a game, it’s lightweight and doesn’t require electricity, etc. Weird gift, yes. However, when we asked our children what they would say was the best thing they did on holiday break so far, it was, “having a ‘ball’ making our own ice cream as a family.” It wasn’t all those expensive gifts, it wasn’t anything that anyone had asked for, it was an inexpensive gift and time together laughing, collecting snow since we ran out of ice for the outside and creating “the best ice cream Ben & Jerry’s ever saw.”

It made me realize that being calm, organized and prepared far outweighs all the hustle and bustle of not being prepared and stressed.  It was the quiet moments together reenacting the Christmas story, reading holiday books, drinking hot cocoa, watching films together and just the time spent, together.

What are some of your families favorite “after the storm” activities?

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Last Friday the boys wrapped up school and I wrapped up work. It is nice to be able to have two full weeks off with both of them and it is much needed time to re-charge for the winter months ahead. School was full of parties, cookies, movie days and book exchanges. It was topped off with two concerts…one featuring my adorable preschoolers and a second featuring my even more adorable Jake and Sam

Mr. Narrator

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Sam volunteered to be the narrator for the school age concert. Upon meeting my kids you would expect Jake to be the one who would jump at that chance, but it was Sam. He had weeks to rehearse his lines (and there were many of them) and Thursday he finally had his chance to shine. Since he had never done anything like this before (microphone and all) I was not sure how it would go….I was pleasantly surprised.

You would have thought Sam had been speaking in public his entire life. He walked right up, adjusted the mic to his level and delivered his lines. He even turned to watch his brother and friends sing and then he would casually turn back to his post, find his place and continue. You couldn’t see him over the top of the podium but you sure could hear him and it went off without a hitch.

I can see that this experience really built some confidence in Sam. Any hesitation or fear he had did not show and he knows he did well. I really feel that something like this can set a child up either way…to try something like this again or to step back next time volunteers are recruited. I am just very happy it was a positive experience for him and he left that day with a smile and no tears.

Did you child have a holiday concert this year? How did it go?

We will be hitting the road and heading to Ohio this week for Christmas. Each year we make the 12 hour drive to see our parents, cousins and friends we have left behind. While none of us enjoy the long road trip, we do enjoy the time we have once we arrive. The one thing that makes it even more special is some snow while we are there. We have our fingers crossed for a White Christmas again this year.

Jake and Sam enjoying last years NC snow

I miss snow. I can’t say I miss days and days of it non-stop or wind chills below 0, but I do miss snow. I spent my entire childhood in Ohio and I remember the snow forts, snow men, snowball fights…you name it and we did it when the white stuff came raining down. I am sad that my boys don’t have that same experience so if we can get just a few flakes during our 4 days at my parent’s house I would be happy.

Last year the boys lucked out…snow in OH and snow here in NC. Who would have expected that?! I have already been checking the weather channel and it seems we may get lucky again this year….it may even snow on Christmas Day!  Of course, just like the weather here, that forecast can (and will) change 10 times between now and December 25th. I can only hope we get just enough for some fun outside and not so much that we add 4 hours to our car trip

What about you? Are you heading north for the holidays? Hoping for snow?

Around our home, Christmas magic is in full swing!  Life was busy last week wrapping school up and having all sorts of Christmas parties.  It was a very fun week for my tween.

Now, my tween is home from school and we are filling our days with friends, family and lots of Christmas memories.  My kids are excited and enjoying the anticipation of Christmas day.

Today we are getting our Christmas baking done.  I had the kids make their list of the people they want to deliver treats to.  We enjoyed a nice fire this morning, Josh Groban floating through the air and a new Christmas movie.

Christmas is such a magical time of year.  It can also be very stressful for MOM!  I spent the entire evening last night doing the grocery shopping for this week.  The list was carefully and thoughtfully constructed and planned, the grocery store run was long and tiring and then….the groceries were put away!  That is just a small part of all the work that goes into making Christmas special for children.  It is so much work!!

Then, the true magic of Christmas comes alive!!  I walk in on moments like this.  My sweet children who love each other, but often argue, snuggled up in the chair in our room in Santa hats….”with visions of sugar plums dancing through their heads”.

That my friends makes it all worth it.  All the hours of wrapping, cooking, cleaning, preparing crafts and activities for them to enjoy…..that is the true magic of Christmas!!

What are some of your favorite Christmas moments this year?

It was just yesterday that my tween was screaming as I tried to get a picture with her and Santa.  Then she loved him and believed in him and wanted to take pictures, write letters and leave cookies.  Now, well, we have to keep her silent as not to ruin her younger siblings magical beliefs.

It was last year that she questioned his existence.  Then it happened.  I messed up.  I wrapped “Santa’s” gift with the same paper as another gift from us.  The result of an innocent mistake was a confirmation she had long been waiting for.

Many kids start questioning the belief of Santa around 8 years old.  Then more and more children start making fun of others who still believe.  My daughter questioned for a year or so but held out for the magic in her heart.  Then, she was too observant and had too many unanswered questions about the validity of the “North Pole” and people realistically being able to sustain life in the temperatures and environment.  Logic prevailed.

We have been trying to have her keep the silence and she has humored us by slyly smiling as phone calls to Santa (grandpa) are made, letters are written, cookies are made to be left, etc.  She has asked us why we should “deceive” my son with the belief.  Our youngest is still too young to believe yet.  We simply said, “don’t shatter others’ beliefs, we still believe.”

This discovery also led to all the other “magical” holiday fairies’ validity.  Hence, I get handed a tooth and asked for the “fairy money.”  To which I reply, “there is no payment beyond disbelief.”    The sad reality of my growing tween!

Has your tween discovered “Santa?”  How and when do you manage our tween with their questioning minds?