25 Days of Christmas

I'm totally stealing this list from another blog (http://247moms.blogspot.com/2008/11/christmas-count-down-tradition.html). The mom on this blog has 5 kids, 5!! And she still has time to have a blog and do nifty things with her kids. These are some suggestions she had for making the holiday's fun for her family. Hmm, now let me see can I check off any of these? Maybe after this weekend I can cross off a few of them.

1. Present advent calendars to your children
2. Sing Christmas carols together then eat yummy cookies
3. Visit Santa Clause and have their picture taken
4. Go shopping and allow each child to pick out a new ornament
5. Attend a Holiday event
6. Host a family game night and invite another family
7. Take kids to pick out your Christmas tree
8. String pop corn
9. Build a Ginger bread house
10. Serve Sparkling cider with dinner
11. Bake cookies together
12. Paint holiday scenes on your windows
13. Coloring night...each year color in the same book and date it
14. Have a happy Birthday Jesus party, invite the neighbor kids
15. Make Christmas cards
16. Movie night….popcorn and yummy treats
17. PJ Night...everyone gets a new pair
18. Go for a ride and look at all the decorated houses
19. Have dinner by the Christmas tree picnic style
20. December 6th St Nick Night. Have kids place their shoes out with carrots and apples in them and while they are sleeping replace with a small gift
21. Make homemade fudge
22. Decorate your Tree
23. Make Christmas gifts
24. Host a Christmas craft club for your children and their friends
25. Help a family in need ...choose ways to teach your children to give.
26. Make or purchase Thank you gifts for community service workers then take your children around town to drop them off.
27. Red or Green night….Serve food in these colors, decorate the table in these colors
28. Tell the Christmas story and place a light in your window inviting Jesus into your home
29. Make paper chain garlands
30. Snowman night—decorate table with snowmen be creative
31. Ice Cream night ..make sundaes or go out
32. Take kids shopping for Daddy or Siblings or Grand Parents
33. Wrap gifts…. kids love to help
34. Bake a pie
35. Make a sugar cube castle
36. Elf hunt
37. Let your kids decorate their bedrooms
38. Bake a gingerbread man and tell the story
39. Play bingo with dollar store prizes...invite your neighbors over
40. Advent wreath
41. Learn about another Countries traditions
42. Celebrate Hanukah
43. Tell the Christmas story and wear costumes
44. Dec 22nd first day of winter..take a day trip to the snow
45. Have a slumber party by the tree

Add your own family traditions.

Christmas Countdown

Countdown Clocks

Is all your shopping done? Mine is not, I feel like I'm scrambling more this year than ever before. I was warned, I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to believe it. Having two kids seriously slows you down. Things that should only take 30 minutes end up taking hours. Yesterday we left MDO pickup at 1:30 to start a set of errands. We deposited a check at the bank, that one's easy, you just drive thru. (I wish I could do EVERYTHING drive thru) Then we hit the library, I did the drive-thru to return some books, but then we went in to find more. That took about an hour. Cam & Maggie had to spend ample time playing on the new carpets and with the new toys they just added to the kids area. Finally we headed to Wal-Mart, to pick up our Christmas cards and a few items to round out dinner. Oh, and as a distraction a happy meal for Cameron as I walked through.
So, if I didn't have kids, I would have run by the bank, dropped off the books at the library, taken about 10 minutes to pick up some for myself, run into Wally World to get the few things I needed and then be back home by 2:30. Nope, with kids life is so different, we weren't home until 4P. Just in time to defrost some chicken and start prepping for dinner, since that also takes quite a bit of time with two little helpers.
Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, they are a great addition to our family. However, they can seriously slow me down. Until you have them, you have no idea what that means. A bathroom break with a young child can end up taking 30 minutes because there might be a blowout and that requires cleaning of child, changing of clothes, and making sure they were really finished. I know other moms are laughing at this saying "Yep, know what you mean", and those that haven't had kids yet are saying "Great now I dont' want kids." The rewarding parts are while you are doing a diaper change, your baby looks at you and says "Momma!" Or you are the only one that can make things right for your kids when they are hurting. Or you get a just because kiss. The rewarding parts are as important a part of life as the slowing down. I guess it's good that the kids slow me down some days, I can enjoy their antics and entertainment more those days.
So if I get asked again if I'm ready for Christmas, have I completed all of my shopping, I'm just going to have to respond with "I have kids, so the answer is no!"

Tupperware Orders

Okay, I'm placing a Tupperware Order tomorrow so it will be here before we leave to travel for Christmas. Please let me know by 9P tomorrow night if you would like anything and I'll add it on. Anything after tomorrow I cannot guarantee it will be in for Christmas presents.

Thanks!
Rebecca

Saturday Shopping

So I've got two events that I'll be at this weekend toting my Tupperware wares. If you have time, please stop by and get into the holiday spirit.

First, I'll be at The Vine at Southeast Church of Christ, located at Bay Area Blvd and Pilgrims Point. We will start at 9A. The vendors vary widely and include both homemade goods to more commercial items. The ladies at our church and in our MDO program are quite crafty so you will find some unique and fun items here.

Second, I'll be at my friend Carrie's house. Below are the details for her event.



Hope to see everyone out and about and you have a safe time Christmas shopping.

November SlideShow

October Slideshow - Updated

Tutu Cutie

There's so much for us to post about our Thanksgiving festivities and trip out to the Tech football game in Lubbock last weekend.  Until I have time to write that all out, here's a cute pic of Maggie in her team gear.

I have to give out props to all my crafty friends that made Maggie look like the Texas Tech princess she is.  

Alia made our TTU tutu, and you can find her at http://www.tutus-n-tiedye.blogspot.com/

Valerie made her tutu bow, she's at http://www.ribbonallie.com/

Finally, Wendee made her paci clip that says Raider Power, she's at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5564279

Be looking for more pics in the next few days, I'm sure either Chris or I will be getting them out.