Christmas Blog Reflection

     

Christmas has come and gone for another year. I can easily say this was the best Christmas for me, at the very least as an adult. For a long time, I swore I would never have kids (or get married for that matter). At Christmas was the only time I would rethink that, so needless to say Jake made the season amazing for me. He also made me think long and hard about what the season is to me as well.

        As a result, while most of my posts were appearing, they were not necessarily being shared. I started to question how my blog was done back in October, and realized how much it wasn't me anymore. I am 100% a planner, and love making my lists, and organizing, it is something I enjoy, but who I am has changed drastically in the last year. Once my blog would start in September, it was tunnel vision for me, all my spare time was about getting ready for Christmas. Now I have a higher priority in Jake, and a lot less time on my hands. In addition, I am less about what is next, and more about what is now, with my son. I also realized that, while I talked about not needing to put together the perfect Christmas, that's EXACTLY what I was trying to achieve. This is why my blog series, will make a drastic change next year (and perhaps a little taste in the very first week of 2019). I'm not about to commit completely to what I plan to do, but I plan to make the series next year less frequent (likely once a week) and more real, but more on that later.

        I will continue the series, and getting ready early, but I will continue my posts along the way about my family, and this blog will be way more fun for me. I saw something on TV this year (yes the hallmark movies) and a character said "Isn't Christmas just something that happens"...absolutely not! There is planning, and preparations that are required, but it should be more organic than we tend to allow. There should be some chaos, that's where the memories are made and the stories come from. So next year you will hear about the overflowing sink while thawing the turkey, or breaking the bake element a week before Christmas on your discontinued oven.

      I might have another post or two for this year's series, but not like you saw in the last 3 months. It will likely be next week some time.

       I hope your Christmas was amazing, mine absolutely was. We had guests right up until yesterday, and I'm exhausted, but so very happy.

      K, Luv Ya, Bye!

      Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #44, Last Shopping Trip

          We started the grocery list in the beginning of October, and have been chipping away at it since then. By now the list shouldn't be massive, but it's time for that last grocery trip before Christmas. Take our 3 lists and combine them into the one final chapter of all our our meal planning as you set out to the mayhem that is the grocery store.

          My #1 tip, get up early and be there within the first hour of opening. Very few people are already shopping at 7am, and it's nice and quiet and not rushed. I actually really enjoy early morning grocery shopping, it was the getting up that I used to struggle with, but 7am now? As a mother? no problem.

          Also I would like to make note today marks the start of turkey thaw 2018. I'm not sure why I enjoy sharing this part with you every year, but I do.

          My next post will be Christmas Eve, and I can't say I'm sure what time it will actually go up. This is the Christmas Prep finish line!

        K, Luv Ya, Bye!

        Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #43 One last Clean

         Less than a week and Christmas will be here! When do your guests arrive (if you have them coming). Guests or no, I prefer my place to be REALLY clean over Christmas, so that is what this post is about, the final major clean before Christmas. I'm not talking like scrub walls and stuff, but tackling some of this larger cleaning projects around the house so anything after this should take a couple min.

         I'm a strong believer of setting a deadline on Christmas eve at a point I say, if it ain't done, it ain't gettin done. I want to be able to sit back, relax and enjoy. For me, knowing my house is clean helps to make that possible.

         Not a fun post, but one that might help you have more fun later.

         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

        Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #42, Final Assessment

       One week from today is Christmas Eve, so now seems a great time to do the final assessment. I have done two other assessment posts, just giving the coles notes version of what things should be accomplished at this point. Since we're nearly at the end, seems like a good time.

        Where we're nearing the finish line, I don't have a lot on this list for you really. The previous two were playing a role in getting you started early so at this point, you'd kind of be sitting pretty. The 3 things that I would say would be:

           *Get your Baking Done
           *Wrap your gifts
           * Make up your Sanity Basket

         I still encourage you to enjoy some things like a movie night or looking at lights, but other than that...This blog has been serving the purpose of keeping you as stress free at this point as possible.


         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #41, Look at the Lights

         

So this is one, I've been waiting so desperately for. Every year I look forward to driving around to look at the lights, and going to a local display. But last year while we went to all of this, all I could think about was sharing it with Jake this year.

          Looking at Christmas Lights is another of those universal traditions, and something I have waited so long to do with my child.

         Going to the light display with the family has been a tradition on Christmas Eve for years, and we hope to go again this year, but we have to wait and see how little man will do with it all. SO we will be going just the three of us before, because it's not something I'm willing to miss.

         Find the lights displays around you, or even just drive around the neighborhood. This is definitely a great tradition to follow up with Hot Chocolate too.

         K, Luv Ya, Bye!

         Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #40, the Sanity Basket

        What a weird title am I right? You very well may thank me after this post. When you wake up Christmas morning with the kids, it will be pandemonium. You will cling to your coffee and be unsure of which way is up. Actually I have no idea, this is my kid's first Christmas...

       But it doesn't matter what the case is, on Christmas morning, there will be things you need, and that you'll go searching for, and it would just be easier if they were right at your finger tips right? Enter stage left the sanity basket. So mine isn't actually a basket, mine is a decorative box, the container isn't important, the contents are. Here are somethings you might want to have at the ready:

        *An all in one screw driver
        *Scissors
        *Needle nose pliers
        *Box cutter
        *Tape
        *Phone Charger
        *Camera
        *Video Camera
        *Batteries (different sizes)
        *Garbage bags
        *Manuel Can opener
        *Pen

       You may not need all of this, you may only need 2 things total, but wouldn't you rather be prepared?

       K, Luv Ya, Bye

       Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #39, Movie Night

       

Way back when we did the Master list I talked about how it would be helpful in you preparing  and remembering your own personal traditions. There are some traditions that seem to be universal though, and I feel this is one of them. Have a family holiday movie night. This is an assignment, but it's also a chance for you to relax, unwind and enjoy what this holiday is really all about. I have a collection of the classic kid specials that I've been trying to introduce Jake to. So odds are we'll go with one of those. Bright colours and music are Jake's thing....but we could end up watching the Wiggles Go Santa Go...

        I recommend having a movie for after the kids are in bed too, just something for your and your other half to enjoy. The movie White Christmas has gained sentimental value with my. Apparently it was my grandmother's favorite, which got me into it in the first place. But for me, I'll never forget the one snowfall we had before we had the snowblower. We had one full size shovel and an emergency car sized shovel. Needless to say we were down to one eventually, I even threw my back out enough I couldn't work the next day ( I swear there is a special part to this). During one of Cale's turns outside I made a massive pot of soup since we just got home. I tagged him out and when he finished, he came out and took over again and told me White Christmas was on TV. He finished up the driveway soon after (we have a big driveway so it took a while), and we cuddled and watched White Christmas until 2am. It sounds so insignificant, but it's a special memory for me.

       Make some of your own special memories or traditions!

      K, Luv Ya, Bye!

      Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post #38 Wrapping

       

I have been after you for a while to keep on top of your gift shopping, and about now you should be wrapping it up, both figuratively and literally. Today's assignment is wrapping your gifts. By now you should know when it comes to Christmas preparations, I like to make an event of it.

          When I was a kid, I would go Christmas shopping every year with my uncle, and we had a blast. After we were done shopping, we would always go to his house and wrap up the gifts we bought, and listen to Christmas music. So this is exactly what I do. I tend to go for Boney M. This wa a record (yes record) he always played and it's probably my favorite Christmas cd (yes cd). It gets played a couple of times while Cale and I wrap, fortunately Cale likes that one too. Some times we have cookies and hot chocolate too, but like I said, it's usually a special evening.

         So wrap up the shopping and wrap up the gifts!

        K, Luv Ya, Bye!

        Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Christmas Post # 37, Holiday Baking

   

    Baking, it's not a strong point for me. I can follow a recipe, so I'm good, but there is a chemistry required for baking while cooking, if you know the flavor you're going for you can generally achieve it.
 
          I generally bake once a year, and this is that time. We gathered the recipes a while back and now is the time to bring them to life. I like to get the baking done early, because it's done, and you can enjoy cookies for the next 20 days, but also because if some one pops in on you unannounced over Christmas for a coffee or something, you have cookies if nothing else. One thing I generally do too is freeze a good portion of them. If I left cookies out as a free for all, Cale would probably have them gone before Christmas. So I pack some away and freeze them for Christmas, and any specific occasions I might want them for.

         For some Christmas baking is the highlight for them every season, it's your time to shine!

        K, Luv Ya, Bye!

        Nancy, Cale, Jake and Alice

Post for Papa Bear

         

For the last several years, this has been the hardest day of the year for me. Today marks 7 years since we had to say goodbye to my dad.

          I woke up this morning and did what I normally do with Jake  and I was very excited to go to his very first advent calendar for the very first time, until it made me realize what today was. This being said the greatest thing to ever happen to me was sitting in my arms smiling at me. I fought back the tears, as I have more than once in the last 2 years knowing my son will never know one of the greatest men I will ever know, and the man who played probably the most pivotal role in my life.  But at the same time, Jake has made me have more pride and respect for my dad than I had before, which was already an astronomical amount.

         In becoming a parent I've discovered it's the hardest thing I've ever done, and still the most rewarding. I finally know what it was my dad felt for my brother and I and it's indescribable. Over the years, I've heard people say, they don't know how you did it, and I agree with them. But now I know what pushed you to.

         As much as it hurts you're not here to see your grandson, I've seen you in him. When his eyes were changing all the time it reminded me of you, and the steel blue he landed on still reminds me of you. There is the odd grin that I see of yours too. While he may not know you dad, you're part of him, and I'm glad I can see that. I love you daddy and still miss you so much.