ho ho HO from Minnesota!



So I was driving home from Zoe's pedi appointment this morning and I stopped by the drive-thru at Caribou coffee to grab a coffee and...yes...a forbidden chocolate muffin. The Christmas carols were blasting in the background and I took a big yummy bite of my muffin before pulling up to a red light. As I finished the bite, a rather largeish chunk of the muffin fell down and slipped into the top of my blouse and landed in my bra...between the girls. Oblivious to the world around me, I reached in to grab the offending carb, but I just couldn't easily reach it. As I dug around in my bra I got that FEELING..(no not that one )...the one where you think someone is watching you. I turned to my left to smile at two young college-aged guys staring up at me with open mouths..



Falalalala la la la Laaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

This all about sums up this holiday week. The Math Family Christmas kicked off this last week with the annual decorating of the tree. We had to buy new lights for the tree this year. Thomas picked out the large outdoor bulbs because they are his favorite. After I got them all up, the kids gleefully put up their ornaments. The only ornaments that I own are the ones that the kids have made throughout the years and I love watching them hold these memories in their hands before placing them gingerly on the tree. There was a lot of talk this year about who made what ornament and when, and I sat back and watched and listened while they filled the tree.

We sat back and took it all in...and then the lights blew out. This wasn't the first time. I had already taken back one string of lights. Apparently, it isn't possible to put two strands of Wal-Mart lights together without blowing a fuse. We tried every combination of stringing and went through 6 fuses...Eventually, we gave up and got new lights. These were more expensive Target lights that twinkle red, blue and green. After getting them up on the tree and turning them on, we discovered that the string in the middle only blinks red and green. For some reason, all of the blue lights don't work.

Sigh. It is what it is. The big bulbs are still on the tree...lightless...the little lights twinkle to their own special beat..red, green and blue; red and green; red, green and blue. I'm waiting for the squirrel to leap from the tree, the cat to gnaw through the wires and and the old man with the cigar to burn the tree down (ala Christmas Vacation)







We're so busy this time of year that I never did get all of the decorations out onto our lawn. Joseph from my light up, outdoor nativity set toppled over into the snow last week, where he still lies face first. The baby Jesus is covered in a layer of snow. My animated deer and Christmas tree are still safely tucked away in the garage.

Maybe next year?

This past week, it felt like I was being crushed by the weight of my to-do list and the kids endless needs. Andrew had cumulative final exams Mon-Wed and the stress nearly did us all in. Note to self: Buy more rum.

Amanda finished up the week yesterday and I went through her school bag and found a failing grade on a social studies test. Oh Dear God, please help my daughter live to see Christmas. If she doesn't get with the program and start studying, please God, help me to find the perfect boarding school for her. :>

Sometimes parenting is so hard that I feel like I want to jump back into bed at noon and start over the next day. I'm so grateful for the true and honest friends that I have who aren't afraid to tell me that it is hard for them too...who share their vulnerabilities with me instead of judging me at every turn. And...thank God for my husband who has sat with me for the last few nights while I cried about my disappointment and feeling overwhelmed....He has held me and told me that he loves me even though I've gained 20 pounds and I'm crabby from driving around all day every day. If one person really, truly gets it lately, it is my husband who has moved heaven and earth to help me get kids to school and kung fu and try and keep this house running. Man..it is hard sometimes....

Wednesday, Aidan had his program at the Montessori School. "What are you going to do for your program, Aidan?" "I don't know. Program something?" He went on to excitedly describe his teacher and her "rocktar" (guitar) and we all prepared for an evening of preschool fun.

The program started at 5.30 and when we arrived at 5.35pm, the kids had already gotten into their circle surrounded by parents sitting in chairs all around the circle. Aidan had to be brought in while we grabbed a seat and tried to blend. That's when I realized that my new pants had a split all the way up the seam and I was flashing the room. After I got myself settled and covered up, Zoe noticed a baby sitting across from us. "Baby, Baby" it began...quietly, then shrill as the preschoolers listened to the story about the baby jesus and then sang their little songs. "Baby, Baby" nothing seemed to quiet her. Andrew and I tried walking with her and then she discovered that there were cookies on the tables. "Cooooookies" she wailed over and over again. All of the parents videoing this intimate little event kept looking at me like there was something that I could do. :huh: It was a small room, and there was no exit (except outside into the snowy night). I whispered at her, begged her...and finally stole a cookie from one of the tables to calm her.

Falalala la la la la laaaaa



Feel free to notice Zoe begin her pleas in my one attempt to video part of the evening.

At the end of it all, I discovered that our nextdoor neighbors were sitting directly across from us. Their granddaughter was in the presentation too. They came over waving and greeted us with a holiday cheer that immediately made my embarassment vanish. They are the parents of four children and grandparents to 12...We talked about Christmas and the kids and laughed about Zoe....it was all good after all.

The week came to a close with Zoe's peds appoitnment. She has been referred to peds ortho in the cities for her gait abnormalities that *may* just be tibial torsion but looks like it *could* be coming from the hips. In any case, I'm relieved to just get on with it and find out. We also survived the obligatory purchase of teacher gift cards and arguments that followed and the final days of school for Alex and Aidan. YeeHAW! They don't go back to school until January which gives us a week of sledding, movies and fun...Most importantly though, I won't have to drive anywhere I don't want go for over a week. I've been set free for a few days.

I celebrate that freedom tonight when I head out to Handel's Messiah with a friend of mine. Hallelujah and pass the rum!

Of course, the stress is all worth it. All I have to do is watch Zoe as she plays quietly and sings her baby song....and I am reminded to take life a moment at a time. Motherhood brings great highs and sometimes terrible lows...We have to embrace the good moments and hold them close.

Happy Holidays everyone!

The baby song...
[/quote]