Tomorrow

Tomorrow is December 1.  Tomorrow we only have 23 more shopping days till Christmas.  Tomorrow starts one of the busiest months this busy family can have.  (I am still practicing my “NO”  from a few months ago!)  Tomorrow there are 3 craft shows and a community wide garage sale at my kids’ elementary school – and probably more I don’t know about.  Tomorrow Lara has a full rehearsal for Nutcracker Dream and I have to buy tickets (current count is 17!) for us and our friends.  Tomorrow the OSU Cowboy football team plays its last regular season game for this season.  Tomorrow sounds scary.  And fun. And BUSY. And perfect.  This is what I like about my life.  The tomorrows that are filled with crazy.  Memories in the making!

The USPS/UPS/FedEx elves have started filling our kids’ Christmas wish lists, and I have tried to find creative hiding places for the boxes.  The weather is looking good and the Husband is feeling better so Christmas decorating is on the weekend agenda.  There is no better time to get in the Christmas spirit, right?  It’s all fun and magical and filled with hope and sparkle!  

Sidebar – speaking of elves…  The “Elf on the Shelf” craze is in FULL FRENZY on my Facebook/Twitter/Instagram feeds!  Here are my thoughts on it – in an Instagram: 

It's gonna be a long December... #elfontheshelf

My friend @hamby71 and I have been working on a Zombie version of the little pesky guy, and my husband has come up with a "Cracker" (what 5 year old Jake calls a Nutcracker) version.  I think it is super creepy - both the elf and the tradition.  And, I have a friend whose Elf now has severe burns from hanging out on the chandelier the other night and almost burning their house down.  Plus, this über busy, full time working, over volunteering, super mom of 4 does not have TIME to play with an elf every night and come up with crazy scenarios...  I do, however, have an amazingly creative and talented sorority sister/photographer friend who does.  She had a Facebook page for her Elf, Moss Moss.  Check it out here.  It won't disappoint my elf lovin' friends!

For our family, we put the emphasis on Jesus’ birth, and what that means for our life, but we also participate in the Santa Clause side of things, too.  In our house, each child gets 3 gifts – much like the Magi brought to Jesus in the form of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  We try to do something they need (like sports/activity equipment, shoes, etc.), something they want (activity, book, specific toy), and something to share (video game, board game).  As the girls have gotten older, that model has gotten harder to follow, and with Finn being so little, there is not a lot he can share with 10 year old twin girls!  But, we still try to keep it minimal.  Then, they get the “big” thing they really want from Santa (unwrapped, under the tree Christmas morning), and stockings stuffed with fun little goodies (which always includes a new toothbrush, and usually socks!).  The Man in the Big Red Suit follows the instructions of this conservative, tight budgeted Momma pretty well!  (The Grandparents and Aunts spoil them, but that’s their business!)

As far as we know as parents, Emma and Lara still believe in the magic that is Santa Claus.  We think.  Lara asked some serious and pointed questions last year, and I bet she is pretty suspicious.  Emma, who has asked questions, too, but not “deep” ones, probably believes more.  And Jake is still oblivious!  He’s just mad the Tooth Fairy has not had to come see him yet!  But, Britt and I have had a few random (very short) talks lately about what to tell them and how to tell them when they POINT BLANK ask about the existence and reality of this Santa Claus.  The first thing I will tell them is that no matter what comes out of this conversation, they are in NO WAY to relate any of it to either of their little brothers! LOL!  I came across this blog post on Cozi.com again today.  The Truth About Santa | Cozi.com  (Cozi.com is the family calendar web based software I use and LOVE!)  I remember reading this blog post last year, and I think it does a god job of relating what I want to tell my kids.  And the first few comment threads are full of good information as well.  Read it, and see if it might help you when the BIG QUESTION comes up at your house!

So, as we hurl towards 3.5 weeks filled with hot chocolate (although not here – it’s like 73 the next 6 days!), ornament exchanges, work gatherings, Dirty Santa parties, plays, ballets, sporting events and kids on sugar highs from the fun sugary treats we all found on Pinterest, keep this in the back of your mind.  “Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.”