I am tired.

Holy euoihfndklbfkbnhjdsla I am tired.
I think I could sleep for the next week.
Christmas is grand but, man it is alot of work.

One minute your house is clean, your tree is pretty and overflowing with gifts.....
....the next minute it looks like a bomb has hit right smack dab in the living room.

We survived.
There were many smiles and giggles.
A few tears.
Lots of "THISISJUSTWHATIWANTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
and "I wish it was Christmas every day!!!!!!!!!!!!".

While my family opened their gifts and squealed with excitement, I etched the moments into my mind.  I never, ever want to forget these moments because, I know in just a few years it will all be over.

Kelle's friend said it best.  All of these moments are a scrapbook in my brain.  And as my kids ripped open their gifts, smiled/squealed/laughed/played, I recorded those moments in my brain.

Treasures.
My family, and the moments.

Here are just a few of the moments captured.


{I plan on buying my kids matching Christmas jammies until they are 75}

{"Mom, this is just what I wanted!  Santa listened to me!"}


{Dear Me.  Remember this moment always.  Love Me}


{Dear Me. Remember this moment too. Love Me


{Cant she stay 4 forever????}

{Jersey probably would have said "I love you Santa" if he could talk}   Other things that happened * we ate alot of spinach dip toottoottoottoot * Princess drank alot of fruit punch which means every picture we took of her includes a red moustache * turkey coma * Momma got an iPad It's OK.  Be jealous.  I would if I were you. * one of my kids loves his new plaid shirt and work socks so much, he wants to sleep in them..... and wear them everysingleday     And how was your Christmas???????

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli
 

Merry Christmas

Once again the Christmas season has eaten me up and swallowed me whole.
I swore I would be done everything early and allow myself to relax, but, well, I have realized that is just not my style.
I need pressure.
I need to procrastinate until I have no choice but to get off of my butt and get crap done.

And that is what has happened.
Along with being incredibly sad that my Daddy isn't here to celebrate the holidays with us.
He was never a fan of the shopping/wrapping part of the holiday but when the day came, he was just as {if not more} excited than all of us.
I will miss him opening up the packages and putting everything together without reading the directions first.

I feel him though.
I know he is here and in some weird way, it is helping me get through all of this.
I remember last year when he was really sick and we all were praying for a miracle.
He put on a smile and brave face the entire time even though all he really wanted to do was sit in his chair in the comfort of his own living room.

So, although he is not here physically, I know he is still here......without any pain or sickness.
For that I have to be grateful.
I guess.

Tonight as the kids put on their matching Christmas pyjamas. As they hang their stockings and put out cookies and milk for Santa. I will be grateful.
Because no matter how craptastic this year was, I have so many that I love and love me.
My life is good.
My children are healthy and happy.

And we are so lucky to have our very own Christmas Angel.

Wishing a wonderful holiday to all of you.
hugs and smooches

Christmas Decor is not my Specialty

I consider myself a Christmas lover.  I love all things Christmas....especially the tacky music and movies.

I think we have watched Twice Upon a Christmas approximately 27392567834967 times and I know it word for word, but who cares?  It's Christmas!!!!

I would love the season even more when there is snow, but today it was mild enough to wear a light jacket and no mitts.
Whatever.

I do not consider myself a crafty person which puts a huge downer on my Christmas decorating.  If I was organized and creative and rich, I would totally have the nicest house in town.....but I am not and never will be so I am s%$& out of luck!

Anyways, our decorations are simple and easy and...ummm....rustic, I guess.
I enjoy natural looking decor.
I enjoy decor that comes from the earth.  Does that make me a hippie?

We have three trees.
Our upstairs tree is fake. It doesn't really follow my "natural looking/one with the earth" decor, but.....well.....I don't have an excuse except I am too cheap and lazy to go out and buy new crap for it.  Don't judge.  There used to be a colour theme of burgundy and gold but now it is just full of too many ornaments!

Ornaments bought for me as a child and ornaments created by my kids.

Ornaments bought to match the colour theme. And ornaments with Santa photos. Even tractor ornaments. It's a variety and we enjoy it.


Our downstairs tree is real.  It is our "One with the Earth" tree and I love it so much I would make out with it if people wouldn't look at me weird.

{Note to self. Fix the ribbon at the bottom}
Pine cones.  Birds.  Birdhouses. Feathers.
I am totally a hippie.





The third tree is a small, fake tree in an urn that stands at our entrance.
It has been decorated with homemade ornaments that my kids have created at school/home/preschool.
One day I might change it up, but, for now I enjoy the scribble and messy-ness of my kids creations.



My decorating motto.
"When you have no ideas, use balls."
So that's what I do.....everywhere.
In vases. On garland.

In candle arrangements.

Or even in sleighs made out of tree skin.
Yep. Hippie.

Dear Martha Stewart. Please write a book about decorating with balls. Love Momma.

The fireplace mantel is my worst enemy at Christmas.
The garland doesn't stay.
The star falls over.

And I end up in tears anytime someone walks by it and breathes.

I have issues.

Every year since our first baby was born, we have bought an ornament {for each kid} and a book. We now have a basket full of Christmas books that rarely get looked at.
OK. That's a lie.
There are a few regulars, but most are dust collectors. Hmph.
One day my kids will appreciate all that I do........


Throughout the house we have random Santa stuff. If I listened more to the voices in my head, I would buy every rustic looking Santa around and decorate an entire Santa room, but I try to ignore the hoarder inside and appreciate what little we have right now.

Maybe I will do it when the kids move out............

And when Jersey the dog stops eating stuff.

Joining in with Kelly today.  Go here to see more Christmas decor.
And my favourite photographer in the universe, Cecily.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

See my decorating post from last year right here

Our Christmas was full of.......

Excited children...

and parents.

Too much food....
An upset tummy
Some vomiting....
and diarrhea...
And even vomiting ON the diarrhea because there was no time to flush.  Too much info.
Sorry.

Our Christmas was full of happy children...and adults...and even animals. There was family time...lots of memory making.And many smiles.
        I hope your Christmas was as perfectly, perfect as ours was.
Minus the poop soup/vomit/sniffles.
Love Momma