Christmas at 2967

We've imagined this day for eons.  Christmas at our new house. 

You'd have thought there'd be fireworks.

Nope.

Just Minute to Win It Games.

Fresh oysters...

and American Girl dolls.

Christmas Afternoon.

Whew!

Christmas Eve Eve

Somehow it's Christmas Eve. 

And whatdaya know; I'm blogging. 

Obviously things are 'as good as they're gonna get' this year.

I actually did better than I thought I'd do by this point... given the circumstances.

It started on Christmas Eve Eve.  Yes, the night before Christmas Eve.  As I climbed into bed it was one of those ultimate tired/super comfy/ I can only grunt to communicate types of exhausted. 

That should have been my first clue.

I didn't mention Molly's been fighting a mean fever since Monday afternoon and therefore has been as thirsty as an Anderson girl in July. 

At 10:18 I woke to, "Moooommmm, mooooooooooom!"

As I reach the girls' room, "Water" was declared.  That meant I had to go back downstairs to fill a glass, then back upstairs to deliver the glass, then back downstairs to go back to bed.  However, once I reached Molly with the water glass, Maisie decided she was thirsty too.  It was temping to use the same glass, but I knew it wouldn't be in my best interest given the germs marinating in Molly's system.

Fast forward to 11:22.  "Mooooooommmmm, mooooooooom!"

I reach the girls room again to discover Molly lost her 'nigh-nigh'.  As I feel around her bed in the dark, I locate the nigh-nigh next to her pillow. 

Ugggg.

Fast forward to 12: 06.  "Moooooommmmmm, mooooooooom!"

Now she's pissed the bed.  It's somehow gone through the rubber pad under the mattress pad and soaked the mattress. 

Again, ugggggg!

I return the our bed which suddenly smells like fart and try to fall back to sleep under a tunnel of clean air beside the comforter.  

Fast forward to 3:40.  "Mooooooooooom, moooooooom! 

"What?"  I holler.

"I'm barfing".

"Mike, your turn."

Ross was puking.  Of course Ross felt the need to re-hash every moment of the ordeal; out loud.  Mike asked how he was feeling and he replied, "I just wasn't expecting to puke tonight!" Turns out his biggest concern during the actual puking process was keeping the puke pieces off his teeth. 

Mike returns to bed and continues to fart... 'something from the depths', as he described it with a giggle.  I'm tired and pissed as this is the 3rd or 4th time this night our bedroom has smelled like stale shit.  As he goes in and out of silent-laughing hysterical mode, he had the nerve if I was proud of him for not 'fluffing' the covers.

Finally morning arrives and Molly's dry heaving.  She finally pukes in a bucket which Kuda quickly becomes obsessed with.

Yep, it's Christmas...Christmas with kids. 

As trying as it is, I know Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them. 

And therefore, I think I'll keep 'em.

May gratitude always fill your hearts,
Heidi

 

Genetics

Because I knew it was in my DNA to be able to make these.  So I did.

As GG would say, 

"Genetics.  It's a powerful thing."

Christmas Countdown

Here we are, 3 days before Christmas.  I wanted to put red bows on the outside of the house.  I wanted to hang Christmas lights on the banister of the loft and maybe even on the porch pillars.  I wanted to write and send Christmas cards and make an assortment of Christmas treats.  I want, I want, I want.  I sound like a spoiled brat.

Instead I sit next to Molly who came home from school with a fever.  I'm up to my eyeballs in broth and am struggling to come up with stocking gifts each morning that aren't too corny.  This morning I actually shopped the snack basket in our pantry.  Ross was on to me when he pulled out fruit snacks from GG's Christmas and rolled his eyes at me...

I went hunting for cleaver stocking stuffers today and discovered if you have girls, you're golden. If you have a boy who doesn't happen to be into Star Wars, your screwed.  Ross will be looking at Sour Patch Kids gum, lip balm and gummy life savers in the days to come.  I guess it's better than coal. 

As I exchanged $2 in the pasta isle of Fareway this afternoon for a shirt for Maisie off the Winterset Online Garage Sale site, I made a comment to a stranger about all the Holiday madness.  She laughed and said, "We do it to ourselves.  We're all nuts". 

Perhaps she's right.  Perhaps we do bring stress upon ourselves.  Perhaps we're all a little bit nuts.  I've decided I'm okay with that.  I come from a long line of 'nuts' when it comes to Christmas and I've got pictures to prove it.  Therefore, I think I'll pour another glass of wine, stir the broth and revel the fact that I get to sit next to my Moo while the pine-scented wax melts in my Scentsy.  I may not have the time to make this Christmas as "Pinteresty" as I'd like.  But I also know there will come a day when I will.

Until then, pass the nuts.

Reminice (or however you spell it)

Two years ago....

Beyond the fact that their lips look chapped... they look the same.

This was the last Christmas he'd believe in Santa. 

"Ouch", says my heart.

My baby girls.  Ignore the fact that Maisie's wiping.

2 years ago. 

Makes me wonder what 2017 will look like...

60 Preschoolers

I'm supposed to be writing final exams for next week.  Instead I'm busy finishing up Holiday Parties for 'Heidi's Kitchen' events and drinking too much coffee at school.  The coffee is LOADED with caffeine.  Apparently it's giving me lots of ideas.

I spent Thursday baking sugar cookies with 60 preschoolers.  60 preschoolers PLUS my high school students.  Eye-Yay-Yay.

Fortunately, I teach in a 1-A school.  That's short for "small".

That also means Molly attends the same school building I teach in. Therefore.... Molly was able to be one of the preschoolers who made cookies in my classroom on Thursday. 

There's something about mixing preschoolers with high schoolers which brings out the mystery in both.  The preschoolers bring their innocence and playfulness to the classroom which carries over to the high schoolers. 

It's exhausting, funny and weird.  I love it.

Wednesdays with Maisie

Wednesday morning with Maisie...

In my past life I was either a chicken, cat or dog. 

Because I'm good at chicken noises and

cat noises and

I like dog treats.