I have to confess I am a sucker for watching movies as a family. It's one of the things that we can do as a family that doesn't require us to leave the house, dress fancy, or worry about being somewhere on time. Plus we can do it in our pjs and eat junk food what's not to love?
It can also lead to the shocking discoveries and confessions. Highlights of last night:
The hubs,"No, I never watched Lilo and Stitch, I always figured it was about a rich girl in Hawaii with her koala"
Me, "No, I've never watched the Goonies, therefore I have no understanding of your socially relevant quote."
The hubs to the kids "Does anyone want a root beer float?, anyone at all?, we need to make some room in the freezer." cue blank faced non responsive children.
15 min later
The oldest "So when are we having rootbeer floats?"
The best part is we have been doing movie night with the kids since they were still itty bitty. We have watched some awesome movies, we have watched some trite and mediocre movies. There have been a few movies that have been turned off as horrified parents realized that oh this really wasn't appropriate for the kids. Some nights we have had someone missing because they had work or a sleep over but generally movie nights are something consistant that we do together. I will take what moments of happiness we have even if they are in front of a big screen.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Balance
My goal as the year closes is to find more balance. I need to quit trying to live my life like there are 24 usable hours in each day. Things have to give and it's ok to be more elastic and go with the flow. No one ever died because they ate a Costco muffin instead of one made from scratch (I will be opening the box and putting them on my own plates though, because I'm classy like that). It's going to be ok for me to let go and say I am not Wonder Woman there are some major changes in my life and I need to focus of priorities.
The priorities of being a mother, wife, student, employee, and myself. My plate if full and instead of scooping more on to it I am going to savor what I have. I am going to a lot my projects to a set amount of time and if it takes longer than usual to get them done so be it. No more last minute competitive crafting because I saw x, y, or z on sale. We don't need to have hand sewn Christmas pants and accessories (yes I've been that mom lately, yes I kind of want to kick my own ass). I am really working on saying no to Pintrest (it makes me feel inadequate and competitive.).
School for me starts in a little of over a week and I have to say I feel ready but anxious. It's been a long time since I was in classroom and I am so grateful I don't actually have to go to school. That I can log in during the wee hours to work on my home work and classes instead of having to attend in person. Still its going to take time and dedication and that means adjusting how I do things. It also means that I still have to get done everything I do know with one more addition. Good things the kids aren't getting a puppy for Christmas.
Its going to be ok even if we are a little shabbier are the edges while I make the transition and things get adjusted. I just need to keep my goals in mind and check the to do list. Oh and breathe. I better also add the local to go restaurants to my speed dial list.
The priorities of being a mother, wife, student, employee, and myself. My plate if full and instead of scooping more on to it I am going to savor what I have. I am going to a lot my projects to a set amount of time and if it takes longer than usual to get them done so be it. No more last minute competitive crafting because I saw x, y, or z on sale. We don't need to have hand sewn Christmas pants and accessories (yes I've been that mom lately, yes I kind of want to kick my own ass). I am really working on saying no to Pintrest (it makes me feel inadequate and competitive.).
School for me starts in a little of over a week and I have to say I feel ready but anxious. It's been a long time since I was in classroom and I am so grateful I don't actually have to go to school. That I can log in during the wee hours to work on my home work and classes instead of having to attend in person. Still its going to take time and dedication and that means adjusting how I do things. It also means that I still have to get done everything I do know with one more addition. Good things the kids aren't getting a puppy for Christmas.
Its going to be ok even if we are a little shabbier are the edges while I make the transition and things get adjusted. I just need to keep my goals in mind and check the to do list. Oh and breathe. I better also add the local to go restaurants to my speed dial list.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
My holiday gift giving
It's time for me to admit it. I use a lot of bravado at the holiday time, I paint on a brave smile and try my best to make everyone happy. The truth is I spend a lot of the season feeling like I haven't done enough or made lavish enough purchases. Would I like to give far beyond our means, you bet. I just don't want to give people things I want to give people something more.
I wish I could wrap up my true Christmas wishes for everyone but how do you wrap joy, a child like sense of wonder, a moment of perfect happiness, love? How do you wrap the wish that someone always have enough and than just a bit more? I wish I had a way to put those things in a box. To wrap it with paper, ribbons, and tie a bow on top. So I could hand you a present that is more elegant mere words to all of you, and my family. If I could wrap up a box with support, hope and encouragement you'd be receiving that too.
So since I can't figure out how to place my wishes for you in boxes, plus can you imagine the whining I would be doing about all the wrapping. Please know I wish you the Happiest of Holidays, the Merriest of Christmases, and may your New Year be the best yet.
I wish I could wrap up my true Christmas wishes for everyone but how do you wrap joy, a child like sense of wonder, a moment of perfect happiness, love? How do you wrap the wish that someone always have enough and than just a bit more? I wish I had a way to put those things in a box. To wrap it with paper, ribbons, and tie a bow on top. So I could hand you a present that is more elegant mere words to all of you, and my family. If I could wrap up a box with support, hope and encouragement you'd be receiving that too.
So since I can't figure out how to place my wishes for you in boxes, plus can you imagine the whining I would be doing about all the wrapping. Please know I wish you the Happiest of Holidays, the Merriest of Christmases, and may your New Year be the best yet.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
I'm dreaming of a white christmas
The reality is if it does snow or as it happens more often ices it will not be ideal. It will be the stress while I work to cover shifts from home, keep everyone entertained, hope the hubs is either off due to weather and not driving around for his work. There will be the worry of did I lay in enough groceries or are we down to the last crust of bread and sip of milk (every storm it happens we run out of something "essential") or worst the last roll of toilet paper. The mad dash to get everything finished while being home bound and still semi secret. Without tears, injury (I'm notoriously clumsy), or a disaster in crafting.
The dead line for a lot of my to do list is drawing closer. I still need to finish gifts and mail them, write out the Christmas card, start baking cookies and making candy, not to mention finding something to wear (that's a whole other blog post), wrap the presents, stuff the stockings, and find the holiday cheer. It always seems like I won't get it done unless I rush to the wire. So it's time for me to make my list and check it twice.
So while I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, I'll be just fine with a Christmas thats about 40 degrees and temperate. If your having a dream holiday send me a picture over in facebook land. You can find us at www.facebook.com/sweetmoeandco
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
My war on Christmas
It started a long time a go before it was trendy. My worry that the season's messages was lost with the children. I will never forget the moment I realized we had lost sight of the meaning of Christmas. We had been unwrapping presents at their 3rd (for our families, the bigs usually end up having somewhere between 6-8 Christmases due to mom, dad, and both sets of grandparents, I guess there are some benefits to divorce) it happened. The dreaded duplicate gift. Instead of the oldest being graceful he loudly announced "I all ready have this can we go to Fred Meyer's NOW and exchange it." No we didn't go to Fred Meyer's that night but that was the moment when I realized we needed to show them that Christmas means more than give me. It means we take extra time with the people we love, that we give to others, and we build solid memories that are based on more than a mountain of things.
Christmas for us also means not going into debt for things we don't need. Are there things that we want and would love to give our children that we don't yes. I think every parent has that moment where they would like to be able to afford things for their children but can't because the funds simply need to be allocated to other places. It wouldn't be responsible for us to go into debt to provide them with things that will be forgotten in a few months and they don't need. Will they get presents?, yes but they will be things that they can enjoy as a family, a new zoo membership, a renewal of our OMSI pass, and other assorted things that we can do together. Stockings will be stuffed for fun too. However we just won't be buying a mountain of things to show our love this holiday season.
We will be working on our giving this holiday season and we need to make it a real effort for it to be a whole year long activity. So far we have done a stocking for charity, I've sewn hats for the hat drive, and I need to drop off things for the toy drive. While it's a good start I really want to make an effort to do more this year. I want to build up in them that it is good to give.
It's also the time for Christmas traditions. We need to go see the tree in Pioneer Square because its something I've done ever Christmas but my first in Portland. That shiny new Zoo pass will include admission to zoo lights. I want to load up the van with the kids, cookies and cocoa and see the light displays that folks have worked so hard on. All things that will take time and hopefully give us some happy memories.
So that's my war on Christmas it's a war on debt, wrapping paper and bows. It's about a return to simpler time. Where the holidays meant time with the people you love not a mountain of boxes and remorse when you get the bills in January.
Christmas for us also means not going into debt for things we don't need. Are there things that we want and would love to give our children that we don't yes. I think every parent has that moment where they would like to be able to afford things for their children but can't because the funds simply need to be allocated to other places. It wouldn't be responsible for us to go into debt to provide them with things that will be forgotten in a few months and they don't need. Will they get presents?, yes but they will be things that they can enjoy as a family, a new zoo membership, a renewal of our OMSI pass, and other assorted things that we can do together. Stockings will be stuffed for fun too. However we just won't be buying a mountain of things to show our love this holiday season.
We will be working on our giving this holiday season and we need to make it a real effort for it to be a whole year long activity. So far we have done a stocking for charity, I've sewn hats for the hat drive, and I need to drop off things for the toy drive. While it's a good start I really want to make an effort to do more this year. I want to build up in them that it is good to give.
It's also the time for Christmas traditions. We need to go see the tree in Pioneer Square because its something I've done ever Christmas but my first in Portland. That shiny new Zoo pass will include admission to zoo lights. I want to load up the van with the kids, cookies and cocoa and see the light displays that folks have worked so hard on. All things that will take time and hopefully give us some happy memories.
So that's my war on Christmas it's a war on debt, wrapping paper and bows. It's about a return to simpler time. Where the holidays meant time with the people you love not a mountain of boxes and remorse when you get the bills in January.
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