A glimpse into WEEK 51. This is what we've trained for mommas and daddas. The week leading up to Christmas. Here's the view from our house with six kids under twelve.
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| 2016 vs 2021 |
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| Christmas Character Day: Billy & Gizmo from Gremlins |
Intentional Outdoor Hours: 565+ hours (of 1000)
The kids and I are feeling a little disappointed because it has been so sunny - chilly, but sunny and we feel like we just can't get fully into the holiday spirit. We are hoping upon hoping for a white Christmas, but it really doesn't look like it's going to be in the cards for us this year. And I know I've said it before, but I am ever grateful for the farm animals' water buckets not freezing at least - HAH.
Reading The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.
Smiling during the Christmas pageant at church. All the kids did so well and it was really sweet and interactive. We also turned in our reverse advent donation boxes - but of course not until after we got Lucille the Studermobile stuck in the mud in our yard that morning. Good grief, I had to jump out of the van and take the truck to church to make it to the kids' pageant while B stayed behind with the two babies, the two donation boxes and try to get Lucille unstuck (he did after 20 minutes and backing up way into the pasture past the garden -LOL). Never not a circus around here.
Grateful for all our Christmas cards! Thank you to everyone who has sent them - we really love getting them in the mail and displaying them. I am a big fan of Christmas cards snail mailed, even if it seems like such a costly expense and slightly environmentally unfriendly. But I love 'em and every year I think, ya know what - I'm not doing it this year - and every year I change my mind and send them out because it makes people happy (especially our older family members) and because we love receiving them so much!
Gathering with our favorites: Kate, Soph, and Char at our house to watch the Polar Express and drink hot cocoa. Our annual tradition going on something like year 9 or so. The kids are always grateful to get to spend time with each other and in annual tradition- only a few kids make it the whole way through the movie (because everyone else ends up running around and playing instead). It was so wonderful to catch up with Kate too.
Dressing up for spirit week at school. Gem and Violet had different themed days than Grey - but everyone found a way to participate even if we had to get a little creative. Violet and the first and second graders had a beautiful annual Polar Express party at school and then on Thursday, the whole elementary school had holiday games and celebrations. The girls also participated in the classroom gift exchange (I bought them the morning they were due because I totally forgot - oops). Grey got to bring snacks and watch a movie even in the middle school and got extra credit from one teacher for participating in spirit week too - so he was pretty motivated to play along.
Hosting a pizza party at our house with the Jurich family. Our high school friends were visiting from out of town and it was so fun to meet up with them and have all our kiddos playing and laughing (9 of them all together!).
Wrapping gifts with my sisters on Wednesday night. My sweet sis, Kayla, lent her house as the package depot all season so both my sisters offered to help with wrapping because they are literal saints. We had pizza and wine and chatted the whole while. It was exactly what my magic-making-exhausted heart needed. Thank you, scf, love you forever.
Assembling teacher gifts. The three big kids were in charge of making the Christmas simmer pots themselves and they did a great job. We even had some leftover supplies to make our own too! We also delivered cookies and thank you cards to our kids' bus drivers!
Shaking my head at the lunacy of this week. Gifts to wrap! Lists to check twice! Stocking Stuffers to buy! Menus to plan! Spirit Week at school to dress up for! Teacher gifts to assemble! Cookies to bake! Work Gift Exchange! Work Holiday Potluck! Elf Magic! ....oh yeah, and also you still have to do all the regular stuff too: laundry, dinner making, dishes, vacuuming, farm chores, homework, sports practices, appointments. Like; just pretend everything is business as usual, but behind the scenes your hair is on fire.
Grasping at time like always at exactly this week in the year. I feel like my head is in a thousand directions trying to cross of items on my to do list leading up to Christmas Eve. Then Christmas eve hits and it is a rush of gratitude and joy and magic and happiness while Time is whispering in my ear, "Another year come and gone, momma." It's dizzying and overwhelming and so incredibly beautiful. Week 51 of the year is always the one that gets me right through my momma heart.
Sporting with two basketball practices for Grey and one for Gemma. B had a basketball game on Sunday night and then I got the two big kids' game schedule for January so I was able to get that on the schedule in my 2022 planner!
Making my first hot cocoa charcuterie board for our annual Polar Express party with the Fiores. I made some hot sausage dip for our pizza party (thank you for the recipe Becky!). We had copycat Olive Garden chicken in the crockpot over noodles, mac&cheese, and Chinese ground turkey with broccoli and rice. B and I only had one night to enjoy a Green Chef with all the hustle bustle going on; we had Squash & Mozzarella Flatbread. For Christmas baking this week, I made potato candy, Violet helped with snickerdoodles, and Rusty helped with chocolate chip kiss cookies. I also made two pumpkin rolls and B took one to his office holiday party.
Olive is in the cutest baby stage I have EVER seen in my life, and I am living for her pictures right now. Oh my goodness!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the week before Christmas break is INSANE. I have never felt as overwhelmed and overworked as I did during that week this year. So much to do and remember and accomplish.