CHRISTMAS JOY'S!

I definitely felt the hustle and bustle of the season this year being a working mom. I can't tell you how many nights I stayed up until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning working on gifts, shopping, baking or wrapping presents, etc. just to find myself getting up at 6:00 or 6:30 the next morning. In spite of it all, I love Christmas! I love doing things for other people and I love seeing how excited my kids get in helping others. I love watching their faces and the excitement in their eyes on Christmas morning. I love baking and enjoying all the Christmas treats that are around (English toffee, mint sandwiches, orange sticks, peppermint ice cream, cookies, etc.) I love getting up early the day after Thanksgiving and shopping with the rest of the crazies of the world. I love reading Christmas stories and hearing about acts of kindness and service. I love seeing everyone in their new Christmas outfits for church and listening to the program during sacrament meeting. I love hearing about our Savior and reading the Christmas story from the scriptures.

This year I decided to let Madi have a Christmas Party with her friends, but make it a service party at the same time. She invited most of the girls from her school class and they all came over on a Saturday night for an evening of "Sweets!" Sweet-service, sweet-treats, sweet-friends! We tied 20 blankets for the Christmas Box House and then made modge-podge stocking and Christmas tree ornaments. He had hot chocolate and cookies and did a gift exchange for the girls. They are all very "sweet" and LOUD, but had a great time!

One of my favorite events at Christmas time is the white elephant gift exchange we do with my family. We decided a couple of years ago that instead of drawing names for each other that we would do white elephants instead. Dan and I starting planning our gifts at Halloween. First we purchased the ugliest looking cat from the Halloween store and then spray painted in grey. Growing up we had a cat named kitty that had mange. Every year she would grow an enormous amount of hair and then she would shed it in large patches. Every summer we could expect to see kitty running around with wings while she was in the shedding process (it really was disturbing). With that in mind, I cut the hair on the cat and gave her wings, the final touch was the name tag we put around her neck, which said MANGE! It was hilarious when Melissa opened the box. Our next gift proved to be a gift that everyone thought of. A month ago, our family was getting pictures done and there were several emails going around about what to wear. Doug decided to take it a little further and had Becca take a picture of him in some black lingerie with the words JOY next to him. He emailed the picture to everyone stating that this was what he was planning on wearing. Dan and I then ordered post-its and a large poster of Doug for our next gift. We even threw in a Crazy Mom calendar (pictures of my mother at her best). A few others made ornaments of Doug and a framed picture of Doug. It was quite hysterical. Everyone (including Doug) had a good laugh!

I started a tradition a few years ago where I purchase a ornament for each of the kids. Something that represent them that year. My plan is then they grow up they will have a box of ornaments to take with them to put on their first Christmas tree. I remember being newly married and not having money to purchase a tree, let alone the ornaments, so i thought this would be a good way to start them out and help them remember different things throughout their lives. This year The kids received the following; Madi - Twilight ornament, Jaxson - football, Reagan - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Santa bought the kids some incredible presents this year. Reagan received a mini-trampoline which we put up in the playroom. Dan and I got sick of her asking to jump on the trampoline everyday. She didn't care if there was snow on it, so we helped Santa out and gave him this suggestion. Reagan also received a collection of Mickey Mouse items, including ad train, Pluto the dog and memory game. She can't get enough of Mickey. I love it! Madi's favorite this year is the Twilight series, I made her wait until she finished 5th grade to read the series and then when summer hit, she read the first three books within a few weeks. Anything Jacob she loved and she received it too (calendar, hat, puzzle). Santa also brought her a vanity for her room along with a hair straightener, blow dryer and accessories. Jaxson as always wanted sport related items. Santa is wise and brought him a snowboard, la-cross sticks and golf clubs. That boy is so active and wants to do anything where he can keep moving.