I Am Old

This Christmas season I can honestly say I only went to the actual mall one time. There were many small reasons that had kept me from going to the great and spacious building, and I was able to find what I was looking for at places I needed to go to anyway.

Christmas was approaching and my mom had sent me some money to buy the kids some clothes from her. I had found something for the boys, but I still had not found anything I liked for Emily. So the Tuesday before Christmas I finally went to the mall. As I looked from store to store I realized that one of the reasons I was not finding anything is because the 80's are back. While There has never been a better decade for music, the clothes should never be seen again, and lets not even mention the hair. Needless to say I started to feel a little old.

I ended up finding an outfit that I though Emily would like and headed back towards my car. Suddenly the cheap tacky jewelry store in the mall caught my eye. Emily had started wearing a few pieces of jewelry and I thought she would love a few more pieces. She is 10 so tacky is very in. I walked around the store and picked up a few things, but I was not really sure what was "in" right now. The bangle bracelets and slap bracelets were in many different colors and places in the store so I picked up a few. I also found a really cute bead bracelet.

Then I saw a girl who looked like she was Emily's age shopping with her grandma. She looked like a nice girl so I asked her how old she was. I was right, she was 11 and in the 6th grade. So I showed her what I had picked out and asked her if she would like to get any of them for Christmas. The look she gave me had confirmed what I had been thinking this entire shopping trip, "I AM SO OLD"

She pointed to one of the bracelets and said, "If those are the things I have to choose from I would want that one." I knew then that all of them were wrong. So I said "If you could have anything in the store what would you want?" She then took me to some bracelets and said "these." The shop keeper had caught on to our conversation and told me that she was having a hard time keeping those bracelets in stock they were so popular.


Then I noticed another bracelet that I liked and I asked the girl if she thought my daughter might like it. She asked me what grade my daughter was in. When I said the 5th grade she said, "Yeah a fifth grader would like that, but a 6th grader wouldn't." She then suggested that maybe I should just get a gift card. Not wanting to get anything that was out of style I put it back and bought the bracelets the girl had shown me.


Then I walked back to my car knowing I was old and way out of touch with the teenage world.

I was so happy when Emily opened the bracelets on Christmas morning and loved them.

At least she still thinks I know what I am doing.

Christmas Highlights

We started off our Christmas celebration at Ryan's parent's. After a yummy dinner and our Christmas program,
The Mysterious Stranger stopped by and left pajamas on the porch for the kids.

For some reason the feet in Joe's pajamas were too short. Grandma came to the rescue and cut them off for him. He was sad about it at first, but by Christmas morning he was over it.

After the kids were in their pajamas we went for a ride in the car to look at Christmas lights and then headed for home. (We got home just before 11:00pm) Emily, Joe and Josh were all tired and went right to sleep, but Valerie was so wound up from all of the festivities that she was wide awake. So she stayed up to help Santa. Santa left at 1:30 and Christmas was ready, but Valerie was still not sleepy.

(This picture was taken at 1:36 am)

Ryan Valerie and I finally went to be at 2:00am.

At 5:30 am the kids came into our room to tell us they were ready to open presents. We stumbled into the living room ant started the fun.

Emily received an Ipod and I have not seen her without it since it was opened.

She told me that this was her best Christmas ever, because she loved every gift she got. Joe looked at her like she was crazy and asked "Even the clothes?" She told him yes, because they are all the style she likes. I think Joe still thinks she is crazy. He did not like getting clothes.
Joe had asked Santa for a Castle and for the DS game Starfy, My parents had given him the game for his birthday so he told me on Christmas Eve that he hoped Santa was going to bring the castle. Lucky for him he did. Joe was so excited.

Because Joe had asked for a castle ,Josh did too. So Santa brought him a different kind of castle. I knew Josh didn't really want the castle, but he always wants to be like his brother. I was right because Josh spent the rest of the time unwrapping his presents and wondering where his Geo Trax Airplane was.

He had never asked Santa for it, but we saw it in the store one day and he drooled over it. I had already bought it for his birthday that is a couple of weeks away, and I was tempted to get it out for him, but I felt like he

already had enough.

He ended up loving his Castle and that night he, Emily and Joe all had a sleepover in it.

Valerie loved Christmas. She loved the party's and all of decorations, but she didn't really get the present part, and I didn't expect her to. She was not too interested in what was in the wrapping paper, but she sure liked to eat it.

My favorite gifts this year were the board games we received. I have had lots of fun playing with my kids and reintroducing them to things that don't require a controller and does not make lots of noise so you can talk to each other While you play.

It was a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Spirit

There are a lot of funny things my kids say. I find myself laughing an awful lot when I hang out with them. Some are things I can share on my blog, and some I have to keep to myself and teach them that it is not nice to say things like that, as I try as hard as I can not to laugh.

Like most parents around Christmas time, I have been using the old tactic of telling my kids they need to be nice and have Christmas spirit or Santa won't come, in order to get them to do things and behave. I never expected it to turn on me................

About a week before Christmas I had bought a couple of grapefruits for us to have for breakfast one morning. That afternoon the kids came in and told me they were hungry. I told them to get and apple or an orange from the fridge for a snack. As they were heading towards the fridge I remembered the grapefruits were in there and I knew they would want to eat them, but I was saving them for breakfast. So before they could even ask I greedily said, "You can't eat the grapefruits. Those are mine."

There was a little bit of complaining because like I suspected they would have asked to eat the grapefruits, but they got their apple or orange and didn't mention it again.

The next few days breakfast was a whirlwind as I rushed the kids off to school for their last couple of days and I headed out to do a few last minute Christmas errands. The grapefruit were completely forgotten by me and my kids. Then on Wednesday Joe came home from school and was getting ready to go sledding with his friend Charlie. I wanted him to have a snack before he left so I told him to eat and apple or an orange before he left.

Joe went to the fridge. Then he came out holding a grapefruit and said, "Mom, why don't you get some Christmas spirit and share one of these."

I went into the kitchen to cut up the grapefruits and we all ate them together for a snack.

Merry Christmas!!!

Thank You Secret Santa

I remember a Christmas when I was 7 or 8 when one of our neighbors did the 12 days of Christmas for our family. Every evening the doorbell would ring and we would find a small package on the doorstep. I can't remember all of the gifts, but each gift included an ornament for our Christmas tree. I remember the anticipation every night waiting to see what came. I also remember trying to look out the window to try to catch who was bringing the gift. The 11th night my older brother was peeking out the window when they came and he was spotted. So on the 12th night the Allred family delivered the package in person. The following Christmases as we hung the 12 days of Christmas ornaments on our tree I would always think of the Allreds and how fun that Christmas was.

This Christmas will also be a Christmas I will always remember, because of the thoughtfulness and generosity someone has shown to us. Unfortunately I do not know who they are, but from the very generous gift they left on our doorstep last night, I know that they know us well and might even read this blog.


Thank you Secret Santa I wish I could tell you in person how thankful I am and how your gift has made our Christmas even more special with the knowledge that we have friends like you.

We hope you have a Very Merry Christmas.

Love

Hillary, Ryan, Emily, Joseph, Josh and Valerie

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

I received a new camera for my birthday last week and wanted to take a few practice shots before Christmas so I can make sure I have the settings right. Valerie is willing to model for me, but it does not take the boys very long to figure out when I am taking pictures and they always try to get in on the action.

My little Elf

Last Thursday Josh was an elf in his preschool Christmas program.

Josh was a little embarrassed to be dressed as an elf, but when he saw the other kids were dressed as elves too he was okay with it. He also warmed up to the idea a little more when he saw that his Aunt Tracy was there to see him.


It is always fun to watch 3 and 4 year old kids perform, and this program was not lacking in the entertainment department.


The entire preschool performed in the program so the teacher called the two groups by their ages. At one point she told the threes to stand up. Not many of them did so she called out "Where are my threes." Then suddenly you heard the little voices saying

"I'm three."

" I'm three."

" I'm three too!"


Then in the middle of the program one of Josh's friends announced as loud as he could that he needed to go to the bathroom. Don't worry he made it.

Josh was pretty shy during the breaks between songs, but when it was time to sing and do the actions he would really get into it.

At the end of the program Santa came.

It was lots of fun.

I love my little elf.