Christmas

           This morning I realized I haven’t posted for more than a week.  I had no idea that the time was slipping by me so quickly.  During that week we celebrated my Mom’s birthday, and Jeff’s birthday and finished getting ready for Christmas.  It really is sort of a whirl wind of a week.  And a big part of our Christmas is on Christmas Eve and I was determined to have a semi-day off for Christmas Day.

            All of us moms know that from the moment we gave birth until the moment we die we will be “on duty”  or at least “on call”, that is what we signed up for and it’s the Best Job In The World.  But there are parts of that job that we would like a break from every now and then.  So I set out on a week of cooking, cleaning, wrapping, baking and decorating determined that I was not going to have to do any laundry or major cleaning on Christmas Day and could just enjoy the time with my family.  (Taking a day off from laundry is a big deal around here.)  By late afternoon on Saturday the house was neat and tidy, all the laundry was done, the gifts were wrapped, and the boys were dressed up and ready for church.  Mission accomplished.

            Jeff had been on a similar mission only his involved work and farm.  By the time he drug himself in from the barn to get ready for church he had been awake for nearly 24 hours straight.  So it’s no surprise that he fell asleep at the kitchen table with his dinner. (Thankfully not in his dinner.)   An hour or so nap later we gathered up the kids and headed to my in-laws for their Christmas celebration. 

            For those who don’t know, Jeff is the oldest of six and they all have kids of their own now.  So when everyone gets together it’s a crowd.  There are eleven kids from 1 to 13 all running, playing and trying to be heard over the crowd.  Then Jeff and his brothers get out the A Christmas Story monopoly board to start their annual game.  It’s always loud and chaotic.  Then, generally sometime around midnight, we gather up our kids and head home. 

            This year Shane, my early riser, slept in, and left all of us sleep in, until 7:30AM.  A rare treat in this house to sleep so late.  Then we all gathered around the tree downstairs to open our gifts and watch A Christmas Story.  The movie is a family favorite and has become part of our tradition. 

            Ever since our boys were really little we started staying home on Christmas Day.  It was just too much to take two small children all around the county making 5 stops, missing naps, and not getting to enjoy all the new toys they just received.  So we stay home and have an open invitation to anyone who wants to see us on Christmas Day to come to our place.  Usually it’s just my family, which has gotten a little smaller over the years, who comes but sometimes a few friends and neighbors come over too.  This year it was just my Mom & Dad.  We had a wonderful time.  We got to visit with my sister and brother-in-law in Germany via Skype.  We played the new board games and Wii games that the boys got and exchanged gifts.

            Dinner was a collective effort this year.  Mom made a pork loin and cranberries and brought over.  I made the rice and vegetables.  It worked out great!  Neither of us had too much work to do and we all have a good dinner.  We had a wonderful time!  It was calm and relaxing just visiting with each other and playing with the kids.  Just spending time enjoying our family.  That is definitely my favorite way to spend Christmas.    

            I even managed NOT to have to do any laundry that day.  Believe me I’m playing catch up because of it now, but it was totally worth it. 

            I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  I would love to hear how you spent the day and what your traditions are. 

It feels like Christmas now

     

It took me a little longer to find my Christmas spirit this year.  With all that has been going on with the farm and the brutal work schedule Jeff has had it was just too busy to really FEEL like Christmas time. 

We usually take the boys to his Mom’s or mine and go to town together to do our Christmas shopping.  At least the last bit of it, I’m one of those people who will start picking up Christmas gifts throughout the year as I see things that would be good.  This year he just didn’t have time.  So the boys stayed with my Dad, and Mom & I did the shopping.  Don’t get me wrong Mom & I had a great time, (I think the people at Staple’s think we’re nuts because of how we got to laughing.) but it just wasn’t the tradition that I had gotten used to.

This past week we were finally able to get to Kraynak’s to see the tree display and let the boys pick out their ornaments.  We take them every year.  Jeff and I have an ornament with the year on it for every Christmas we have been together.  There are 16 of them now.  And every year we get each child an ornament.  I put their name and the year on the back.  Then someday when they grow up and move out they can take their box of ornaments with them for their tree.  I was starting to think I was going to have to take the boys myself this year.  I’m so glad that didn’t happen, it just wouldn’t be as fun if we didn’t go as a family.

Yesterday I got all of the wrapping done.  Since the boys know about Santa this year that was much easier.  I went back in my room and I told them, “I’m wrapping presents.  You can come back here if you want but then you won’t have surprises.”  No one came within 10 feet of my bedroom door.  So by the time Jeff got home from work & farming the gifts were wrapped and the food in the crock pot was ready for supper.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about him working.  I am very thankful that he has a good job and having the overtime on his paychecks this time of year has been nice.  We are just used to having him around a little more this time of year.

So the gifts are wrapped, the cookies are baked, (although I am going to have to make some more chocolate chip, they never make till Christmas) and the house is decorated, and this morning we got SNOW!!  Now it feels like Christmas.  I can’t wait for the kids to wake up and see it.  They’re going to be so excited.  I love the snow!  It’s so pretty and peaceful looking.  I hope we keep an inch or two on the ground from now until April. 

Books for Christmas

           Every year at Christmas I try to make sure we all get a book.  I love to read and I am working to instill a love of reading in my boys.  JJ has definitely caught the bug, he has a wish list of books that he wants to read that is as long as his arm.  Shane is getting there, but he is still young and reading just isn’t as easy as watching the movie.  Jeff on the other hand is a whole other story.

            I find myself wondering if I should keep getting him books or not.  He will hear about a book that sounds interesting to him, tell me that he wants to read it but once I buy it the poor neglected volume will sit on the shelf and collect dust until I finish what I’m reading, read his book and then tell him all about it.  I don’t really care to read anymore books about farming techniques and practices, and business planning for farms etc.  Only to have Jeff say, “Never mind, I’m not changing anything that I’m doing.”  It’s just too frustrating.  Maybe I should start buying him books that I would like to read. J

            I haven’t quite caught on to the e-reader craze yet.  To me there is just something special about reading a paper book, in all of its low tech glory.  No batteries that need charging, no error messages or downloading problems, and there is something soothing about physically turning the pages and working my way through the book.  When I think about all the sharing of good books that has gone on between my friends and I over the years it makes me a little sad to think that my kids generation may miss out on that.  After all you can’t loan a friend a digital book. E-readers know which files you have paid for.  So the Michel household will continue to read the good old fashioned paper books for a while.

            JJ has a great list of books that he wants to read for me to choose from. He just started reading The Hatchet  by Gary Paulson and he can't put it down.  Shane wasn’t so sure.  I picked up 2 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books for him. They looked really cute.  But I’m always searching for new titles the boys might enjoy.  I’m going shopping with my Mom this evening (That’s who I got my love for reading from.) and I'm hoping we will make a stop at the book store so that I can find myself a book for Christmas.  I’m looking for something light & fun. Any suggestions? I have also decided that this year I am going to read the Bible.  I’ve never actually read the whole Bible, cover to cover, before.  I’ve always just looked up special stories or passages or reader a few chapters here or there.  So this year I’m starting at the beginning and read the whole way through.  Well, at least I’m going to start it this year; I’m not sure how long it will take to read it all. 

Battle

         

The battle has begun, just as it does every year about this time.  Old fashioned as it may be I love to sew and cook and bake.  This time of year the baking is kicked into high gear not only by me but by most of our friends and family, so the battle to remain capable of fitting into my current wardrobe begins.  Everywhere we stop lately there are tasty treats to indulge in, cookies and candies, many of them home made, all beckoning to me.  Then of course there is all the recipe sharing, because once we tasted these fabulous morsels I must be able to recreate them for our family again later.  That is of course for one exception, cheese cake.

My Aunt Rose has a fantastic cheese cake recipe.  It is the absolute best I have ever tasted….I sooooo love it.  That being said we all know that there are about 6 billion calories in cheese cake so I cannot ask for a copy of that recipe.  I won’t even own a spring pan because I know if I do someday I will cave in, ask for the recipe, bake the cheese cake and then eat most of it. (I would have to share a little bit with the kids.)  No this battle is difficult enough without the possibility of having an entire cheese cake in my fridge.

Every year I say, “I’m only going to bake a few cookies this year.”  Then that turns into half a freezer full by Christmas.  Oh well, I guess I’ll just be spending some more quality time with the treadmill and the Wii fit.  Perhaps Santa can bring me some new sneakers?

Sad Situation

          Over the course of the last week I have heard and read a lot about Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar.  There have been several reports on the news and online about the family and the loss of their soon to be 20^th child.  I am amazed by some of the insensitive and ignorant responses that some people have posted.  The Duggars are real people who have suffered a real loss. 

          I realize that not everyone wants to have a large family for a multitude of reasons, however those that do have large families should not face constant criticism for it.  I have seen posts where people are saying that Michelle Duggar should not be “allowed” to have any more children.   Allowed!  Really!  And just who do these people think they are that they would presume to tell another woman how many children she can have?  For that matter where are all these “Pro-Choice” people?  This is her “choice” to embrace all of the children God sees fit to give her.  So why do they only want women to have the freedom to “choose” when they are choosing not to have children? 

          I just don’t see how people can get so put out when they are told what to do or how to live yet feel that it is fine for them to do it to others.  None of us is perfect.  All we can do is try to live our lives the best way we know how.

          I give the Duggars a lot of credit.  I couldn’t handle a family that large financially or in terms of patients.  (I know my limits.)  What I have seen of their family on TV, the kids all seem to be well mannered, kind, caring and well adjusted.  And they are taking care of their family themselves.  I have not once heard of them taking any kind of public assistance.  So why all the negativity? 

          I don’t expect everyone to like the Duggars, but they have suffered a loss.  And how would any of us feel if we had just miscarried a baby and found the internet blowing up with nasty, hateful things about our family?  I guess I just feel that if you can’t say something nice, (especially if the situation is already painful) you shouldn’t say anything at all.

Where does the time go?

             Where does the time go?  That seems to be a question I ask more and more these days.  It seems as though every year flies by faster and faster.  As I wrote out our Christmas cards this year I kept thinking of how many times we said, "We'll have to get together soon."  with our friends only find that it impossible to get our schedules to allow for visits and play dates on a regular basis.  And this time of year it gets even worse.  All of us rushing around Christmas shopping, planning or attending holiday get togethers....run, run, run... I have my little list of things I want to do each day and never quite seem to get to it all. 

              Then there's the kids.  It seems like 10 minutes ago they were babies.  Now they're in the 4th and 5th grades.  How did they possibly grow so fast?  I know this is asking for the impossible but I wish I could find a way to slow our lives down a little so we could have more time to enjoy them.

               I know these posts have been pretty short, but right now I'm doing good just to get this done.  Maybe after Christmas it will get easier to take a few minutes to sit down and write. 

Gifts App

          This year Jeff got me an iPhone for Christmas and has given it to me early.  Anyone who knows me knows what a geek I am and how I delight in all things electronic.  (I think I get that from my Dad.)  So I have been spending some time figuring out all the things I can do with this new gadget and what all apps are available.  I am thrilled with what I have found so far.  Actually the first thing I said was, “There a compass in the stock and a thing what tells time!”  But once I stopped quoting Christmas movies I found lots of useful applications that I’m very glad to have access to now.  There is a measurement converter which will help with figuring dosages for calf medicine, a level, a barcode reader that will tell me not only the price where I am but also who has the best price for that item in town, facebook (of course), and my new favorite 1000 Gifts.  I’ve also found many different daily inspirational apps, though I haven’t found exactly which one or ones I think is best for me yet.

            1000 Gifts is basically a way to keep a catalog of all the blessings in our lives.  I think this is fantastic.  As people we keep track of our money and physical property very carefully, why shouldn’t we keep a record of all the gifts and blessings in our lives as well.  After all aren’t they more important?  Especially since there is so much focus on the negative in this world I think it’s wonderful to a someplace to look when we need reminded of just how blessed we are. 

            Of course I am also using this as an opportunity to teach my boys as well.  I gave each of them a notebook, and every night we write 5 good things about that day.  It could be that they had something they especially liked for breakfast or that they got to see a friend that day or a good score on a math quiz.  Whatever they thought was good in that day.  Then when they are having a day that’s not so good we can look back at all of the good things that happen in our lives.  And it’s more hand writing practice to boot.

            If any of you would like to get this app too there is a link on the website  www.onethousandgifts.com

Can dogs get cabin fever?

          I think the dog has cabin fever or at least I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt and call it cabin fever.  This the weather has turned colder the boys have not be going outside to play nearly as much, some days hardly at all.  This is starting to get to Sally.  She wants to go outside and play “Herd the Kids” all the time and with school and the cold weather the boys just aren’t outside as much.  So the dog has started to retaliate. 

          It started out small; a small toy here and there would get chewed.  Then she started to play a little rougher in the house.  I quickly put a stop to that.  One thing I will say about Sally is that she is smart and catches on real quick when we try to train her to do something.  So since running like a loon in the house didn’t go over well she went back to taking the kids toys and hiding them.  Then the other day she knocked down their prized creation, a Lego tower built clear to the ceiling.  Poor Sally was in trouble with them the entire rest of the day.

          The worst of it has been the butchering scraps.  When we first took the barrel of fat scraps and bones out after butchering the other day it didn’t get moved outside of Sally’s radius for about an hour.  In the mean time she was let out to do her business and hit the jackpot.  I think she must have taken ½ the bones in the barrel and buried them.  She has been digging them up one at a time and trying to bring them back in the house almost every time we let her out.  And she has started trying to bury her toys in my flower pots so I had to put all the big ones up high.

          Normally Sally is a good dog.  She listens to me, is protective of the kids, and barks at strangers.  All the things a good dog should do.  So this must be from the lack of activity.  I’m going to have to figure out something challenging to train her to do or get a good toy that will keep her occupied.  I can’t wait to get my mellow, well behaved dog back.

Snail Mail Update

      Well, we're a couple of weeks into our Snail Mail Project and it's going very well.  I've sent 2 letters and I managed to get all of our Christmas cards in the mail yesterday as well.  December 1st is definitely a record for me.  The kids are really starting to get into the project as well.  They weren't quite as sure before but they received their first letter this week and it totally renewed their enthusiasm.  They have started a list of who they want to write to and it's getting long.  They aren't even asking to type them in Word like they do with the writing assignments they get from class.  This is becoming a wonderful experience.