a house full of insanity

{a view from our backyard today!!}

The Candy Bowl is slowly dwindling, the Kit Kats have disappeared, the pumpkins are rotting waiting to be placed in the garbage can for collection this week, and the costume have been hung with all the other dress up clothes to be played with on days we need an all-out Star Wars Battle. Halloween is over and now we all are ready thinking of the holidays. It is an EXPRESS train to the end of the year. *Gasp* It always goes by in such a blur -- a glimpse of sparkle and parties & quick catch ups with people you wish you saw more but often don't. It's my favorite time of year and lasts only a brief moment. I have already started to listen to Christmas music, personally I don't think it is played enough. Actually Holly Jolly Christmas is playing in the background right now. Who can't smile when they hear sleigh bells in the background and a familiar Bing Crosby tune on the radio? Certainly not me!! I have the perfect place for our tree already scoped out and just need a go ahead from the "boss" to put it up. I wasn't the first one this year to put up the tree. On Oct 29th I got a text from one of friends with a picture of her tree all up with the lights on. She beat the Christmas Queen!

****spoiler alert -- do not read on is you believe in Santa Claus, Tooth Fairies, Easter Bunny or Unicorns! **** Santa has begun his Christmas shopping. He made a budget with Mrs. Claus and they are really trying with all their might to keep it in check. It is incredibly hard not to get sucked in to "keeping up with the Joneses". You talk to other Mrs. Clauses and discover what their kids are getting kids are getting and just don't want to be a scrooge, but you also don't want the kids spoiled beyond belief either! If they get everything they ever wanted then they never learn things like working for something, being patient, & the important rule of just because you "want it" doesn't mean you "need it!"

I grew up with so many things, for Christmases were amazing and we got great gifts from Santa. We were so blessed and privileged to receive the blessings we did. I think the first year we had Christmas with the kids we went WAY overboard. I think Santa tried to make up for the years he wasn't able to shower the kids with gifts at Christmas. It was amazing the very first Christmas with the kids. The had no clue what to expect. I remember that Christmas morning the kids were sleeping in to 9:30 and Nate's older brother couldn't stand it and had to go wake them up! They had no clue what was waiting for them under the tree. The amazement in their little eyes at the bounty Santa had brought them was priceless!!! The following year they had expectations what Santa was going to bring and we had to live up to them. Now they have this sense of entitlement and I am struggling with how do I teach them the power of hard work and not getting everything on a silver platter. But also am torn because I love to spoil them rotten and getting a squeal of delight out of them when they get something they were wishing for. The dilemmas of being a Mom. I am taking the Forgetting the Joneses Holiday Challenge at mommysavers.com. Trying to keep all my holiday spending in check. I think I have already made an impact on how i spend over this time of the year. Check it out!

So this year we are trying to stick with a budget and simplifying our lives. Listening to Judy Garland singing "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and spending time with one another is all we need. Sitting reading a book with my kids is so much rewarding them having them burying their heads in the DS or becoming zombies in front of the Wii. So now that my budget is set and lists have been made, I am ready to shop and then be done and start enjoying my holidays. Their can't be enough nights in front of the fire reading the Night before Christmas. Because as soon as it starts.... the holidays are over!
{the snow has started here..... I hear the salt truck! }