Commands, Demands, Pressures...

Are you feeling it? That certain "thing" in the air that makes you feel like you can't do anything right/in a timely manner/good enough/special enough? Or the "thing" that makes you feel like suddenly your home is dirtier than usual, the dinners are blander than usual, the clothes are shabbier than usual? The carpets suddenly have more stains and the smudgy windows are more apparent in the winter sunshine?

Well, chuck it! I'm not going there this season! Not gonna do it, and I don't want you to either. If it's causing you stress, don't do it. It's not worth it, and some of it may just be in your mind. You know that no one in your family has starved. You know that your family enjoys the things you make and do for them, and it doesn't matter if it was 100% from scratch. You do the best you can do and they really do appreciate and benefit from it. This time of year is magical on it's own without you having to sprinkle sugar plum fairy dust around! So let it go!

Do your normal daily things. You do them well all the other times of the year and you still can now. Yes, there will be the additional parties, guests over, school events, church events, but take the time to breathe deeply and enjoy them for what they are. They aren't supposed to be status wars, they aren't supposed to be times to showcase the hottest new boots. They aren't supposed to see who can out-do the next person.

This is a time to hold your family and friends closer, to let them all know that you love and appreciate them. To enjoy the magic of the season, which lives in all of us, not on the store shelves.

So. Enjoy it. Sunshine or snow, sleet or slush. Twinkling lights, friends and family and a hot cup of cocoa. Or warm Vernors! Doesn't that sound good? (Don't breathe in when you tip the mug!) Cozy up, hug each other. Happy Holidays--all of them! Love, Peace and peace to you all.

I Haven't Forgotten

Hi! I haven't forgotten this blog is here. It's just been...well, you know. Busy. As it is for us all. I have pictures of the girlies on their first days of school, doing adorable gymnastics, making kissy faces, in Halloween costumes. I have pictures of a silly kitty being cute and naughty. However, my computer hard drive is...full. Yep. Full. I need to do a back up on an external hard drive, but I also think I want to upgrade my flickr account and upload everything there, because we've had hard drives corrupt and the data not retrievable. I'd cry if that happened with pictures. Also, my phone has pictures on it that don't want to upload because of an error. I don't know if that's on the phone or the computer. So. No pictures.

We're already being asked what the girls want for Christmas. They want lots of junk. Mommy and Daddy do not. I'm thinking family gifts of movie passes, museum passes, open gym passes. Leotards! Ha! A cleaning service. :) Oh wait, that goes on my list.

Anyway, I'm thinking about things we can do as a family. I'm thinking about kits of things - baking, scrapbooking, crafts- that we can just pull out and do AND have it be something we'll use. Like a picture frame, wire, eye-screw things and clips to make a hanging art area. Like canvasses with paints and brushes for art work we can hang in rooms.

But who knows. It's so difficult to think about what the girls want vs. need. It's such a trivial thing when we consider the good fortune we have, the needs of so many world-wide and the real purpose for the holiday season.

For now though? Lunch. I have to keep thinking of the next 10 minutes, otherwise my thoughts get rambling. Beware you few readers, of future rambling thoughts! :)