This Holiday Season...

...has sucked big time.  It started Tuesday night with C getting sick.  She was better by Christmas Eve, thankfully.  Christmas morning found me sick, and by afternoon B wasn't feeling too good.  B and I are still sick.

Of course, even though I was sick, I was still expected to cook Christmas dinner.  Had two people that were supposed to come over for that dinner.  One decided to come around 5 hours early, the other around 4 hours early.  And neither one of them wanted to help out in the kitchen, nor help with any of the clean up.  Okay, yes, they were guests.  But as a guest, you do not show up that early to a dinner you have been invited to unless you are going to help do something!  And if you are 4-5 hours early, and you see the hostess is not only sick, but taking care of a sick child, then offer to do something!

R & C both said it was their best Christmas ever, so they at least enjoyed it.  B enjoyed all his gifts after he took a nap.  If you ask R & C what their fave gift was, they will both say, "My DS."  B's fave gift seems to be his tools 

Me, Venting

Some people seem to think that just because I don't have a "job," that I sit at home on my butt all day long, therefore making me free to help with out with whatever, whenever.  Sorry, not the way it works. 

While I may not have a 9 to 5 type job, I DO have a job.  My job is one of the most important in the world, IMO.  It is called being a parent!  My kids don't get themselves up and ready for school in the mornings on their own.  My kids don't drive themselves to school or home from school, nor do they drive themselves to doctor appointments and such.  The house doesn't clean itself, and the groceries don't magically appear in my kitchen.

Just because I don't work outside of my home, doesn't mean I am free to help you out at the drop of a dime.  I do make plans, I do things outside of my home.  I will NOT drop everything to help you out, unless it is an emergency!  No, I will NOT pick my child up late/early from school when you need a ride to work just so you get there on time.  You want a ride from me, YOU will either get there early or late.  If your work is approx. 26 miles away from my child's schoo, use a brain...there is no way I can have you there on time and still pick up my child on time 15 minutes later!  NO, I will not miss my child's class party that I committed to a couple weeks ago just because you decide to call me the night before wanting my help at the same time as the party.


   

Christmas Memories

Last year, DH lost his job not too long before Christmas time, so money was really tight.  The kids weren't going to get much for Christmas, but I was determined that it was still going to be a great Christmas for them.  One thing I always have in the house is ingredients for baking.  So I set everything out, then the kids and I got to work.  We made several different kinds of homemade cookies, homemade caramels, homemade hard candy, homemade truffles, etc.  We even got my youngest involoved, and he was 2.5 at the time.  We spent the whole week before Christmas baking.  Sure, it made a mess, but we had some great fun.  And what was even better was seeing the joy on the kids faces when they would pass out their goodies to other family members while telling them about making them.  And you know what?  Here we are a year later, and my kids don't remember a single gift they did get for Christmas last year.  But they sure remember making all those goodies.

So this Christmas, make some memories with your kids.  Get in the kitchen and bake some cookies together.  Or do holiday crafts, go caroling, or whatever.  It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it together.  You can even invite other family members over to join in on the fun (we had my brother come help last year).