This year was Brynleigh's first Christmas. It can be an easy thing to forget with all the hustle and bustle that comes with Christmas time. The day is usually a whirlwind and is over before we know it. I had to keep reminding myself that it was her first Christmas and to make these moments special for her, even though she will not remember it I wanted to and I will be able to tell her about it when she is older. She enjoyed every minute of it!
This year was also the first year that Logan really understood Christmas. We built up the anticiaption to Christmas by counting down the days. He was very excited about Santa coming and loved the lights and tree. We also taught him about giving to others this year as well. He loved opening his stocking and he is a pro at opening presents as well now.
Even though we may have had some unexpected things happen (such as not having a furnace) we made the best of it. It was the first time in a couple of years I was not completely stressed out and was able to enjoy the day with my kids.
I hope that everyone else had an enjoyable Christmas and they made memories that will last forever.
This time of the season everyone is always busy. We are all rushing around to get everything done and there just never seems to be enough time to do it all in. It happens every single year for me. The holidays are over before I even know it. For the past couple of years I have been wanting to take Logan to go get a toy for a boy and girl that are in need. But time always slips right past me. This year was different though.
As my husband and I were driving to the store to do our weekly grocery shopping I was talking to him about I wanted to take Logan this year to go buy a couple of toys and teach him about the joy of giving. And how much it means to these people that others are thinking of them. We talked about taking them into our local television station that does it every year. Well it just so happened that there was a local radio station setting up outside of the store for a toy and food drive. So I seized the moment right there and decided to donate that day. We did our normal grocery shopping while adding a few extra things, trying to think of what people have at a Christmas dinner and what they might be in need of. Our next stop was the toy department. I decided that we should get a toy for a boy and a girl. This was going well so far, well that was until we put the truck in the cart. Logan thought it was for him and he wanted it. We explained to him that it was going to be for a little boy that wasn't going to get much this Christmas and that us giving it to him would make him very happy. Well my three old was not going to have any part of this at all. No matter how we told him he just didn't want to listen.
We went outside to where they were set up and asked Logan if he wanted to give the toys to the ladies that were there. He said no and just stood there. They were all thanking him and telling him how much they appreciated it and that he was a really nice boy for what he was doing. All this went in one ear and out the other. So we left with a very unhappy boy. Our drive home we continued to tell Logan why we gave the toys away and why he didn't get to keep them. Later that day I was talking with him and asked him if he was happy that we gave the toys away for the other kids and he turns and says to me "they see Santa now?" Have you ever seen the joy in a child's face, seen the shine in their eyes when you say that Santa is going to come. How excited they get when you just mention his name. Hearing Logan say that told me that he knows the children will be just as excited as he is when Christmas morning comes. In his own way he told me that he was happy that we did what we did. And I was finally able to know that he learned about the joy of giving to others
When next year comes and the same opportunity arises we will be doing the same thing. My only hope is that the next time he will be only too willing to donate with a smile on his face and joy in his heart knowing that he is making other children happy.
It always surprises me sometimes when I call my Mother and expect to just say a quick hello to see how her day is going. (Yes I call my Mother on a daily basis, why I am not sure. My day just doesn't feel complete until I do) But sometimes we get into these long phone conversations, like the one a couple of days ago.
I have been having some rough days and figuring out how to deal with some things. I have a tendency to look ahead at things and can only see the negative aspect of things. And the thing my Mom said to me which will stick with me now is "live in the moment." Don't worry about what is to come, but enjoy what is happening. If we are to only look ahead at things and dread them, then we will more then likely overwhelm and stress ourselves out. Try and pick out the positive of things and focus on those more then the negative.
I have been dreading Christmas with the family this year, and if anyone knows me they know I love Christmas and still act like a kid that can't wait for the day to come and wake up early and everything that goes with it. But this year having two kids has made me less then enthused about it. My son tends to be a higher energy kid then some and keeping up with him can sometimes be difficult. I call him my path of destruction, because wherever he goes you can be sure he leaves a trail behind him. Some people don't know exactly how to deal with him and most times when we are visiting others he tends to get into everything he isn't suppose to. Negative aspect #1.
My daughter as lovely and cute as she is tends to only want Mom and Mom only. This can be tiring. Being able to find a suitable pair of arms that feel as good at Mommy's isn't always easy and usually only lasts about a minute or two. Putting her on the ground is an option, but she has been mobile since she was 6 months old so you always have to keep on eye on her because she is quick! Meanwhile my son, remember is probably doing something he isn't suppose to be doing, so I have to juggle Brynleigh and Logan at once and not being able to relax and visit with people frusturates me. Negative aspect #2.
These things were the only things I could focus on for Christmas day. But after having that conversation with my Mom, my thoughts are more like this.
Yes Logan will probably be high energy and crazy at times, but I am sure some people there need their daily exercise and will be able to run around with him. He loves to play hide and seek so I am sure my Mom will be only too happy to jump behind something a few times to put a smile on his face. Positive aspect #1.
Brynleigh with her adorable little face has been winning John over more and more each time we visit. I am sure he will love to hold her and when she starts to fuss they can blow raspberries at each other. Auntie Candice loves to play with her niece and nephew and show them how things work so I am sure they would love to play with her with new toys that they get that day. Positive Aspect #2
With others playing with the kids I will be able to sit down and relax a little and be able to visit with others. I am sure at times that they will want Mommy and only Mommy, but at least it won't be the whole time that we are there. Positive aspect #3.
It is something that I am still learning to do, but I am only focusing on the day at hand and what we will do in that day. We all want to plan ahead and make sure we know what is coming ahead, but sometimes we all need to slow down a little and just live in the moment and enjoy those moments.
A song that I recently came across really said it for me, it's by Jason Mraz and it's called Living in the moment:
As I slowly open my eyes I am awakened by a shuffling noise. It seems like it could be 4:00am in the morning, but a quick check on the clock and it actually says 6:48am. Logan is standing beside the bed, his P.J. pants around his ankles. He had just come from the bathroom and he hasn't really been too keen on pulling his pants up these days yet. (visitors beware by the way!) I have no desire to get up yet, and even less when I realize Brynleigh is still sleeping. I pull his pants up for him and let him go on his way. He usually just goes downstairs and grabs his LeapPad and comes back up and sits on his bed. But today he decided to stay downstairs and play. Fine by me. I doze off again, and shortly after I am awakened by Brynleigh getting up. Our day has officially started. I do our daily routine in the morning and am on my way to go downstairs and I stop immediately. It looks like it has snowed on our stairs! I guess Logan's toys didn't give him enough amusement because he felt the need to take a WHOLE ENTIRE roll of toilet paper and unravel it all over the stairs!
This could go either way, I could get really mad at him for wasting toilet paper and yell at him, or I could simply get him to help me clean it up and tell him that we don't waste things like that and it's for wiping our bums only. I chose the second option, and as we were cleaning I couldn't help but laugh a little at the enormous amount of toilet paper there actually was everywhere!
We are met with obstacles in our lives everyday. It's up to us how we conquer them. It could be an angry driver, kids that won't listen or simply a bad day. Somehow we always manage and find a way to overcome them.
This year was Brynleigh's first Christmas. It can be an easy thing to forget with all the hustle and bustle that comes with Christmas time. The day is usually a whirlwind and is over before we know it. I had to keep reminding myself that it was her first Christmas and to make these moments special for her, even though she will not remember it I wanted to and I will be able to tell her about it when she is older. She enjoyed every minute of it!
This year was also the first year that Logan really understood Christmas. We built up the anticiaption to Christmas by counting down the days. He was very excited about Santa coming and loved the lights and tree. We also taught him about giving to others this year as well. He loved opening his stocking and he is a pro at opening presents as well now. 
