Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Getting ready for Santa's visit!




Happy Christmas Eve everyone! The kids and I are busy cleaning house this morning so that the place is nice and tidy when Santa comes tomorrow morning. We certainly don't want him to trip on any old toys that are laying around!


I have discovered that Joey and Dani really likes to help clean! Note to all moms of preschoolers: if you have a Swifter, simply remove part of the handle to make it "kid size", put the mop cloth on, and let your kid go to it! Of course, the cleaning may be done running up and down the hall, zig zagged, or some other creative way, that you as a mom have never considered, but, I say, as long as the floor is wiped down, who cares how it has been done?

Besides, swiftering for me, Joey and Dani put away lots of toys that had been laying around all around the house. All the games and puzzles are now mostly complete with the pieces back in the boxes. If Dani started to drag something out, Joey would say, "No, Dan! We just cleaned that up!" Quite funny to see that he is starting to understand about picking up and keeping things neat.



Here is a photo of my little cleaners in front of the Christmas tree once we had finished cleaning their bedrooms, hallway, and living room. Did I tell

you that the dining room table is still covered with stuff to put away and the family room still needs to be picked up and vaccuumed? Sigh...does it ever end? Anyway, here is what our living room looks like when it is clean, in case you have never seen it that way!



And now a word or two to let you know that my children really aren't perfect. Yes, they do a lot of things right, but then we have those days where they scream and fight and act like...siblings!



In the spirit of Christmas, I have taken a Christmas song, "What Child is This?" and rewritten it to fit my own unique situation one day while we were out Christmas shopping:



What child is this who lays
in Home Depot entryway
kicking and screaming?

While shoppers peep and Mommy keeps
a watchful eye on the tantrum.

This, this is Joey Marchand who didn't
get his way in the check out lane.

Haste, haste to take him home and put
him in bed for a nap!




Many moms with older children have told me that the preschool days are long, but the years are short. Already, Joey is four and Dani is almost two! How can that be possible?? I try to remember that even on the bad days; even during the tantrum days when nothing can calm the savage beast.


Enjoy the season. Enjoy the little ones in your life. If they are your preschoolers, try to hold your smile while they cry because (1) they are tired, (2) they are overstimulated, (3) a well meaning unknown relative has touched them/picked them up/looked at them, (4) a sibling has smacked them/looked at them/taken their new toy, (5)they have thrown up from eating too many cookies. If you are just "enjoying" watching the action because you no longer have preschoolers, just remember that the child is not in their normal everyday environment and may not behave like the little angel the parents claim they are usually. Everyone take a deep breath, smile and say MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Waiting for Christmas...


Joey and Dani anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Joey's Santa list includes an electric train, pinball machine, duck game, cars game, and Bob the Builder DVD. Dani is asking for a hat (helmet) and a bike (tricycle).

Joey received a book from his preschool called "This is the Stable" and we read it almost every night.


Amy sent Dani this dress and necklace from Hawaii. Being the fashionista that she is, Danielle had to try it on right away. I think it looks fabulous with the sweatshirt and striped socks!

Last Saturday, I had lunch with two girlfriends, Jana and Lisa, who I met my freshman year of college. It was so good to see them and catch up on everything happening in their lives. We decided that getting together once a year was not often enough, so our New Year's resolution was to meet up quarterly.



Another holiday tradition at our house is to go to St. Louis Mills mall and let the kids ride the train. I am surprised that Joey remembered this, but he has been asking to go, so we braved the ice and snow one morning last week and went. The tradition was lacking something, namely our best friends Amy, Adam, and Cole who always did this with us.
We hope that Christmas preparations are going smoothly at your house. Remember the meaning of Christmas, Jesus birthday. We bake a birthday cake for Jesus each year. With all the rushing around on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, our birthday celebration ends up happening a few days after the 25th.
At a MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) meeting last week, we were asked a question that I have been thinking about quite a bit, so, in closing, I'll throw it out there for all of you to consider:
What gift are you getting Jesus for His birthday this year?


Sunday, December 14, 2008

Santa Claus is coming to town!

You better watch out, better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town...on a train!



Joey, Danielle, and I traveled to Oblong, Illinois on Sunday, December 7 to see Santa arrive on a train. Santa was traveling on the Indiana Railroad, making stops in several towns to greet the children and hear their Christmas wishes. The weather outside was about 30 degrees and several characters entertained everyone while we waited to board the train and visit Santa. While waiting in line, we saw a bear in a red Christmas outfit, Rudolph, Buzz Lightyear, the Gingerbread Man, Spiderman and a few others. It took about 20 minutes in line to get onto the train. The train was beautifully decorated inside with snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, several Christmas trees, Mrs. Claus, and of course, Santa Claus!


We spent several days visiting with family. Dani's favorite person is her pa-pa. I think she may also qualify as his favorite person -besides my mom :)


Joey, Dani, and I also spent a few days visiting with my Aunt Jan. The kids got to bake Christmas cookies with her. One of Joey's favorite activities is helping in the kitchen, so he really enjoyed this. We also took a drive out into the country (by the looks of my vehicle, it looked like we went four-wheeling) to look at a house that was extremely decorated for Christmas.

Our way home included a stop at my Aunt Wanda's house for a family luncheon. The ham and beans were delicious and we got to see several family members. Then it was a 3 hour ride home to see Mike after four days away.

Danielle is crying right now (ready for dinner and mom not paying attention to her), so I'll have to quit posting for now and go check our dinner. Merry Christmas!


Saturday, December 6, 2008

Christmas Wonder


Christmas is a time of wonder. I had forgotten about the "wonder" of Christmas in all the busy holiday preparations, shopping, and parties. For so many years, I looked forward to Christmas, but with all I was trying to do to "prepare", Christmas would come and go and I felt like I had missed the special day.

Joey is looking forward to Santa coming. He understands about gifts and has made a Christmas list for Santa that is still sitting on the dining room table and needs to be taken to the mall. Joey, Dani, and I read advent devotions and light the advent wreath at lunch each day. I want to teach my kids that Christmas is about the birth of baby Jesus, not just Santa coming to leave presents.

This year, there is a sense of wonder in our house. Wonder over all the Christmas decorations that are brought out of the box and placed out for view. Wonder over the little Christmas trees that Joey and Dani have in each of their rooms and the special ornaments hung on each that belong just to them. Wonder about how reindeer fly. Wonder about why mom really needs to know what I need for Christmas when she isn't buying it; Santa will be bringing it! (Joey).

I hope that your Christmas is as magical as ours is turning out to be this year. Take some time in the busyness to again find the wonder. I remember the Christmas hymn "We Three Kings". The refrain for the song is:
O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bring,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

May you find Christ's perfect Light this Christmas.