Christmas Week: a mini pictorial

Merry Christmas!  We are T-6 days until the sleigh lands here and school is OUT.  Which means, I'll probably be interrupted writing this post about 7.4 times in the next 5 minutes.  "Mom--can I download this app?"  "Mom-can you pour the milk?" "Mom-he took my TINKERTOYS!"

This brings me to picture #1 which we will entitle "Tinker Toys:  a blessing and a curse." 

The tinkertoys were a $2 garage sale mistake investment this fall and they have given us MORE than $2 worth of enjoyment.  However....when two or more children are feeling tinkerlationally creative, there quickly becomes a shortage of orange rods or yellow wheels or blue spokes.  And that, my friends, is a recipe for a Christmas disaster.  Tinkertoys quickly become Tinkerweapons/Tinkerwhips/Tinkerguns. I quickly go from Mrs. Claus to The Grinch in about 3 seconds as I navigate my way through that obstacle.  (Can I also say that when you are done playing with the Tinkertoys, the clean up is MASSIVE.  The box clearly states with pride:  "over 200 pieces!" and let me tell you--you've never seen so many hiding spots for these plastic pieces. 

(pause: if I were writing this post in REAL TIME, you would've already witnessed my referree whistle coming out for one Tinker Toy dispute and just now, child 2 walked/stomped whilst weeping as she left the Tinkertoy zone headed to her room.)

One last bit about picture #1:  notice the "Kid Tree" in the background.  I did it this year!  I finally let them have their own tree to make as ugly as they wanted decorate this year. Please notice it in the back corner...hey, somebody turn the lights on!

Perfect Segue to Picture #2:  "The Tree of Inner Peace". 

In an earlier post, I referenced the fact that I've been parenting a baby or toddler for over 10 years now which has really cramped my Christmas decorating style.  Hazards everywhere!  Plus....they just destroy anything nice that we have (can I get an AMEN!?!?) so I just haven't bothered to put much out.  This year, my "baby" is four and I was feeling ambitious which made me EXCITED to decorate with nice things and have my very own tree which we all now refer to as "mom's tree ot inner peace."  I. LOVE. IT. I know you're supposed to love people, not things, but let's just agree to make an exception on this one.  I LOVE MY TREE OF INNER PEACE.  It is decorated with brand new ornaments that I picked out that make me extremely happy.  It is in the downstairs/kitchen work area to which I am chained to much of the day, so it's the perfect spot to have a little extra inner peace coming at you, if you know what I mean.  Nobody is allowed to touch it. Nobody is allowed to add to or take away from it--just like the Bible. Nobody can take away my inner peace when that thing is lit!  My husband has decided that we shall have a tree of inner peace up YEAR ROUND.  So, when you come visit me in April and the tree is still shining, you'll know what's up.

Photo #3: The ever-watchful Gingerbread man.

I'm sure you have heard of "Elf on the Shelf" by now.  It is an epidemic (yes it is--I said it: an epidemic!) that is sweeping elementary schools and causing consternation within my home because I refuse to participate. Basically--you buy this kit that includes an Elf and a book.  Elfie keeps a watchful eye on the behaviors and misbehaviors of the home's children and reports to the North Pole each night to tell Santa who's been naughty or nice.  Each day the elf "moves" to a new spot and often causes a mess himself that the kids all get a big kick out of.  It's all fine and innocent enough except I have enough going on in my life during the holidays without having to create a mess in the name of an Elf that will honestly creep the kids out.  (Personally, I never liked that whole "He sees you when you're sleeping" gig... I remember waking up on Christmas night when I was a child, having to go to the bathroom WEALLY WEALLY bad...but being so afraid that I might see Santa during his annual stop at our home that I just "held it" all night!) But I digress....  SO--after much pleading and begging (because we are apparently the ONLY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE AN ELF!!!MOM!!! FOR REAL!!!) my daughter has just made her own little "elf" game in the form of a construction paper Gingerbread man.  She moves it to a new spot each day and threatens her little brother with the wrath of all things horribly un-Christmassy when he misbehaves....all because of the ever-watchful eye of the Gingerbread man.

Photo #4:  Save the best for last!!!
I just had the best surprise!  My brother and his family were traveling from ATL to KY today to bring home a friend from the Ukraine for a few weeks and I got a call that they were passing through Nashville and WOULD I LIKE TO MEET THEM FOR LUNCH!!! Would I?!?  You bet!!!  So I just got the best Christmas week 2011 surprise ever--a bonus visit with my sweet brother, sister-in-law, 5 nieces and nephews and their new friend Sveta!  When we pulled up to Zaxby's (because that's just how fancy we get when feeding 10 children and 3 adults) and all the cousins poured out of the restaurant (narrowly avoiding a drive-thru demise!) to pour our the hugs and high fives, I honestly got tears in my eyes.  In the famous and oft-spoken words of my big sister:  I just love my family.