Christmas Week! Birthdays, Christmas, fun fun fun!

I thought we'd never top the Christmas 2 years ago with the dollhouse.  Looking back on Christmas pictures from that day, I realized how Christmas Crazy we went this year.  Those pictures looked like an itty bitty Christmas compared to all we have for this year.  I absolutely can't help it and I feel like they deserve so much.  They are going to freak out.  Haha.  Only 5 more days to go!!!!! (4 for me because Christmas Eve is my favorite!)

Gabe's birthday party is tomorrow!  I gave Emily, Christian, and Ever big birthday parties this year so I decided at the last minute to book a party at Chuck E Cheese for Gabe.  We'll still do dinner for him, but the Chuck E Party will be a little earlier.  Tomorrow will be pushing it a little because of the party, movie, shopping, and dinner but I think I can manage it.  I hope!  It'll just take some very careful planning and watching the time.  Lol.

So much fun planned this week!  Yay!!  Tomorrow will officially start Christmas Week!  Ian only has to work 2 and 1/2 days this week and has 4 days off!  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE his new job??  The only issue I see this week is the kids begging to stay, but we can't help that and they'll have a great Christmas regardless!  They had breakfast with their grandparents this morning and later today if the weather permits, we'll go to the park and to see the lights then a craft!  It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!!

Finishing up I hope.

And I thought Emily was going to be the hard one to buy for this year.  The good news is it was actually super easy to buy for her.  The bad news is She's very expensive to buy for.  Haha.  I tried my best to not let electronics be the focus this year.  I would say it's half and half.  There are quite a few thrown into the mix (for all of them), but I think the best presents are the ones that aren't electronics.  Also, believe it or not, the things I recently thought of ended up costing more than electronics.  I know it'll be great gifts and they will be played with immensely but wow that's one expensive hobby!  Christmas only comes once a year though!  I want so bad to be the parents that give only a couple gifts for Christmas, but I always go crazy with it.  Thank goodness for this new playroom.. otherwise, I have no idea where this stuff would go.

There are only 15 days until Christmas!!  Can you believe???  I feel so unorganized knowing it all has to come together so soon.  I have everything except the finishing touches that I have to go buy today.  The problem now is rounding everything up and getting it in one spot.  Most of it is wrapped and 98% of the things are all in bins and ready to go.  I just have to find the little things here and there that I've bought randomly and stuck in little places all over the house.  I thought we were through wrapping and had it all together until I thought oh no... there's that one bag I put over there... and what about the things up there.. ?  Haha.  It's crazy.

Present talk aside... I bought the food for Christmas lunch yesterday!  Turkeys, homemade mac & cheese, etc.  Yumm!!  Christmas Eve is my favorite because of the suspense of Christmas day looming and the parties and family time.  This year though to do things a little different, we're doing breakfast at mom's BEFORE presents and lunch here after presents.  :))  That way, not EVERYTHING will be done and over with on Christmas Eve.  We'll still go to Regina's and Grandma's of course.  We'll eat dinner at grandma's and come home to read our "Twas' the Night Before Christmas" and open Christmas Eve presents.  Unlike most people, we don't care how late the kids stay up on Christmas Eve, because Santa doesn't come to our house until about 3-4 AM.  I am so excited.. probably more so than the kids lol.  A part of me wants it to hurry up and get here and a part of me wants it to last as long as possible!  Although once Christmas is gone, I'll be dreaming of spring and summer, ready to get in the pool..  ;)

An idea in the making

My dad moved out Sunday.  Christian moved back into his old room and that left us with an empty space.  I don't think we've ever had an empty space in this house before.  It's always "we need more space".  I was thinking of all of the things I could use it for.  Make up room?  No... waste of space.  A second closet?  No... we don't need it.  I kept going on and on about what it could be.  And then I thought... a playroom!  Santa will be bringing the kids so many nice (and some huge) toys and they will need a space.  The catch?  The empty room is through my bedroom so the kids would be walking through my room constantly.  We had a family meeting and came up with some great rules that would not only make the playroom awesome, but also like a reward system.  Homework done and room clean before playing in it.. No playroom after 7 (so Ian can sleep without the kids right there).. etc.  After they see what all is going to be in the playroom, they'll be staying on good behavior and begging to play.  Of course they'll still have toys in their rooms, but this is just going to be the best of the best.  We hope to have it finished by the end of December.  I absolutely cannot wait!

Christmas Time Line Up!

Most of the Christmas Eve/Day schedule is figured out!  Christmas Eve, we'll wake up and bake cookies and finish preparing.  Then off to Nanny Gina's for some fun and after that, it's off to my grandma's house for more fun.  (Last year, we did my grandma's first - we always go there at 6 on Christmas Eve - then Nanny Gina's. But this year since we need the kids to not be getting home so late and falling asleep with all that we have planned.. we're doing Nanny Gina's first, then grandma's, then home so that we're home by 8ish.)  Once we get home for the night, the kids will get to open their presents from us, watch a Christmas movie, read The Night Before Christmas, leave out the milk and cookies for Santa (and the reindeer food!), then off to bed!

On Christmas Day, we'll get up to see the beautiful things Santa left, eat breakfast at Mom and Tommy's house, open presents and then have family over for lunch and more presents!  I can't wait to do all of the fun things we have planned between now and then.  Already have things planned for Thanksgiving Weekend to kick off the holiday!!!  Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Tree!!

We bought our Christmas tree last night (November 16)!  We originally went to Kroger because we called and they said they had their live trees.  We drove out there and lo and behold... NO FREAKIN' TREES!  Felling completely dejected, we were getting back in the car when I thought to call Walmart and maybe JUST MAYBE they might have their trees since they're always the first to get them it seems.  I wasn't entirely thrilled to get a tree at Walmart.  I normally get mine at Home Depot, Lowes, or Rick's Produce because I love having a huge tree.  Walmart's trees are normally puny and not very pretty.  Maybe I'm a tree snob, who knows?  BUT Walmart had one gorgeous tree.  Ian cut the string that held it together and hit it on the ground super hard to make the branches fall and it was like ahhhhhhhhhhh beautiful!!  It's all decorated and amazing!  I love it!

Walmart definitely surprised me this year.  It's very huge and just amazing.  :)))  Merry Christmas!

Let's all care, shall we?

Every year on Christmas Eve since I was born we go to my Grandma's house to open presents and eat dinner.  When we get home the kids open their present(s) from us and we read The Night Before Christmas just as I did when I was a kid.  Two years ago I (or Santa rather) started a tradition where when we get home from Grandma's, the kids have a present from either Santa's reindeer or Santa himself (Christmas pajamas and a treat).  This year, Fisbee has decided since it's his last night before he leaves with Santa for the rest of the year.. he wants to leave them their present.  He found the cutest pjs for them and a little treat.  While walking through the store.. I was skeptical about buying pajamas for only one night.. It seemed like such a waste.  I had to keep repeating "keep the tradition and magic alive".

I'm going to go on a little rant here so if you'd rather not read it, stop here and skip to where it says end rant.  If you take offense to it, then I will say now that I am sorry that you feel that way and I am not writing about any one person, just people in general.  And it is only my opinion.  Also.. if it makes you mad, maybe there's too much truth there that hits close to home so don't blame or get mad at me.  Lol.

I know I've spent a lot on Christmas.  One present alone was $586.  However I do feel that it's worth it.  My children don't get a toy or something every time we go into a store.  They don't even ask.  I think if you buy your kids something every time and they expect it, not only are you spoiling them and teaching them all of the wrong things, but also it makes Christmas and birthdays much more magical when you don't.  We try to teach them respect and how to earn the things they receive.  I don't mind spoiling them on Christmas and birthdays because they are taught to appreciate it.  Gifts and toys, etc constantly is nothing compared to love and being there for them in my opinion.  Not only are we teaching respect, but it's nice that they don't expect to get things for nothing.  And it's also great to know it's okay to go a little Christmas crazy.  :)  Also, we try to teach them to care for the things we buy.  I've seen quite a few people (even adults!) that rely on their parents to pay for everything for them and they take it for granted constantly breaking things and not caring at all!  When you have to earn things and pay for them yourself without your parents/grandparents/other adults constantly bailing you out and replacing things for you, you tend to take better care of things.  Some people don't know or care about taking care of things.  Shoot if my parents paid for everything and constantly bailed me out of bad situations I wouldn't give a rats butt about taking care of it or myself either.  I'm not sure if you blame the parent or the child in that situation.  If one of my children breaks something, they know they lose it and won't have another.  It just drives me absolutely crazy when I see kids (and adults) taking so much for granted.  I see kids today talking to their parents in a way that would leave my with a very sore behind.  It's really sad.  If you want grown up things that your parents buy you then it's time to act like a grown up.  Or maybe the parent shouldn't be buying it.  Just saying.

End Rant.

Okay back to Christmas...
I am so excited to see their faces on Christmas morning.  I am NOT excited about wrapping 70+ presents.  Haha.  I bought a lot of the food we'll be cooking on Thanksgiving yesterday and Lowes said they will have their real trees by next week!!  We're eating with mom and Tommy this year.  I can't wait!  Thanksgiving got a little messed up from the way it was supposed to be because of all the usual reasons, but it's going to be okay and things that were planned can be done on other days.  I think Christian might be opening his eyes to some situations a little more because of some things he said which is kind of sad.  HOWEVER... we have plenty of love and can't wait to share the holidays together!!  I think this year is going to be so amazing and I can't wait to do a little more Christmas shopping today.  I guess I'll start wrapping some presents this weekend so that there's not so many to do later.  :/

Done, done, and done.

I did a final check on Christmas presents today and I have almost everyone covered!  The kids' count came to 28, 24, and 23.  Not too shabby.  I may buy a few more, but even though some have more than others, the costs of things even them out.  I have 3 more people to buy for not including some stocking stuffers here and there.  Now I just have to sit patiently while my last few items come in the mail.. Not easy to do!  I want to see it all now!  Haha.  Most of the decorations are up and I just need to get the food for Thanksgiving this week and our big tree!!  (Well the tree will come next week I suppose.. I don't want it dying before Christmas!)  It was not easy this year, but I think the kids will really enjoy their gifts and it all came together nicely.  EeEeEkKk I'm so excited!!!  :)  Only 43 days and 11 hours to go!!  ...For all of you bah hum bugging me for feeling the Christmas spirit.. it'll be here before we know it and I'll have all of my shopping done and ducks in a row while you all run around at the last minute.  Also... what's wrong with a good feeling so soon???  So stick that in your juice box and suckkkk it!  :)))  Merry very early Christmas!