Christmas Chaos

Every year I make myself a promise to slow down and enjoy the season. But every year I have a really hard time keeping that promise. It is so easy to get wrapped up in gift buying and decorating and class parties and work parties and ornament exchanges and cookie making...did I mention the gift buying? Then you gotta wrap those gifts and mail them off (one day I will learn to buy ALL out of towner gifts online so I don't have to deal with the post office- but alas I have not fully learned that life lesson yet). It just seems to never end! I know a lot of it is just where we are in life- two elementary aged kids- so the Santa thing and the class parties are part of life right now- and I don't want to rush through it. I already have one who has lost a bit of that Christmas magic twinkle in his eye, I know before long I'll be the mom of two kids who have figured it all out. But I what I can't seem to figure out is how to get things done without all the stress. Is it possible? Or is it just the nature of the beast? It's important for my family to enjoy the stuff that goes with the secular Christmas- the cookies and the gifts and the cards and the parties, but I also want my kids to understand and honor the true meaning of the season as well... it takes effort to get all that information in! LOL! Hopefully I will figure things out year by year. Maybe by the time they are in college I will have my Christmas act together.

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Those words just don't hold the power like they once did. There was a time when you mentioned Santa and the boy automatically stood at attention, said please and thank you, was kind to his sister, and got this excited twinkle in his eye as visions of sitting on the big fella's lap and sharing with him the long list of toys he spent half the year making in hopes that Santa would leave all those goodies under the tree. I started humming the tune yesterday while walking through Target (who already has half the store covered in holiday cheer)and all I got was rolling of the eyes. Yep. No longer the automatic call to attention, no excited twinkle in his beautiful green eyes. Just good, ole fashioned, 'tween eye rolling. I'm pretty sure the mystery and thrill of Santa was cracked a couple years ago, but at least he amused me and played along. But yesterday it's like I got the official "I'm over that" sign. The make no mistake- Santa is not coming to town- look. It was subtle yet clear. All I could do was sigh. And keep singing.

Rants from a NON germaphobe

When did we as a society turn into such germ phobics? I turned on the tv this morning and saw, within five minutes, a story on a morning news show about how your surroundings could be making you sick because...(gasp with horror and cue doom and gloom voice)there are GERMS on doorknobs! I know, I know- don't EVER touch a doorknob again- ESPECIALLY in a public building. Maybe we should just stay home! At the very least, we need to Purell or Lysol all doorknobs before we enter anywhere...maybe we should all wear harnesses around our waists stocked with containers of Clorox wipes. Or maybe we should just wear gloves at all times. So then after that shocking and disturbing news, a promo for an upcoming local news story...they were stopping people on the streets of downtown Orlando and swiping the palm of their hands to test for germs. LOL!!!! This made me literally Laugh Out Loud! So now we are going to make people fear their own hands?!?! Are you kidding me?

Yes- germs exist. And man can they make your life miserable if you catch a nasty one who causes havic- we all know strep, the flu, even the common cold can be no fun to deal with. But when you were a kid did everyone around you constantly worry about germs? Did your mom spray you down with lysol when you sneezed or arm your backpack with a small bottle of Purell hanging from the zipper with directions to sanitize often? Could part of the problem with germs be a really successful marketing campaign? Hmmm...I'm just askin'.

And why is it that when it comes to our bodies we are told you have to exercise it to keep it healthy. You have to exercise your heart in order for it to remain strong, you have to exercise muscles or they will get weak, you have to exercise your brain to keep it functioning at peak performance...you have to put some strain on these systems in order to strengthen them and keep them working well. But when it comes to our immune systems we have to make sure it does NOT get a work-out. we have to make sure it is NOT strained. We cannot let our immune systems have to deal with a germ. We must kill them all before our body has to mess with it. We have to make sure things are so germ free that our immune system doesn't have to lift a finger. Wait- could it possibly be that our immune systems DO need to deal with some evil germs in order to stay strong and function at peak performance? Again-I'm just askin'.

I am a mother of two precious precious kids and I want nothing more for them to be healthy. But I refuse to bleach and lysol them to point where their bodies can't take care of germs on it's own. I think most of my friends would agree that my house is clean and sanitary. I'm not a slob nor do I live in a pig pen. But you won't find bottles of hand sanitizer in every room. And I do not wipe down my counters five times a day with anti-bacterial wipes. I don't own a bottle of lysol. I know...how is it that my family is still alive? Oh wait...how often is my family sick??? Maybe we just have good, hearty genes... Or maybe, just maybe, we have immune systems that get a bit of a workout and, in turn, can actually do it's job without the help of products. I'm just sayin'... Germaphobes may now tear me apart. Just make sure to wash your hands afterwards. :-) heeheehee

Someone said it!

UGH. Someone actually said it outloud. "oh- your son is 10 1/2 and off to middle school next year- those tween years are fun!" (and that was said with a hint of sarcasm). Tween. I have a tween. A child lost between childhood and teenager. Too big for Hallowwen costumes and themed birthday parties, but not quite ready for teenage independence and responsibilities. Too big for playdates but too young for real dates (LOL!). Too knowledgable about things for appropriate playground chatter but too immature to discuss that knowledge in any manner other than silly, goofy jokes. Tweens. I have a tween. No longer a naive and innocent boy. A boy that is growing up and is beginning a new chapter. It is scary, but it's cool as I get a front row seat in watching this once little boy grow into a "guy" (sorry- not ready to use the word man yet...give me a few more years to work on that). I get to watch this personality continue to emerge and his strengths and gifts grow and develop. It's sort of fun to see what gifts and abilities God has blessed him with and watch those grow and begin to get used. But still...it is true. It was said aloud. Tween. I am the mother of a tween. Someone get me some valium for when I hear the word "teenager" Oy vey.

This is it...

I'm back! I couldn't believe I hadn't blogged since the beginning of summer. Been busy, I guess! Ha!

So we're back in school...my baby boy is a mighty 5th grader- last year of elementary school and I'm so stunned by that. We have many magnet middle school programs in our neck of the woods and if we want to apply to one the application is due before Christmas! So I am being forced to accept the fact that middle school is right in front of me. When did I get so old?

My sweet girl is doing well too. She loves her teacher...adore may be a better word. I love how much she loves learning. I hope it stays.

So life is still busy. I am starting to realize that this state of busy is not going anywhere soon. It's just the stage of life. Kids are in all their activities and sports, elementary schools still like parents to be somewhat active (and, of course, I jump in), hubby is still climbing the ladder at work, it's just busy and it will be for awhile. I am working hard to embrace it, because as exhausting as it is...this is it. Be happy in it; the busy schedules, the homework, the hard working husband, the school volunteer agendas, because once it's gone...it's gone. Looking middle school square in the eyes and having to say goodbye to elementary school years for my baby boy is definitely teaching me this lesson. Today is it, we don't get it back!

School's Out For Summer...well, almost

So we've entered the countdown. This is the last week of school for my 4th grader and 1st grader. The excitement is building and their energy level is increasing with thoughts of summer freedom just days away. They have grand plans too- swim 18 hours of the day and eat popsicles til their heads freeze off, sleepovers every week, and stay up until the wee hours of the night just because they can. Cake for dinner, ice cream for breakfast, oh the JOY of summer break! Oh the disappointment that will reign when I step in and have to say those horribly ugly words..."I don't think so." LOL!

But seriously, I am so looking forward to summer. First of all, I don't have to rush around each morning convincing a 10 year old boy that, yes, you still need a shower today even though you took one yesterday, or trying to contain my composure as a seven year old tells me she knows she put her shoes in the closet even though they are no longer there. No lunches to make, no homework to check. Summer is a time for some Mom freedom too!

So here's to a fun, relaxing, non-scheduled summer full of pool parties, a couple camps with friends, a few sleepovers, a trip or two, a handful of popsicle brain freezes and maybe, just maybe, some cake for dinner fun! Have a safe and happy summer!!

Be Still...

So it's been FOREVER since I've blogged. I got busy, discovered facebook (a blessing and an evil all at the same time)and managed to book just about every waking hour with some important event, meeting, appointment, or activity. Who has time to sit down and relax, much less spend ten minutes putting organized thoughts onto a blog? This has been my mindset for months. Lately, the busyness has literaly overwhelmed me. My brain is scattered. My once organized and detailed calendar keeping has gone to the dogs and I am lucky if I remember what month it is,let alone any important details. I have become so busy that although I am doing a lot of things, I am not doing any of them well. I'm not doing the best I can in work, as a volunteer, as a mom, or as a wife. I know it is time to catch my breath, it's time to be still...but how????

How does one "be still"??? How does someone who has made so many commmitments and taken on so much responsibility find time to relax and enjoy down time? I used to think I just have to be patient. I just have to wait out the responsibilities I have at this moment and be concious not to take on anything else...eventually my commitments would run out and I can finally breathe. But here's the kicker, the commitments never cease. I have been much better about not taking on additional activities. I have actually said "I'm sorry, but NO, I can't do that" several times. Yet I am still swamped. I am still overwhelmed. I am still far too busy. My half painted walls are still incomplete, my house is in a perpetual state of chaos and clutter, my floors are unmopped for the third straight week, my three seperate calendars are growing unmanagable, my eyes are tired and heavy and my heart is loosing it's passion to do anything. Maybe it's just spring fever. Maybe, like kids all over America, I'm passing mile 22 in the marathon and am starting to think "why in the world did I start this race to begin with?" (not that I have any experience with marathon racing- nor will I ever have any experience with it- just assuming the last few miles before the finish line would be extaordinarily challenging physically and mentally). Maybe there will be time to be still this summer. That's what I'm telling myself at least. It's the only sanity I have left.