christmas magic

The first month of being a foster parent is much like the first month with a newborn baby.  It is a hazy, sleepless, exhausting blur that you are not really meant to remember clearly so that you will actually consider doing this crazy thing again someday.  I swear I didn't think I was going to make it, and the redeeming moments of the process were few and far between.

Lately though, and with some time and trust and familiarity and growth and stability, the challenges have started to lessen and the rewards have begun to grow.

I tend towards being a Christmas obsessed freak, and these two new little ones have never seen a Christmas the likes of which I put on.  Their excitement of it is so enlightening.  There is a constant state of wonderment around it all.  Each decoration I put out is greeted with happy squeals and each event we think of is cheerfully attended.

I understand that children come in to foster care under unfortunate circumstances, but it is just unacceptable to not know who Rudolph is.  Or the words to any Christmas carols.  There is just entirely too many songs to learn and television to watch before the 25th!  :)

Every time a new Amazon box lands on the doorstep, Miss B gets so giddy.  "Is that for me?!  What is it? I'm gonna shake it!" followed by lots of happy giggles.  One of my love languages is most definitely gifts, and I derive so much delight from finding the right gift for a person as an expression of my love for them.  To have an equally excited recipient just makes the whole process that much more enjoyable for me.

The shrieks of joy when they caught the first glimpse of the Christmas train was absolutely incredible.  A couple minutes into our ride Mr B cries out "I'm so EXCITED!!!!"  It made an otherwise ordinary event so special.  Being able to talk to Santa, seeing lights as we drive down the street, choosing and cutting down a Christmas tree - it all is met with wonder and joy.

I am honored to be able to share these experiences with them.  Their happiness each day is all the reward I need for what we are doing.  There is nothing like getting to see Christmas magic through the eyes of these children.  What a blessing this has been.

christmassy quiz

Let's get in the spirit with a little Christmas meme.  It's been a while, right?

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping?   I shop year round.  If I see something that fits a person, I buy it.  Problem is, around now, I forget what I have and duplicate my efforts.  It's time to get everything out and see what I have.

2. Tell me about one of your special traditions.  We always get a tangerine in the toe of our stockings.  Nobody really even eats them in this household, but the tradition predates me in this family, and it hasn't stopped yet.  One of the girls was looking at the stockings on the mantle, and pondered aloud, "I wonder if we'll be getting a tangerine this year?"  I'm quite sure we will.  And I am also quite sure we will pull it out and exclaim, "Ooooh!!! A tangerine!!!!"

3. When do you put up your Tree? As soon as possible after Thanksgiving, but not too soon that we are just left with a dead stick on Christmas day.  Usually 2-3 weeks before.

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper?   Ok, here's how it goes down.... we spend weeks talking about what's going to be on sale, and saying we are going to get in line the night before, and circling the ads, and making lists, and asking each other if we are in line yet.......  And then on Friday we wake up at like tenish... throw on some clothes, leave the children with the men (they don't really notice - they are watching football), and head out, stop for coffee, miss all the good sales, pick up wrapping paper, walk slowly through the stores, laugh at all the maniacs, and go home and shop online for what we really need.

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home?  We used to travel like maniacs, but now we stay home if I can help it, or end up at my parents, where we park it for a few days.  No more running around.  The kids want to open their stuff and play.  It should be a relaxing day.

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory?   I lost my wedding and engagement ring set.  I was devastated, and knew we would not be able to replace them.  It really tore me up.  DH surprised me with a replacement wedding band on Christmas.  I cried.  It meant so much to me!

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?  Elf  really cracks me up.  I can watch that over and over.  But my all time favorite is It's a Wonderful Life.  You know, because it is.

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking, what’s your favorite treat?  I love baking Christmas cookies.  I think our family has the best cookie recipes.  They are all my favorite, but I think our sugar cookies are the best I've ever had.  Mmmmm!!!!!

9. Fake or Real Tree?  Real.  We get out there like troopers and cut our own.  It is always a blast.  We spend forever out there because I am indecisive and picky.  We always say we are not going to get one that is too big for the living room, and we always end up with one too big for the living room.  And it always smells divine and looks beautiful.

10. What day (as a mom) does the actual panic set in to get it all done?  I don't really panic about it.  I am particularly relaxed about it all this year.  But if there is going to be a panic, it is on Christmas Eve, right about the time I send DH and sis to Walgreens for something.  (Yes, every stinkin' year.)  Thank goodness for 24hr Walgreens.

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Always.  It is such a bad habit! 

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas?  All of it.  The past few years we have been together with my side of the family, and we laugh every minute until it's over.  I can't wait!

13. What Christmas craft do you like the best?  I scrapbook a Christmas card every year.  I make a scrapbook page on paper, scan, and print as photos.  I love putting it together.  I hope people enjoy receiving it.

14. Christmas music? (Yes or No) If yes, what is your favorite song?  Nonstop.  It's a sickness.  Favorite song is O Holy Night.  Just about any version of it.  Sooooo beautiful that song is.

15. When do you plan to finish all of your shopping?   Hmmm.  Hopefully by this week or next.  Since I do most of it online, I really need to take stock and finish up while there is still time for shipping.  Oh - and of course that last minute Walgreens item on Christmas Eve.

christmas dork

This is my favorite time of year.

I am a total Christmas dork.

It's not everyone's thing to get all excited about it and to get in the spirit, but I just love it.

Not being employed and starting to feel better has allowed me to be more on top of my game this year.  DH and I keep commenting to each other how well we are doing so far.  I made and sent out my cards, we put up the lights Thanksgiving weekend (come to think of it, not traveling that weekend gave us some extra Christmas prep time too that we are not used to having), we put up the village, and cut down and decorated the tree.

I've been listening to Christmas music nonstop.  I finally found the radio station that plays the more upbeat songs.  (That first one we were listening to was like Christmas on too much Prozac....)   I asked my youngest if the music was getting on her nerves.  She told me she would like hearing it even if it was July.  (She might just be one of us!)  She has alternate lyrics to all the songs.  Some of them are pretty hilarious.

My oldest put on the tree skirt like a real skirt and twirled around the living room.  She does this every year.  She wears her Santa hat around the house pretty frequently.  (She too may be one of us.)

DH put out the nativity and told the story like he does every year.  The funniest year was when he pulled Joseph out of the box and he was headless.  He said, "Well, that's a new twist to the story.  It's more of a horror story this year!"

The lights on the house are ridiculous, and I think they could probably guide space shuttles back to Earth with them.  I love them anyway.  The kids can see them from school.  Haha!

The new kitten has left the tree alone so far, but she keeps jumping in the village.  I am trying not to kill her.  Daughter calls her Catzilla.

We found a thing that goes in the tree that tells you when it is out of water by playing music.  Turns out there is not an off switch, so it doesn't stop until you get the water into the tree stand.  O Tannenbaum is starting to make us a little jumpy.  But we still laugh every time.  Even when it went off at 4am.

I've done most of my shopping online.  I have boxes everywhere!  I put a bin out on the porch for deliveries, and the delivery people never use it despite the LARGE sign on it stating what it is for.  Sometimes they put it on top of the bin.  We're getting closer.  They will probably get the idea just in time for Christmas day.  It's a long training process.  I need to make sure soon that I have something for everyone.  I keep feeling like I am forgetting someone.  I should make a list I guess, but I am just winging it.  I hope everyone likes what I found or made for them.  I try hard to find the right gifts for people.  It is one of my love languages.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

the non-art of the letter

What has happened to mail? Obviously the art of the letter is dead. Can you remember the last time you sent or received an actual handwritten letter from someone? I used to be a huge letter writer in my day. I moved a lot growing up, and always kept in touch with old friends by mail. I would love to find the perfect little something to include in the letter to make it fun. I would decorate the envelope, and put the stamp on upside down. In school we had programs where you could sign up for a penpal. I had two that I corresponded with for quite a while - one in Sweden and one in Japan. I have a Christmas ornament from the one in Japan on my Christmas tree to this day.

These days it is all about speed and technology. Instant communication is clearly the way of the day. Being a techno geek, I can certainly appreciate both the convenience and speed that being able to jot a quick email, text, or IM affords me. However, I wonder what it will be like for the next generation to have never received an actual letter? On my last vacation my kids looked at me like I had three heads when I sat them down one morning to write out postcards. For heaven's sakes - what will they have instead of love letters from their future mates - printouts of a text that reads "143 - <3" ??? Oooh. How romantic! :)

I think one of the reasons I lean towards being non-responsive via email sometimes is simply that I feel bombarded. With the convenience comes responsibility, and the expectation of immediate action! At my old job I was receiving approximately 200 emails per day. On top of personal email, texts, IMs, news, tickers... it is too much media coming at a person all at once. Talk about circuit overload!

So, now it is Christmas card season. I don't know if it is because this and wedding invitations are the last remaining pieces of non-cash soliciting snail mail that anyone receives anymore, but I was having a big laugh at all the rules and regulations I have read recently regarding the tradition. Timeliness, content, originality, intent.... Too much pressure! I certainly can appreciate the lack of etiquette in general these days for any correspondence, but sometimes rules can go too far.

Personally, I make a scrapbook page with pics of the family from the year with journaling of some sort and scan it in to be printed as photos. I hand write the envelopes, mostly because I like to write by hand and find the need less and less in everyday life. I send them out as early in December as humanly possible which ensures that anyone who wants to send a card in return has my current address.

One of my favorite cards that I receive is from friends of ours who do not even celebrate Christmas. (They are Jewish.) Their card just shows up randomly at some point. Never in December, it used to come right after the holidays but now it just arrives whenever - March, June, who knows?! It is always funny, includes pictures and a great update of what the family is up to. I love it!!

I will admit to receiving less and less cards every year. I can certainly appreciate that times are tough, and cutting out sending cards can give someone a few extra pennies for somewhere it can be more wisely spent.

I wouldn't mind though receiving a card this year from someone other than my realtor, my lawyer, and my dentist. I don't really care if it's store bought, printed on a printer, has a personalized note or not, a letter (wordy, not wordy enough), pics of your dog in a sweater, hand made or commemorates a holiday I don't celebrate. I would just love to have a card to hang next to my "Have a sparkling year! Don't forget to floss!" card.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!! Your card will be in the mail shortly!

a partridge in a big pear tree

now bring us some piggy pudding

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I love when things are all wrapped up pretty and perfect with ribbons and bows. I can't wrap that way, but I like it.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. It is a tradition for us to go to our local tree farm and cut our own. It is one of my favorite Christmas moments!

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime between "when we get a chance" and "when the weather allows." This year we lucked out and were free last weekend. We got the tree in before the frost and snow hit the area. Let me tell you, there is nothing like having to wait for your tree to thaw before you can decorate it!

4. When do you take the tree down? As soon as it is dropping more needles than it is holding. We got it early this year, so I don't expect it to be up much after Christmas.

5. Do you like egg nog? With a nice shot of rum, buttershots, or both thankyouverymuch. (Which may explain my bad gift wrapping?)

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't remember being particularly excited about any certain gift, but I don't remember being disappointed by one either. My goodness - have I blocked out my childhood???

7. Do you have a nativity scene? I do. I haven't put it out yet. This weekend I'll get to it. Funny story though - when DD1 was about three or so, DH was taking out the nativity piece by piece and telling her the Christmas story. When he pulled out Joseph, his head came off! It was the most traumatic telling of the Christmas story I've ever heard! ("Um, honey? I don't quite remember the part about Joseph being beheaded, do you???") So, now we have a new set.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Any of my in-laws. I'll just say they are picky, and leave it at that. (insert eye-rolling smiley here)

9. Easiest person to buy for? My niece. I always have to cut myself off and/or return some things because I go way too overboard. Now I've added a nephew to that list. I'm in trouble.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I have been making them the past several years, but I am completely stumped this year because I didn't take many photos. Can you even imagine?

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Nothing comes to mind. I am usually not very picky.

12 . Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life. Isn't it though? :)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I shop all year round. I have a bin that I keep gifts in. It is always funny to open the box around now and see the treasures I have stashed away.

14 . Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I recall.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies. I have been dreaming of sugar cookies, and mom passed the secret family recipe to me. I have never tasted another sugar cookie recipe that is as good.

16 . Clear lights or colored on the tree? We've been doing white lights for years, but I don't think I really care one way or the other these days.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I like to stay home if I can help it. Come visit if you like, but I prefer to lounge around at home if I can help it.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Sure!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? This year it is a star. But we have an angel too. Depends on my mood at the time.

21 . Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. If you open them all on Christmas Eve, what do you do all day on Christmas?

22 . Most annoying thing about this time of year? I love everything about it. I am a Christmas dork.

23. Favorite Christmas ornament? I'm going to have to go with the "Piggy Pudding." (Yes, I know it's figgy pudding, but for some reason that's just what we call it.) It is figgy pudding on a plate and you can put a light inside it so that it lights up. It cracks us up every year and always inspires singing.

24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? Anything NOT ham. Roast, turkey, sandwiches, I don't really care. There's going to be chocolate and cookies, right? That's all that matters.