Monday, December 20, 2010

'Tis the Season

to be busy. I never really understood that part of people's complaints of the holidays. Then my kids became involved in their first ever Christmas play. (more on that in a minute). We were runnin'! Constantly. Literally, I used up the same amount of gas in about 4 days that I normally use in a week and a half! We had Christmas parties, Christmas Fest, Christmas shopping, Christmas.....and so many of the things I wanted so badly to do got pushed aside. I'm sad about that.
Christmas Chain. I wanted to make one with Haley. A real one with lots of links-alternating colors. And a star at the top for Christmas Day. With glitter. Lots of glitter. Even though it gets EVERYwhere.

Elf and Owl Ornaments They are so cute! And I think my big kids would like to make them. And they'd be so sweet as a garland kind of thingy.

A Garlandy kind of thing  for Christmas cards and various pictures/crafts. Although in the busyness of the Season people seem to have eschewed Christmas Card sending. That makes me sad. I love Christmas Cards-the newsy, picturey kind!

Drive around looking at Christmas lights.

Make gingerbread people cookies. I've never done that. And I promise, I was going to let my kids decorate their own and not touch 'em. But, fair is fair...they wouldn't be allowed to touch mine either!

Watch Christmas movies. Polar Express, It's a Wonderful Life (can you believe I've never seen that?), A Christmas Carol, How the Grinch Stole Christmas...and on and on.

But my kids were so cute in their Christmas play that it was worth it all. Lindsay loved it. Such a drama queen. Jared....he decided he was going to sit next year out. We'll see. My rule is he had to try it one time. And he had to do it with a happy heart. Then, if he hated it!? Never again. So, the ball is in his court now. He only freaked out a couple of times-due to costume issues. He was way too cool to be in a lion costume. And definitely too cool to have an eye-liner nose and whiskers. (I gave in on the nose and whiskers-baby wipes took 'em right off.)
Lindsay played an Indian Princess (thankfully she got that part because she had a costume I made her for Halloween 2 years ago! It still fit-barely-but it fit!)

I took my camera with me. But my camera stinks. It has a special red-eye feature. It makes sure there are red eyes on every person in every picture. And if you're trying to take pictures in a place like a sanctuary...forget it. It actually takes better pictures in a DARK room than one with overhead lighting like most sanctuaries have. Bah. (Yeah, I've missed pics of all of my kids scouting award's ceremonies.) So, no pictures for you. :(

Next year the plan is to do an advent calendar. For real! Not with gifts so much as with activities. Simple, homemade fun. Things that remind us to slow down and spend time together. I'll be looking for ideas for making or buying (cheaply) an advent calendar through the year so that it actually gets done.

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