The Christmas Season Vision

This season has gone fast.  I've only done a handful of things I wanted to do.  I half-assed the Advent calendar.  Didn't watch the holiday specials I usually watch.  After forgetting to include one of my children's name on last year's Christmas cards and not noticing it until Lucy asked "why didn't you put JT's name on the card?," I gave up on Christmas cards all together.

There's all that, but Christmas is still a little less than a week away.   There's still time for a throw-open-the-shutters type of holiday morning moment.  Or a heart growing three sizes experience.  It ain't over yet.

However, when I try to invoke that Christmas-y feeling and do holiday-ish activities, it doesn't work out exactly like I envisioned.


"Can I stop making cookies? I want to go play war," said my only daughter.

I guess this does look a little more fun.

The kids are getting older and asking a lot more questions about everything...Santa, elves, "snowdeer" as Wade calls them (get it, instead of Raindeer?)...

"I'd rather have the sex talk," Tim said shaking his head.  He really doesn't want to reveal his betrayal to the kids that haven't figured it all out yet.  Especially to Lucy who still believes with her whole heart in all the magic.  

When we sit down to read a Christmas book or watch a holiday show, it ultimately turns into wrestle mania with the boys.  One of them always gets hurt or mad, always.  And then none of them can figure out why I scream strongly suggest "no more wrestling or hitting or kicking or jumping on each other's heads especially at Christmas!"

"You're not a woman!," Wade screamed at JT the other night as we read a chapter from one of my our favorite Christmas books, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Wade yells this "insult" at his brothers (or anyone) when he's mad at them.  We have no idea why or where he got it.  I don't think he got it watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  I mean he's a really confused kid anyway.  He calls his hips his nipples.  I'm not sure where he got that either. I'll address these things after all the Christmas madness is over.

It hasn't looked or sounded exactly like I imagined it in my perfect snow-globe kind of vision. But it truly is a wonderful life with these weird little confused, violent, but oh-so-cute beings I call my family.  

And it ain't over.  There's still a few more days to live the Christmas season dream.

Did you see my version of Feliz Navidad on my latest vlog?  Yeah, that didn't sound exactly like it did in my head either, but here it is anyway.  Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart!