So, in the grand scheme of all-things-stay-at-home-mommyish, the month of December is daunting. I have to find a way to take care of a 10 month old, chauffeur around a 4 and a 7 yr old, do dishes and laundry, decorate for Christmas, wrap presents, plan a birthday party, bake, keep the house clean all while running a Girl Scout troop (cookie season), taking my finals and remaining socially and intellectually stimulated. My youngest daughter has three tap shows and countless recitals, we are having a faux-sleepover for our Girl Scout troop to help parents out right before Christmas and on top of that I decided poor as we are; that I would make new Christmas stockings instead of paying for 5 new ones. What was I thinking? What do any of us Stay At Home Mommies (from here on out in my blogs – forever- SAHM) think?
For some reason I get the impression from other SAHM’s that they feel similar to myself, that because I am able-bodied and chose to stay home that I must do double-time to make up for not having a ‘real’ job. As berated as I am by my friends and fiancee, I cannot shake the feeling that I should be doing everything I can to be productive and thrifty. That’s including honing my sewing, crocheting and crafting skills and learning new skills so I can make every little pretty thing my heart desires for a small fraction of the price that retail stores sell them for. And I am good at it; I probably could sell most of my stuff at retail stores, if only I had the time! I make baby food, use every leftover possible to make stews and pot pies and for the first time in my life I freeze meals for later dates. That is a huge change from my overindulgent existence 10 months ago where I would gladly pay top dollar for convenience.
Now back to Christmas…it is my favorite holiday season. I love buying and wrapping gifts, I love playing Santa and leaving little clues around the house to prove his magical existence (the debate will be a later post. trust me), I love the look on my kid’s faces Christmas morning. It just seems out of all the years I worked, I have never been so ridiculously busy as I am the year that I am staying home. How is it that going from an 80 hour work-week plus social activities is less busy than a 0 hour work-week plus social activities?
Here are some of the activities from this year and past years:
This year’s visit with (Grandpa) Santa….Braeleigh looks so unsure and she knew it was her Grandpa! LOL
Making cookie dough and rolling it out for our sugar cookies.
Decorating the cookies and eating the frosting (the best part don’t you know).
The finished cookies and they made other stuff too. Chocolate covered pretzels, Peanut Butter No bake cookies and Gingerbread bears, all by themselves. And no, I wasn’t lazing around watching them, I was making my billion turkey pot pies!
Dominik at the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting where Braeleigh was in a show. It was freezing!
Braeleigh debut stage performance! She is on the end in the pink coat (the date is totally wrong! this was Nov 29th this year).
Jason and I at our annual Chiefs/Broncos game. We were in Row 11, it was pretty awesome!
Dominik donning his first Santa’s hat while Mommy deceivingly Christmas shopped for him right in front of his sweet little face.
Santa’s little reindeer. I figured you would like to see the costume instead of the pink bubble coat. 
Last year’s gingerbread house…I’m sure we will make one this year too!
Yes, my daughter is Rudolph and has reindeer antlers on her forehead!
Me (a very tired, pregnant mommy) and her two baby girls!
Making Christmas ornaments in the morning…yes my oldest still has her antlers…don’t ask…
The finished ornaments…so pretty!
How do you help your children enjoy and learn about the Christmas holiday?
