Merry Times

I heard on the radio last week the difference between happy and merry.  Happy can involve luck, but is generally related to satisfaction and contentment.  Merry is marked by festivity or high spirits.  So, I feel like merry is a more fitting word to use to describe our holidays this year.  There was A LOT going on between December 21 and December 25, but we still managed to be merry (for the most part).

It started Friday night with El Monstero for the parents and a fun night at home watching movies and playing video games for the kids (this is a big treat for them).

Then, we opened gifts with Nana and Papa at our house on Saturday. It was a very relaxed and enjoyable visit.  The kids are even getting old enough now that while they played with some of their new toys, the adults got to sit and talk for a bit without constantly interruptions. 

We headed to Greenville on Sunday for time with the York clan to celebrate both Christmas and my grandparents' 70th wedding anniversary.  It was a long day, but it was an amazing milestone to celebrate for them.  If Billy and I are married 70 years we'll be 93 and 92! It was sad that my aunt Cathy couldn't be with us, so my Uncle Mike got out the iPad so she could still be present when we opened gifts, even if it was with video. I love how technology is keeping us connected even when we can't all physically be in the same place!

On Christmas Eve, we opened gifts with my parents and my brother's family.  It was so much fun, in part because of our matching Christmas pajamas. The most memorable moment of that day was when Audrey and Barrett both opened Lego sets at the same time, and Fletcher wanted one.  My mom handed him another gift to open, and when he saw it wasn't Legos, he pushed it away and said, "I don't want this. I want a Lego set."  My mom then provided a gift that was a Lego set, and then he went on happily opening his other gifts.  It was hilarious, but also a bit concerning to see how stubborn he can be!

Christmas day, we got up and went to Billy's grandmas. That is always a wonderful time, and often feels too short because most people have to leave right after lunch to head to other Christmas celebrations. Fletcher had a great time playing with the box to a toy Barrett got.  He seriously laughed so hard he got out of breath and had to lay down (in the box of course) for a few minutes to catch his breath! We also iced the gingerbread cookies Audrey and I made for everyone to enjoy.  The kids did a great job of decorating them!

When we got home on the afternoon of Christmas day, we opened gifts at home with just the 5 of us.  While we didn't get the kids a dog this year (that ones always going to be the top of the list...at least for Audrey), we did manage to surprise them with gifts they really love and have played with constantly since Christmas.

Audrey got her Truly Me American Girl doll she's been wanting for some time. The hair is just a bit darker than hers, but the eyes, freckles, and earrings are all spot on.

Barrett got a game that helps him practice is hockey puck handling skills.  Not surprisingly, the competition is fierce and everyone is taking turns trying to beat each other (even Fletcher...sort of).

Fletcher got several paw patrol toys, including a little tent for his bed. That gift really was a win/win because he willingly climbs into his tent bed for naps and bedtime now!

All in all, it was a great Christmas.  I feel so very blessed to have so many family members nearby that we get to spend time with over the holidays.  I am also so lucky to have 3 wonderful children who, while extremely spoiled, still enjoy the magic of the holidays and the time with family over the gifts they bring home...well, except the dog that they all still love dearly, even if he's a huge pain sometimes. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

So Much to Do...And So Much We've Done!

The past few weeks have been packed with tons of activities.  Barrett actually said to me as we were driving home for the final time yesterday that he felt like all we did was drive around all day.  Then, I asked him what I keep trying to ask myself, "Would you rather have just stayed home all day?"  And the answer, as expected, was a quick, aggressive, "NO."  Then, we took a few minutes to recount all of the people we got to see and fun we had.  In that spirit, this post is going to recount some of the awesome events and activities of the past few weeks.

Audrey's Dance Recital came earlier than normal this year, but that was actually very helpful. It was the weekend before Thanksgiving, so we didn't have to rearrange other holiday events around it.  Audrey did a fantastic job.  It has been fun to watch her grow as a dancer over the years.

  

The Piano Recital for Audrey and Barrett was the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Nothing gets one in the Christmas spirit like hearing your child learn tp play a Christmas song on the piano, measure by measure, starting in October. This year it was Deck the Halls and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I love the recitals for many reasons. It makes me so proud to see them perform because I know of all the hard work and nerve management that went into those performances.  It is such an amazing gift to be able to give my children this opportunity to learn to play!

Hockey...always hockey every weekend in between all of the other things. Barrett plays and the other kids watch.  I think that's all I need to say about that right now.

Advent Crafting was a fun activity that Audrey and I did together at our church.  She is much more crafty than I am, so I let her do the heavy lifting.  I basically just carried her creations for her. She clearly got those skills from her dad!

We launched rockets with the kids' Lego League teams two weeks ago since the projects this year are focused on space exploration.  We had a couple of mishaps, but in the end we managed to successfully shoot off and retrieve both the boys and the girls rockets.

The Slalom Holiday Party was a nice break or Billy and I to spend some time together without the kids.  The theme was Age of Innovation (think Great Gatsby), so we went all out. I was really pleased with how our outfits turned out.  We looked like we just stepped out of a 1920s speakeasy.

We did Christmas with the Kirchers (my  mom's family) last weekend.  Unfortunately, I was so caught up in chatting and enjoying the company, that I took no pictures.  Seriously...I took none.  Not even bad ones.  It was great to see everyone though. For a few years, we only had one or two small kids, but now we have a bunch (7 under 10 to be exact).  It is so much fun to see them play together!

Parent Participation Week at Audrey's dance school was a little fun thrown in the mix on a week night last week.  I only went to 1 of the 3 technique classes she attends each week, but one was enough for me. Even though I work out a few times a week, I was still sore after the dance class.  I definitely have a lot more respect for how tired Audrey is when she gets home after dance!

Basketball has also started up again for Barrett. He has one practice and one game a week, but with everything going on, it has been tough to make it to all of them.   His speed has improved since last year as has his hand eye coordination.  He has pretty good hustle too; I think he gets that from the hockey.

The St. Louis Symphony did a Home alone concert, and Billy and Audrey went on a double father-daughter date with some friends.  Even though I am slightly jealous, I am glad they got to spend the time together to enjoy one of the best soundtracks of all time played live.

And Fletcher, well, he just gets dragged to all of the different activities.  He is starting to be more assertive about when he wants to go, and when he doesn't.  At least he's still small enough I can carry him (barely)! He's also pretty good at finding ways to entertain himself once we're there.

We've got 8 more days to go until the big event, and there will be plenty more festivities to enjoy between now and then.  Here's to staying merry and focusing on the wonderful gifts God has given us!   

Christmas Spirit

It seems like every year I have a post sometime during the month of December talking about how I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit.  I write about my desire to slow down and enjoy the season and not get so caught up in the business of it all. I always say it, and I always try, and I always do...well...ok...ish.

This year is no different.  Billy has been traveling every week for work.  The kids have activities basically every day of the week (ok, only 5 out of 7). All of the normal holiday activities and events are scattered throughout the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  There is the dog that wants to chew on trees presents ornaments tree skirts garland bows all of the Christmas things. I have to admit, it's a lot and it is starting to stress me out just typing the list!

But, this year, I am trying to take a slightly different perspective.  Why?  Because I can't slow down enough to soak up every moment and embody the Christmas spirit the way that all of the sappy Christmas movies make me think I should.  Instead, I am trying to do a better job of enjoying the hustle and bustle and infusing fun where I can. I guess you could say I am just learning to embrace the chaos and keep things simple. Making the last minute run for something at Target with tired, crabby kids in tow is much more interesting when you act like you are in mission impossible and walk quickly through the store, ducking around the isles. The kids and other shoppers think I am crazy, but I'd rather be crazy and having fun than be crazy mad, yelling at my arguing kids.

I am also embracing online shopping like never before. I used to try to take each child one on one so they could pick out gifts for each other because I wanted to enjoy that one on one time with each of them. It was nearly impossible to find that time to do that though, and the older they get and the more activities they're in, the harder it is.  So, this year, I just had one come to the computer at a time to pick something out on Amazon.  What I've discovered there is that they also are more thoughtful about the gifts because they can't just walk down the isles looking at stuff to get ideas.

I've also been trying on some new traditions for size. For one, I ordered us all matching Christmas pajamas this year.  The kids absolutely love them.  In fact, I caught Barrett pulling his out of the dirty clothes to wear them again. I am not sure if it is because they are soft and warm (because they are), or if it is because they secretly like wearing matching clothes (although none will admit to it, except maybe Fletcher).  So, tonight we all put on our pajamas before dinner, and after dinner, we watched a Christmas movie together.  It is simple and uncomplicated, but the kids loved it.  I enjoyed having both of my boys curled up in my arms while Audrey and Tripper snuggled with their dad.  I hope it's just the beginning of a long-lasting tradition (as long as Billy will tolerate the matching family pajamas). And it wasn't enjoyable because it was perfect or complicated.  In fact, it was so simple that it almost doesn't seem like it's worth mentioning. But, that's the beauty of it.  And that's what I need to do more of. I want to embrace the beauty of the Christmas spirit that exists in the smallest moments, not just the big ones.

So, here's to a fabulous Christmas 2018 and all of the crazy, chaotic, small, lovely moments that it will bring into our lives!