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It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Christmas time again! I can't believe it. I have truly become horrible at blogging. I admit total defeat. I am glad that blogger still lets me have a blog despite all my inconstancies here. Anyway, this holiday season started like all the others and still has caught me by surprise. Let me explain my newly found hesitancy with Christmas time.

Many of you (although I doubt anyone reads this anymore), are aware that Jason has had a lot of health problems the last few years. For the last 2 Christmas and Holiday seasons I have basically been a single parent. Jason has been a great sport and participated in like 3 activities each year, but they have been severely limited with his constantly being on a riding scooter. Plus we always tend to be sick on Christmas. 2 years ago when I was pregnant with Charlie we didn't start our celebration until almost noon because my kids were so sick. They opened their stockings laying in my bed and it was the saddest thing I have ever seen. When this Christmas time came around I looked at all that needed to be done to make it magical for the kids and instantly became tired. Needless to say I still have pumpkins on my porch and no Christmas tree, lets be totally honest here I don't even have a clean place to put it. Instead of Jason having surgery in time for the holidays I have been pretty sick and have just barely started to recover. Plus having Thanksgiving so late really put a rush on the Christmas decorating. I keep telling my kids we will get a tree, maybe this weekend, who knows, there's always Christmas Eve right?

I hate Christmas shopping. I am horrible at organizing anything. My time and my life always seem to be getting away from me. Buying presents is no different. I always want to start my Christmas crafts and shopping in August. I never do. This is the worst I have been, I only have shopping done for one child and it's the 1st week of December! I haven't even bought a single thing for Daniel yet. I don't even know what to get him. Oh well, 3 weeks left. Every year I vow to be better prepared, I am doing it right now as I sit here reminiscing, and somehow I know that next year probably will be about the same.

My kids love Christmas, like all kids should. Really, I do too. I love all the Christmas baking and the going to different places to see lights and Santa. I love the magic and love that abounds all over at Christmas time (except the vacancy of it at places like Walmart and whatnot). Anyway, I shouldn't be so cynical. To try to ease my burden with the holidays I asked the kids what are our "traditions" to see what they expected me to plan and do. Even with young kids they had quite the list! I was surprised when they both claimed they loved going to the Alpine Living Nativity, and the boat "ride" down the Provo River. They wanted to go to Temple Square and Thanksgiving Point to see the lights. I actually didn't expect them to remember anything and was hoping we could just stay home and make cookies and pumpkin bread. Jason suggested buying a fake tree and the kids (and I) quickly protested. Kids are definitely set in their ways at a young age.

I love to cook and bake and the last few years have actually done very little of it. Especially around the holidays. I haven't made fudge in 2 years! We have tried a variety of things to help Jason and all of us be healthier and that has been anywhere from no grains, no fat, low calories, high calories but no carbs, no gluten but lots of fat, and everywhere in between. The biggest problem that has been created from this has been that my kids are addicted to bacon. Bacon has been approved on everything we have tried, except of course the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is where you limit your calories to starving quantities and eat no fat but plenty of carbs. Anyway, that is a rant for another time as there is actually no science to back that up. Back to bacon, so bacon has been plentiful around here the last few years. My kids eat bacon as I imagine construction workers would, by the pound. When we don't limit them Daniel Alice and now even Charlie will eat all there is to be had. So one Christmas we told Daniel we would make so much bacon on Christmas morning that he could eat as much as he wanted. No limit! He was so excited. The funniest thing that year was we had my family all over for that breakfast and Daniel ate 1 piece and then went to play with his cousins. This year however we kept hearing about our traditional "bacon contest." It took me awhile to figure out what he was talking about but I guess in his mind this non limited bacon breakfast has been adapted into a contest. I can't wait to see how much he eats this year. Apparently he has even told his 1st grade class all about our bacon eating.

Christmas can be really fun. I am glad that my kids know that it is about Jesus Christ, His birthday, He is the reason we give gifts, and how we really try to look for ways to serve other people. I wasn't sure how well I had been teaching them these truths the last few years but I guess something has stuck around. Alice has been teaching Charlie about the nativity characters, Daniel has reminded us of the scriptures and what they teach. I am grateful for the last few years because we really spent a lot of time together as a family doing simple things. I hope that we can as they say "avoid the rush" and enjoy the spirit of the season.

Anyway I really hope that everyone has a great holiday season. I hope Charlie doesn't destroy my tree and break all my lights, but I am not holding my breath on either of those. Regardless I know he will eat lots of cookies and be a blast to watch decorate them. Here are some pictures from the last 2 Christmases. Merry Christmas!

Comments

Natalie Ockey said…
I love Christmas too! Don't worry...the kids will love whatever you do and whatever you get them for Christmas. That is why kids are amazing. They can love no matter what -- which is why they are so good at being like the Savior. And that's what Christmas is all about. And we have you for Christmas this year, so don't worry, it will be a Merry Christmas! :)
Jenn Hansen said…
Merry Christmas! The kids make it magical, whatever you do.

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