Too busy having Christmas to report on Christmas

Really, we have been celebrating. And working. And serving.


Just sent this email to Mr. Bloomers:

Delivered

27 small bags of treats and

3 large ones for the classroom teachers.

Came up 2 short.

Made 4 more to make sure we have enough.

All that work and then suddenly it's gone.

Classroom parties this afternoon.

And then break. Aaahhh.

Just so you know....I'm sleeping in tomorrow.

Much love,
Me

It was a follow-up to this one sent yesterday:


Hope you are still surviving. I have baked and created messes upon messes in the kitchen. And though I love to make treats, I am sick of it.

Since the kids went to bed last night...


10 dozen cookies


1 batch of caramel which took like 45 minutes to an hour to cook (stirring continuously) plus about 1.5 hours to cut and wrap. This stuff is firm and tough to cut!


1 batch of hard strawberry candy (nasty, I think)

1 batch of root beer taffy (didn't cook it long enough for hard candy so I pulled it and pulled it (a pain) to make a super chewy taffy))


about 9 dozen long dipped pretzel rods, some almond bark rolled in crushed candy canes, some chocolate with sprinkles, some chocolate with contrasting drizzle of white peppermint or red vanilla

I have left to make:

2.5 dozen cookies, 1 batch hard butterscotch candy, 1 set of notecards, and 7 pairs of pajama pants

I skipped the notecards. Made the cookies and candy. Added a batch of brownies. And I still have to make the pajama pants...Did I mention I've never sewn from a pattern? Or made pants? I figure by the time I get to the 7th one I might even be okay at it. And if not, my family will wear them anyway.

And the recipients of the 29 bags? Custodians, yard duties, office secretaries, health tech and nurse, LRC people, past teachers, principal, vice principal, etc.

Lack of sleep. Many treats. Much less exercise.

New Year's resolutions in the making here....

The Actress MADE her own cake!

And did one stupendously AWESOME job. We have to be thankful for my friend who took the time to give her tips and mix up a fresh batch of frosting. The Actress so enjoyed the mini-cake class and was thrilled with both the process and the final product.


Her favorite part was the little stripey flowers.


One of the best compliments came from a girl at the party who said, "My mom always just buys my cakes for my birthday. Do you think she could pay you to make one instead?"


Well done my brilliant girl! And thanks again to our sweet friend who made it possible.

Day 12

A visit in the FRIGID, seriously scary-freaky-cold-reach-through-your-many-layers-to-freeze-your-very-organs, night air to the live nativity sponsored by a local congregation.


Fortuneately these red faces were able to come inside and warm themselves afterwards with treats, cider, and wonderful music provided by a friend's singing group.

Maybe someday there will be a vacancy in aforementioned singing group and I might be lucky enough to join.

Day 11

And tonight, after a long day, including the Actress's Rockstar Jam birthday party (which was a smashing success even if one girl called out "Mom alert" because she saw me dancing just a little bit to the music. Sigh.), we only had the energy for a small Christmas activity.

We gathered in the living room with one small lamp and the twinkle of the lights from our Christmas tree to nestle down together and listen to Mr. Bloomer's comforting voice. He read from:



I recommend it.

Day 10

And tonight we finally got the lights on the tree. FINALLY! And placed many of the ornaments. We may even finish it before Christmas is over. Maybe.

Day 9

Dinner with my younger brother (Wills...I am making a concerted effort not to refer to you as my little brother or baby brother anymore. Nice, right?)

Anyhow...According to Dad, when Will applied to MBA school the Lord was listening to the prayers of my heart (since my actual prayers were more selfless on Will's behalf). Will was accepted at both Northwestern and the University of Chicago.

And just like that I had family nearby!! (Well, relatively nearby.) Seeing as Will is in the earlier years of marriage, with a wife, only one child, and a long break between semesters, he will be off to travel over much of December.

Thus an early Christmas dinner was in order. We enjoyed a traditional Christmas meal like Mom would have made...with ham, scalloped potatoes, rolls, peas with peanuts, and pistacio jello salad (actually made with pistacio pudding though we always called it pistacio jello salad). I skipped the red jello salad in the name of simplifying.

Dessert, provided by my fabulous sis-in-law, was beautiful, and chocolatey scrumptious, with sparkling Martinelli's to wash it down.

Delish.



The younger children whooped most loudly while carving circles through the house with the enthusism of sharing an evening with their beloved cousin.


The older children were a bit more interested in sharing their thoughts and talents with their Aunt and Uncle. I tell you, the Artist may have found her match in Aunt Stephanie! Some of their banter was simply priceless. And the note the Artist left on her door forbidding anyone besides her parents and sister to enter (ESPECIALLY her aunt) will be a forever treasure of mine.

Day 8

Tonight I took the lazy way out and we watched a movie...

Day 7

Darnit. I should have had Mr. Bloomers take pictures!

Tonight we enjoyed a round of Christmas carols at the piano. I have recently begun to teach our oldest two girls how to play the piano. The Actress had a year of lessons in first grade and has continued to enjoy some time on the piano on her own since then. The Actress had no prior experience.

I determined that a better use of my time and money would be to hire a baby-sitter to come once a week while I taught the girls rather than hauling everyone across town to pay someone else to do it. This way I get one on one time with my girls AND I save money! The going rate here is $25-30 per half hour lesson. I pay my baby-sitter/mother's helper $10 for 1 hour and 15 minutes to play with the kids in the basement. Win-win.

The Artist complained about being forced to learn how to play the piano. But after an evening like this where I can serve my family with music, I am sold on how important it is for me not to break. The rule in our family is that you can quit when you have mastered the hymns. (But I hope by then they won't want to quit. :)


But back to the message of the day...the caroling was perfect. Each child got to choose a song and we all sang all of the verses. It was so uplifting and made me grateful all over again for a handsome husband who was gifted with such a powerful voice that it overcame my rule about not dating boys from Utah, and for five healthy amazing creatures who call me Mom.

Day 6

This was not our best Christmas-y Festive day. We did get to Target for new Christmas lights for the tree. Does that count?

And of course we still did our advent activities.

But that was all we could do. Some days are like that.

Day 5

And today we set up the tree, as in, brought it into the house and put it on the stand. The next part was to do the lights and ornaments but as our lights weren't working that has now been postponed. Sometimes I hate Christmas lights. What's up with some working, others not, half a strand going strong with the other half dark?

I think I'll be switching to LED tomorrow.

And then we watched the First Presidency Devotional. See the BYUTV website for viewing options, including watching over the internet and in a wide variety of languages. In our faith we believe in having the same church organization as existed in the more primitive Christian church. For example, we have twelve apostles. We are led by a prophet. He has two counselors, and together they make up the First Presidency.

This is the description from BYUTV regarding this program: The First Presidency of the LDS church [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints] invites friends and families to share a Christmas devotional commemorating our Savior's birth. The devotional, broadcast from Salt Lake City, includes messages from the First Presidency and music by the Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. We love the Christmas Devotional as it helps us to feel the true Christmas spirit.

This year I found both the messages and the music to be simply phenomenal. I'd encourage you to take the time and watch it if you haven't already. Even if you are not a member of our faith...watch it. The messages are Christ-centered and uplifting.

Now I am exhausted. This whole staying up late most every night to watch Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies is catching up to me already.

Day 4

The cutting of the Christmas tree.



And the ward Christmas party.


I'll add pictures later.

So the thing I should have mentioned...

about that story yesterday, is that now that I am even older, I have yet another perspective on Mom and her purchased "homemade" cookies.

It is one of understanding.

One of the most valuable parts about experiencing different stages of life is that once we get to the ones ahead, we better understand them.

Like how I used to wonder what was wrong with my Mom because she couldn't commit to anything "without checking her calendar first." My teenage mind wondered why in the world could she not just keep the schedule straight in her head?

I understand that one now too. Like how I planned playdates for Monday afternoon because I wasn't by my calendar only to realize I am teaching a 45 minute lesson in the Artist's classroom that same afternoon. So I had to reschedule the playdates.

Maybe next time I'll check the calendar first.

Christmas Memories

Tonight I looked at the few cookies produced from such a large effort and wondered if I am really up to all of the baking I've been planning to do. And that thought triggered a memory:

For some years when I was still a child living at home Mom paid a woman to bake several dozen cookies in a variety of types at Christmas time. After picking up her purchase, Mom would create plates for friends and neighbors of these homemade goodies and often rely on my brothers and I to run them to the door as she'd drive us around.

When I was really young with a growing idea about honesty, I thought it was deceptive to pass out homemade treats that you didn't even make.

So I'd say my schpiel, "Merry Christmas from the ***'s." And then add, "My mom didn't actually make these cookies."

At some point Mom must have discovered my confession. She taught me that I didn't actually have to tell people that she didn't make them. So I no longer volunteered that information, but instead hoped I could run away before someone questioned, "Oh, did your mother make these?" Cause I knew I wasn't going to lie, but I really didn't want to disappoint Mom.

And then I got a little older, and came to find it outrageously hysterically funny that Mom was paying someone to do holiday baking! And I HOPED someone would ask the question so I could gleefully respond:

"No. She pays some lady to make them for her."

It still cracks me up. Even knowing that my children will do far more embarrassing things to me in the future. And that I will deserve them.

Merry Christmas Mom!!!

Day 3

Today we will:

1. Decorate. Really. This one keeps getting a lack of attention. :)


2. Make Christmas sugar cookies.


3. Watch a Christmas movie.

*****************************************

So I'm adding on to this post here at 11:30 PM.

Last night we skipped the decorating. We talked briefly about the special project, and we started on the Christmas books.

The summer that Mr. Bloomers and I were engaged I was privileged enough to spend a term abroad in London. I had dreamed my whole life of embarking on such an adventure as my older sisters spent a semester there when I was 3. Toblerones and Paddington Bear packages won me over long before I knew of the glory of St. Paul's Cathedral or the bustle of Hyde Park on a Sunday afternoon.

On one little side trip of our group the bus stopped near a random used book fair and I found this marvelous book. I love the pictures that slide to reveal another scene. I read this to the children last night and they were simply enthralled with both the story and the wonder of such a fun book.

And then we were exhausted and could only fall into bed.

*****************************************

As for tonight. Sadly, we STILL haven't done the decorations. That will simply have to be the weekend project.


However, we made Christmas sugar cookies while enjoying Christmas music.


It was a mess.


It was time-consuming.


We had some grumpiness.


And whining.


A few precious smiles.


We stayed up too late.


But it was so worth it.


PS It wasn't about the cookies.

Day Two

Last night we stayed up too late trying to be festive. It was a busy day and we are all still recovering from hosting a number of germy visitors. Today is our first day of a fever-free home since November 17th.

I managed to find a candle and some puffy paint in our house (red and green no less!) in order to start the advent candle since I wasn't going to trek out to buy one with this sorry lot.

This is the type of advent we always did when I was growing up. This particular one is special because it is belonged to my grandparents.

And I even made a Mary nativity costume. I sewed people. I found some measurements online and was so proud until I realized that it was way too huge for the Actress. Apparently they were adult measurements. How many adults need nativity costumes? It was on a thread for people asking about costumes for their kids at church.


So I started over. Good thing I actually have a fabric stash thanks to JoAnns that went out of business some time ago. But I did a better job the second time anyway, and the Actress was thrilled. I had drawn her name on the secret Santa and since she will be Mary at the Ward Christmas Party I decided to give the costume a go. Truly the stitching is attrocious and I didn't hem it cause I don't know how, but she feels great in it and we even did a belt and a headpiece. She makes a beautiful Mary (though I'm not ready to be a Grama for a loooooong time). I'll get a better picture later when she is actually wearing it.

The kettle corn was tasty. The cider hit mixed reviews but I thought it was delicious. We didn't get that much decorating done, but we made time for Christmas yesterday, and that was the point.

Up for today:

1. More decorating.


2. Start reading the big pile of Christmas books.


3. Little planning party for a special project we are working on.
   

Day One

This morning we drew our Secret Santa names for the first time.

We'll start our advents of a felt Christmas tree with ornaments (my family tradition)and a Christmas candle which burns while we read a Christmas story (Mr. Bloomers family).

Day One festivities include:

1. Decorate. We haven't started. I'll clean up the house today and we'll decorate tonight. All but the tree. Due to illness we've postponed the tree chopping activity to Saturday morning.


2. Drink apple cider and eat kettle corn popped in our newish popcorn popper (which we love**).


3. Non-stop Christmas music.
   
   

A snapshot from our first Christmas in IL. December 2004.


**I bought my popcorn popper at Kohls. Tons of popcorn kernals, oil, and cute bags on the cheap at Sam's Club. We LOVE it. Don't forget to add salt too if you go the kettle corn route.