December 22

December 22 already!

Our wild, patchy, yet perfect tree is trimmed, the presents are (mostly) on their way from Amazon, snow has fallen in the last week to make everything look cozy and blanketed, and I'm barely wrapping my mind around Christmas being so soon!

Our last week was pretty rough with my poor Nora being really sick last week. A raging fever that didn't let up for three days, doctors visit, antibiotics, finally feeling better a few days after that - it was one of those sicknesses where she only wanted to be held by me for all her waking and sleeping hours. I lost a week a week before Christmas.

But she's on the mend, I was lucky enough to get out of the house on Saturday, and Christmas is still on it's way. Christmas can't be stopped, and that's almost a comforting thought to me as a mom to a bunch of little people who sometimes/all the time thinks that I must do everything before Baby Jesus can come. Seriously, I gotta check myself often because I can begin to operate like a kind of automatron who must get all the things done for everyone OR. ELSE. CHRISTMAS. WILL. BE. RUINED.

But I've had Christmases in the past few years where I was nine months pregnant, six months pregnant, and unable to get out of bed Christmas Day because of a terrible case of the flu, and yet Christmas went on and children were completely happy even if all the cookies weren't baked and each present wrapped perfectly. Christmas really does have it's own joy even when things are going pretty crumbily, and I think that's something I'm just learning even though the lessons were given a few years ago. I'm sure I'll need to relearn it again and again.

Now, even though I'm still pretty overrun with small children and their bubbling excitement that needs to be corralled on the busy days, I'm trying to soak it in because their precious little years really don't last long. I'm really so lucky to have a house full of kids who are completely over the moon about all aspects of Christmas, from Santa to the tree lights to candy canes to remembering every thing we've done before because it's all tradition to them.

It's a crazy kind of chaos where I feel like Christmas week is a wild sprint to the finish. Where I'm cooking and baking, finding fancy church clothes an hour before Mass, staying up late trying to find where I've hidden the stocking stuffers, still staying on top of the never ending laundry that doesn't stop for the holidays, packing for all of us, making sure we have milk -- it's tiring, I'm weary by the end of Boxing Day. It really is a lot.

But I'm going to remember the joy and actually enjoy myself too. I don't want to look back on my children's Christmases and only remember feeling frazzled and exhausted. I want to remember their sweet faces and expressions, that I was happy to see them happy. I want to remember the family dinners spent with our family and how lucky my children are to be part of it all. I want to remember the late nights of wrapping for so many people and then remember hugging and hanging out with them on Christmas Day. And while I watch them binge the littles binge on cookies and chocolate I'm going to enjoy a drink myself.

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Seven Quick Takes vol. 135

Checking in with Kelly because I can't find time to write any other time it seems lately...

{one}

Well, I don't know what happened to this past week but it was a bit of a blur of sickness. A strange stomach virus hit and one kid would go down for a day, then another, then people just seemed lethargic, then there was all the sundry laundry that accumulates when people are throwing up everywhere...you know how it goes, right?

{two}

I've noticed signs of improvement to my mothering through illness though! Improvement! Woo hoo! I remember in the early days of having more than one kid I was paranoid and panicked when any kind of sickness or illness hit. I'd be freaking out about when the next kid would get it, how bad they would get it, how no one would ever sleep again!! It was fairly illogical, but when you have 4 or 5 babies who are all toddlers or young babies it's kinda expected that this is a big deal. Now though I've noticed I'm a lot more peaceful about it. I know I can't control which kid the virus will hit next, it may hit every one of them, we may be dealing with vomit every hour on the hour like we have before, but somehow I'm a lot calmer than I was before and it makes nursing sick kids so much easier. I don't worry as much who's going to get sick next, I just try and deal with whoever's currently vomiting. Present moment guys, present moment.

{three}

However, that's not to say that I didn't lose sleep this week even when no one was awake throwing up wondering who was going to throw up next. Because I did. Because of course I could sleep through kids throwing up and crying and needing me -- I need to remain vigilant, stay awake, lie in constant tension waiting for the next kid to spew! It's one of those crazy things you just can't turn off as a mom, I swear.

{four}

All that fun news aside, I really didn't do too much this week that was too exciting. The weather has been foggy and dreary and feeling a bit more Christmas like. Ask me how many times my two-year old has said "Christmas time is here, Mommy!"? I wish I knew, because it's a lot.

{five}

I'm sending out Christmas cards. Nothing makes me feel quite so old and antiquated like mailing Christmas cards. I feel like I'm participating in an ancient tradition from the dark ages or something. I have to buy stamps?! What?!




{six}

The podcast was back this week! We chatted with Emily Stimpson all about the importance of food and hospitality which seems fitting for this time of year when we all may want to throw a party or just have people over for popcorn and hot chocolate. Hope you get a chance to listen!



{seven}

Since this weekend is Gaudete Sunday we're getting our Christmas tree! My girls have only been asking everyday since the end of November and have been making sure we're aware of this weekend and the promise we made. To be honest with you I kinda love decorating the tree. I'm sure I'll out grow this phase soon, but I do kinda love it. Every Christmas I always start to wish my house was bigger so I could have more decorations...which isn't bizarre at all, right?

Hope you all have a great weekend!

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Seven Quick Takes vol. 134

Joining Kelly and the many better takers this Friday...

{one}

We're doing it, we're living Advent and simultaneously getting all the things done. Right?? Right?? Well, I'm just going to keep telling myself that because then I won't freak out. I feel as if Christmas will be here before we know it. I'm having waves of "hurry up and do it all" feelings. Where does that feeling come from anyway? I'm trying to squash it.

{two}

It's been a beautiful week up here. The daytime highs have been above freezing which is practically tropical feeling in December. This is the first year where we've just shovelled off the small pond/dugout/"cow pond" (as my children call it) in the field in front of our house for the kids to skate on. Gemma has spent whole afternoons out skating which is really adorable. (Don't worry - we can see that it's frozen at least 12 inches deep.)

{three}

We hardly have any snow though, which is also weird. I think last year we were cross-country skiing by this time and we need a lot more snow until we can do that anytime soon. We also usually go out Christmas tree hunting in about 12-15 inches of snow in the woods, but this year it'll be much easier finding a tree! 

{four}

We usually try and wait till Gaudete Sunday to go Christmas tree hunting and really begin decorating. I like a slow lead up in the decorations that way I'm not sick of them before Epiphany. I have a really low tolerance for seasonal decorations. The idea of Halloween and fall decorations out in September makes me batty, Christmas decorations I love but I can barely last a month. Other than twinkly lights of course, twinkly lights forever!

{five}

I have to admit that I feel as if my whole week has been swallowed by online shopping this week. I just don't understand why it's so time consuming, and yet it is. Maybe I'm being indecisive? We don't even buy our kids that many gifts, yet I'm still spending inordinate amounts of time searching and comparing and adding and removing. I honestly shudder to think how much time it would take me to Christmas shop in real live stores. It would be torture to me. I like shopping, but not that much! 

{six}

That all being said, I love reading gift guides. I feel supremely uncreative when it comes to coming up with gift ideas for anyone, so I can't get enough guides. If you've got some or know some that you love send 'em my way!

{seven}

These were really quick I know, I hope to get more time to write something substantial next week, after I'm done with all this online shopping business, get out from under the mountain of dirty laundry awaiting me, or maybe I'll just make myself write and quit being distracted by Facebook, the horrible daily news, and clicking on every Gwen Stefani headline I see. Still praying for some focus this Advent... 

Hope you all have a great weekend!

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