New Year's Celebrations?

Happy Holidays to you all! Feels like ages since I've updated my blog. It's been a welcome hiatus as our household has struggled through viruses and colds amidst the Christmas festivities. Plus, it just feels good to be lazy and tinker with our Christmas gifts during this post-Christmas week. Chloe calls them "pajama days".

I'll most definitely sum up our memorable Christmas activities in weeks to come but for today I have a question for you in regards to New Year's Eve.

I know most of you have offspring so I'm guessing if you're like us, your new year's celebrations have changed considerably. Our kids are both in bed by 8 (depending on Chloe's nap that is) and they're so little there's absolutely no way I'd consider keeping them up until midnight. I'm struggling with a head cold and painful cough so an early bedtime is in order for me. And Matt doesn't care about these rituals so he'll probably just read himself into the new year.

So, how do you plan to ring in the new year? Can you believe 2009 is just around the corner? When we get to 2010 I'm going to feel like we're in an episode of the Jestons. The number just seems so high and future-y.

Family is HERE!

We are rejoicing that my family is here with us to celebrate Christmas. Woo-hoo and hallelujahs!

And celebrate we will indeed. With yummy food, games, shopping, laughter, and loads of gifts. Provided I can get the rest of my gifts finished and wrapped on time that is . . . Clive's interest in all-things-shiny-and-crinkly doesn't add to my productivity.

How about you all? Do you travel to see family or are the relatives coming to you?

So, I'll be blogging even less regularly this coming week. :)

Until next post, happiest of Christmases to you all! Remember to rest in Jesus and keep Him the center of your joyous festivities!

Chloe sings a Christmas carol

The stomach flu has hit our household this past week so I've been delinquent on many things - not just blogging. Thankfully, Clive was the only hit hard by the virus (though it was so rough to see him sick!) and he needed lots of extra cuddling and baths. Both fun activities! The cleaning-up-vomit, not so much fun. But he's over it now and back to his jolly self. Anyone else struggling with the flu this season? I'm CONVINCED that the flu mist which Chloe and I received has helped us stay healthy.

Seems like this year our Christmas carol of focus is O Come, O Come Emmanuel. We've been singing a Christmas carol after supper each night and Chloe is vvvvvvvvery proud of herself for knowing all the words. So much so that she insisted I do a video of her singing. The way she says "Emmanuel" and "Israel" is so darling! Be sure to listen for Clive's babbling contributions in the background. :)

What Christmas carols are you humming this season?

Moving ahead slowy on Christmas preparations

Whew.

Can you believe we're already entering the second week of December?

We have our Christmas decorations all up and the Christmas cards are getting written slowly. They're all addressed and I'm writing personal messages a little at a time so the task isn't so overwhelming.

I have one Christmas package completely done and ready to mail. Christmas pictures of the kids are scheduled for tomorrow.

I still have cookies to bake and several homemade gifts to make. And yes, I'm still delusional enough to think I'll get them all done in time. :)

Thankfully, God is helping me have a spirit of rest this holiday season. I'm working a little each night on Christmas projects and that's helping my brain feel productive and not stressed. Plus, we know the gifts aren't really what matter this Christmas. Enjoying our family and reflecting on the glorious good news of Jesus coming to earth is what it's all about.

What's on your Christmas to-do list?

It's that time of year again: Christmas card time

We received our first Christmas card of the season a few days ago. The first card is always the signal to me that I need to haul out our Christmas bin and start the whole card sending process.

I L-O-V-E pulling out the Christmas bin and rediscovering our Christmas treasures. The much-longed for (by me, not Matt) Christmas cds, decorations, Christmas cards that I snagged for cheap during last year's after-holiday sales, the family of styrofoam snowmen, the ornaments, the teddy bear calendar, nativity set, and stockings. Ah.

The extra fun part this year is to watch how excited Chloe is getting about it all. She literally studied the teddy bear calendar for most of the morning yesterday. (You can see it in the background of the posted picture. And if you're wondering, yes, that picture is from last year.)

What was I writing about? Oh, yeah, Christmas cards. Forgive me. I have chronic wandering mommy brain.

Every year Christmas cards are a pain and a joy to me. The postage is an obvious expense and the time and effort exerted seems unending. Part of that is my fault because I insist on writing a personal little note in each card. And last year we sent out more than 50 cards so it got ridiculous. 50 cards?!? How does that happen?!?

Last year I could focus on the Christmas card task while only managing one little girl and one big pregnant belly. That belly has shrunk slightly and become the most active 11-month old ever and now my time is a precious commodity. I'm taking the following drastic measures with this year's cards.

1. Cut, cut, cut. Ruthless cutting of my Christmas card address list. I'm no longer obeying the guilty mantra of I-must-send-a-card-to-everyone-who-sends-me-one.
2. E-cards. Several of my extended family members would truly be happier if I went green with their Christmas correspondence. And do you know how much faster I can type a message than hand-write one?
3. Consolidate. Each year we send out 2-3 Christmas gift packages to long-distance family. Why not toss in the Christmas cards for family in the area? My in-laws can easily pass along the cards to nearby aunts. My dad can drop off my aunt's and cousins' cards. And we'll save a few bucks in postage. The important thing is that our loved ones get the cards not that the cards arrive via the mailbox.

I seriously enjoy the Christmas card experience. It's a blast to get lovely cards in the mail through out the month of December. And we re-use old cards for the next year's gift tags so we appreciate the cards two years in a row. But I don't want my entire month to be consumed with pressure over something so trivial. I'd much rather relish the festivities of the season with less stress!

If you've made it thus far through my ramblings, answer me a few questions on your own Christmas card practices . . . .

1. How many Christmas cards do you mail out?
2. Do you include a family letter or pictures?
3. Do you write a note or just a generic salutation?
4. How many Christmas cards do you typically receive?
5. What practical budget-cutting tips do you have for the Christmas card process?