The Big Christmas Extravaganza Post

Why a big Christmas Extravaganza Post, you ask? Why not just slap up a few cute opening presents in PJ’s pictures and be done with it?

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Well, because there are two people about a thousand miles away that tell me that they live for this blog (Um, Hi Mom and Dad). If they didn’t get to see the blow-by-blow, every-hairy-detail account of Christmas, they just might start calling me more often be heart broken.

So here it is, folks; for better or for worse.

Our Christmas.

In excruciating detail.

Enjoy yourselves.

k

Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas:

Baking cookies for Santa, because quite frankly

who else would eat cookies manhandled by a three-year-old?

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Twas the Day Before Christmas:

Decorating said cookies.
 

Although this looks like a joyous mother-daughter bonding tradition, I have to be honest…it wasn’t. Molly was decorating cookies like a three-year-old. I expected her to decorate cookies like a thirteen-year-old. See the problem?

 

Molly's shoveling of fistfuls of candy decorations into her mouth and her breaking cookies by trying to bury decorations inside the cookies was followed by me airing my frustrations loud enough for the neighbors to hear. 

Finally this part of Christmas was over. Thankfully Molly is forgiving and still loves me.

Here is the way all three of us spent

much of the time around the holidays:

SICK.

Yep, every single one of us was sick.

 Molly got the worst of it, poor baby.

Still managed a smile though.

Must be the sugar buzz.

Here are the finished cookies.

And the ones that Molly picked out for Santa.

Twas the Night Before Christmas:

In keeping with our Christmas traditions, we donned pajamas (well Molly did anyway) and went to look at Christmas lights. Oh what fun we had looking at all of the displays.

Until Molly had a meltdown.

Sick kid, too much sugar, not enough sleep.

Bad, very bad.

Despite the meltdown, I was determined to continue on with our traditions because they are our traditions. You have to continue traditions. Right?

Putting out Reindeer Chow.

I thought we’d go out and sprinkle it on the lawn.

Molly cracked the door and dumped it on the front porch.

Aaaah, traditions.

More traditions…

Putting out milk and cookies for the big guy in red.

And eating even more sugar right before bed.

Still more traditions:

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas.

And it’s Donder, folks, not Donner.

 Look it up if you want.

Twas the Morning of Christmas!

Oooooh, Santa came!

All for me? Right on, Santa!

No, you your eyes do not deceive you. Santa actually brought Molly a Princess dress. If you have read previous posts, you know that Molly has a few issues with princesses and that we had to take steps to limit Princess Dress time in our house.

I justified this gift by the fact that I am getting rid of the 4 other princess dresses that are down in the basement. Net decrease in dresses = 3. Yep, I did a whole lot of justifying this holiday…read on.

Molly on her new scooter giving the princess pose.

She has never seen a princess movie. Ever.

So how did she learn this pose?

Easy….her Cinderella underwear.

Don’t believe me? See for yourself:

Safety First: Always wear a helmet.

And give a princess pose.

Yes, that’s a Mulan Barbie. And yes, I bought a Barbie. I feel dirty just writing it. But I justified it by the fact that she is in traditional Chinese dress, and she is a strong woman. She don’t need no stinkin’ prince on a white horse to save her. Or a Ken doll in a pink Corvette.

Aw h*ll. If you let her have one Barbie,

what does another hurt?

I didn’t give her this one, by the way.

This was an Aunt Shell special.

Just had to prove that Dad was in the room!

Molly with her Christmas loot.

Christmas Breakfast of Pumpkin Pancakes with whipped cream.

Molly requested a bib as to not soil her princess dress.

Apparently the pancakes were a hit.

One last princess pose.

Can never have too much of a good thing.

Ugh!

The stockings were hung by the Chimney with care.

And apparently contained more princess paraphernalia.

Walt Disney you evil, evil man.

Marketing genius, but evil nonetheless.

So there it is.

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Hope you enjoyed our day (Mom and Dad).

Merry Christmas

From our family to yours...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Christmastime Two-Fer

Go into any store this holiday season and you are guaranteed find of two-for-one sale. Well you my lucky reader are fortunate enough to qualify for the Holiday Two-for-One Blog! Who Hoo! It's twice the fun for the same low price so enjoy.

Blog 1: The Snowman

We don't often get snow before the first of the year here in our Midwestern town. As luck would have it, last Saturday we actually got about 1/32 of an inch. I mean look at the yard. There is still green grass poking out of the snow. That's one pathetic snowfall in the opinion of this Colorado transplant.

Molly, however, would not be deterred by this minor detail. She was going to build a snowman pokey-outy grass or not. I was fine with that, as long as I didn't have to participate in said event. I hate the snow. I hate the cold. I hate coats and boots and winter clothes. So if any snowman was going to be built, Dad would have to be in charge. I did manage to throw on a parka a few times and brave the inclement weather to snap a few pictures.

Dad teaching Molly the proper rolling technique.

Then offering a few sage pieces of advice.

Finally, Molly got to take over.

She is all about doing everything by herself.

Always has been.

Our Little Miss Independent.

The finished product.

Although impressive,

I like the snow bunny on the right

much better than the snowman on the left.

Blog 2: The China Friends Holiday Extravaganza

Our playroup had an amazing Christmas Party last week and Molly was so thrilled to be able to wear the panda outfit again. If you are counting, this is event #4 for this outfit. And for what it cost me, you might be seeing it in Christmas photos again next year!  Here are a few (ahem) pictures of the festivities:

Hello, Graceyn?

Party at your house?

I'll be right over!

And here's Graceyn, waiting for the party to start.

Molly and Megan looking adorable in their holiday duds.

Leave it to Molly to find the princess clothes

tucked away in the corner of the basement.

I think she may have had a little help from Princess Mia.

Who would have thought that a rotating stick

could be so much fun?

Chow time! 

Mac and Cheese, and it's not from a box.

This is one high class party!

Molly and Abby looking for Santa.

All of this fun and presents, too!

The wonderful, glorious, beautiful China Friends.

Love you girls.

Love you too, China Moms.

Stay tuned for the BIG CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA post coming to a blog near you.

Merry Christmas!

Ho, ho, ho! Whatever.

Okay, you know that part in Frosty the Snowman where Santa busts the magician for melting Frosty and then Santa makes the magician write I’m sorry about a zillion times or he won’t be getting any Christmas presents? And remember how the magician runs off over the snow covered hills in that hippity-hop, bouncy kind of run saying, I’ve got to get bizzzzy, bizzzzy bizzzzy.

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Well, that’s me. Minus the hippity-hop, bouncy run. And the snow covered hills. And the whole writing I’m sorry thing. But the bizzzy part, that’s me. Geesh, can it get any more hectic?

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Right after Thanksgiving I was giddy with the Christmas spirit. Just couldn't wait. Loved it. Wished it could last forever. Right about now I'm thinking, can we just get on with it?

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I am so done with it all. I’m tired of shopping, tired or crowds, tired of wrapping. I’m sick of hearing Alvin and the Chipmunks singing that stupid Christmas song. And I don’t even bother telling Molly that her meltdowns behavior choices are going to get her name on Santa’s naughty list because that doesn’t even phase her anymore.

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But what really takes me right out of the Christmas spirit is being so dang busy all.of.the.time. I mean really, is it truly necessary to cram that much Christmas into a few short weeks? I know, I know. I bring it all on myself.

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Come Christmas Eve, my current Scrooge mood will melt away and I will love Christmas all over again. I will enjoy the true spirit of Christmas. Really. But I’m not there yet.

;

Rant finished.

;

Since I haven’t had any time to post as of late, I am a bit behind. So hold on, I have a lot of ground to cover here.

This picture was taken at the beginning of the month

when I foolishly thought that we actually had time

for a craft project.

Molly at our

Families With Children form China Christmas Party.

Love the coat! Thanks Aunt Shell!

Molly and her buddy Graceyn

Molly waving to Santa.

It's all good, as long as the jolly man keeps his distance.

Alrighty, the advent calendar.

I thought this was a great idea.

I was proud of myself for following

through on this tradition.

Then I read a a woman's blog

who does two Advent Calendars.

One teaches the true Christmas Story.

The other "creates family memories."

It gives clues as to what activity

they are going to do each day.

She even has pictures of the calendars

completely filled ahead of time.

That's the kind of mother I want to be.

But I fall waaaaaay short.

Heck, I scurry to throw something in the box

right before Molly opens it.

I tell her if she opens any door before

the day she is suppose to

all of the rest of the things will magically disappear.

She can't prove that I'm lying trying to make this a

memorable experience, filled with anticipation.

Bad Mommy. Very bad Mommy.

Here is some of the joy that my mediocre version

of the advent calendar brings to Molly each day:

Yes, Molly got a Rudolph DVD, and  Frosty

and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

I'm sure there is an audible gasp from those who know me.

This is the first time that Molly has ever

sat down and watched a TV show or a DVD. Ever.

I figured that she is almost four and it is Christmas.

No sense being a Scrooge.

I'll unplug the TV again on the 26th.

Moving on...

For several days last week

the temperature hovered around 10 degrees.

Molly decided that she wanted to ride her trike in the dark.

So Tony dressed her up like this and headed out.

I thought they'd be back in 5 minutes. Ten minutes, tops.

Ummm, try 45 minutes. Brrrrrrr.

With all of my ample free time,

I gave Molly this special hairdo.

Molly's preschool put on a little Christmas performance.

I thought she take one look at the crowd and

run from the stage crying, right into my lap.

Obviously that didn't happen!

Finally, a little cookie making with Molly's friend Mattie.

Molly loved having Mattie over.

And she loved that I let her take out princess clothes on a Friday.

If you actually made is to the end of this epoch post....

Congratulations. You deserve a medal or something.

Succinct, I am not.

No wonder I am so dang bizzzzzy.