Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve!

I can't believe today is Christmas Eve! I feel like I have been waiting all year for it. Well I guess I technically have. Those of you who have known me for awhile know that I used to have OCD, obsessed Christmas disorder. I saw that once and loved it. I really did. In jr. high and high school I would start playing Christmas music as soon as I could. I even remember fondly one afternoon calling my friend Myriah so we could simultaneously start the songs at the exact same time. Of course it took quite a few tries until we got it but we did. Pretty sure my Mom wasn't at home at the time. I loved everything about Christmas and would be giddy with excitement.

If I remember right, this is a Christmas card I sent out one year. It was about how I felt inside too! :)

Then for some reason I slowly lost the excitement.

Don't get me wrong I still got excited but it wasn't the same. Maybe it was the growing up part. Then I had Antonio and I thought for sure I would get it back, and I did but not like back then. This year, however, is different. Maybe it is because I am home, not working, and ready. The stress that most of us get around this time of year wasn't present this year. And Antonio? Well he is so excited. This is the year he gets it. He was so excited to see Santa, even wrote a wishlist a few days before we went to see him so he could show him. Thus after trying so hard to get him to write one.

Antonio waiting in line to see Santa with his wishlist!

He was also excited to put up decorations and the tree. One day he came home with three songs he had to practice for his Christmas concert. We practiced everyday at least once and that helped get his excitement going. Then one day he came home with a paper Christmas countdown chain thing, you know, the kind you cut strips of paper and then attach them to make to make a long chain?! You could tell Mrs. Gilmore had been talking about Christmas in class, which I am sure is a big "no-no" but I love it. All the talk at school, stories and crafts he was doing, was building the excitement. 

Although at the beginning of last week, he told me that a boy in his class told him Santa wasn't real. I panicked and said, "what?!". I had no idea what to say. He said that "blank" told him Santa wasn't real. I told him yes he was, how else did the presents get to all the good boys and girls. He paused for a few moments and said, "Yeah, what does "blank" know? He is only at level A (for reading) and I am at H so I know more!" I quickly agreed and went a long with the "trashing" of the poor kid. I felt badly for two reasons. One, that I encouraged the fact that the kid doesn't know very much because he isn't a very good reader and two, because the kid has been told Santa doesn't exist. Which, in my opinion, is more sad than the encouraging of the idea that the low reading level meant he wasn't smart. All kids at this age (6 & 7) should be believing in Santa, at least those who "do" Christmas. This kid is also one who probably doesn't get many gifts which is maybe why he's been told Santa doesn't exist. It kinda breaks my heart for the kid.

All this week Antonio has been out of school and he has been so happy and excited! Happily Tuesday night he spent the night at Grammy and Grampas, which he loved. We've watched The Polar Express (which we only watch in December) 3 or 4 times, A Charlie Brown Christmas and Elf. Last night as we were saying good night he asked me how Santa would get through the glass and I had no idea what he meant. We have a gas fireplace with glass on the front. I told him I didn't know because every time Santa has come before I was sleeping since Santa only comes after everyone is asleep. Then he said, Santa's just really sneaky then, to which I agreed. He hasn't realized we don't have a chimney for Santa to go down yet, and I hope he doesn't realize it, t least not this year. Ha. This morning Antonio asked if I had wrapped his present yet, hence present, not presents. I told him I hadn't and he proceeded to ask if I needed help doing so. More proof he is his Papa's son. :) 

This morning we had a special Christmas Eve breakfast! Since I know were will be eating a lot of junk the next few days I decided that breakfast should be a healthier treat this morning and he was still super excited about it!  He loves his croissants! 

I hope you all have a fun and exciting Christmas Eve building up to tonight when Santa comes and then tomorrow, Christmas Day. We've already checked out Norad to see where Santa is. I am so loving this holiday season and it is so much fun seeing it through Antonio! I hope this level of excitement continues for at least a few more years! I know I will do everything I can to keep it this way! Try not to get caught up in the hustle and bustle; slow down and remember what Linus says in the Charlie Brown Christmas movie about what Christmas is all about. 

Even if you aren't the religious type, the idea about it being about something so much bigger than the Christmas tree and presents is so true. Take time to enjoy friends and family and remember what is was like when you were 6 or 7; all the excitement and anticipation! And for those of you who have all the presents still to wrap tonight, light a fire (or just flip the switch), get a glass of wine, put on your favorite Christmas movie or Christmas music and as you wrap each gift, think about that specific person you bought it for. Oh and, spread out 3-4 rolls of tape so you will ALWAYS find it! :) Ha! 

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas tomorrow! One more day! :)

Christmas is coming...

For the very first time ever, or at last in a very long time, I am ready for Christmas. The only things I/we have to do is mail two boxes to family in California and go visit Santa. That, I am dreading. All the waiting in line for 2-4 minutes top, with Santa. Oye. We are hoping to do it Monday, the 21st. Antonio will be out of school and hopefully most parents will be working still. I hope. We can't skip it because he's made a wish list, just tonight mind you, that he said he will give to Santa. So stay tuned for that Santa pic.

I am done Christmas shopping, except for a couple stocking stuffers and everything is wrapped except for Antonio's gifts. But there isn't many to wrap, thankfully. We try to keep it to, or as closely as possible, to a 4 gift rule. Something he wants, something he needs, something he reads, and something he wears. This year we have pretty much stuck to that, although he is getting two books. Also, Santa brings him his "big" gift; the gift that costs the most and that he really wants. So technically he is getting two wants as well. Regardless, we try to keep it simple and happily he is a simple kid. Last year he gave us maybe 2 or 3 things he wanted. After opening all his gifts from us, Santa, and family out of state Christmas morning, he proclaimed something to the point of, "I got everything I wanted!" and while gesturing to everything else, "and I didn't even want any of that." Ha! That kid. Lets hope he always stays that simple.

I digress.

Thanks to being at home now, I have been able to shop online and go out to get what I need easier. Now that all that is done, I feel like I can really relax and enjoy the rest of the season. No feeling like I have to go out this weekend and fight the crowds; its great! I've even baked Christmas cookies and handed them out to the recipients. Thats great and all but now that we've eaten all the rest we have none for Santa so we are having to make a small store bought batch for Santa next weekend. This weekend we watched The Polar Express on Friday and then Elf on Saturday night which got me extra excited! Antonio was glued to the tv watching The Polar Express. It was the first time watching it this season. We only watch it in December which makes it even more special.

Antonio took his teacher her Christmas gift last Wednesday and will attempt to give his bus driver her gift this week. He tends to have substitute bus drivers often lately, and just in the mornings which is weird. Since in the afternoons it's his normal bus driver. Again, I digress. So as soon as we see his regular driver, we'll give her, her frangos. He's so excited to do so.

Speaking of gifting.

We had a buy one get one book fair at Antonio's school last week and the Friday prior, the teachers had the opportunity to take their class through it as a preview so they could make a "wish list" and tell their parents what they wanted. Well, Antonio's teacher took his class through and she saw how genuinely excited each student was. She knew that about 75% of the class either couldn't afford a new book or the parents didn't seem involved enough to then care enough to get a new book for the kids. It broke her heart to think about that since she saw how happy and excited they were about the books. So Antonio's teacher, Mrs. Gilmore, went home that night, talked to her husband and decided to purchase a new book (well two, since it was a BOGO sale) for each student that they had written on their wish lists. Over a $100 out of her own pocket! I am still thoroughly impressed. I know teachers spend a lot of their own time and money on their students/classroom throughout the year but in my opinion, this is above an beyond. She said that she could've bought gift certificates for each student to buy new books in the next book order but knew those would get thrown out, forgotten about or the parents wouldn't care enough to put forth the effort to use them. So sad for those kids. So she just bought them.

Amazing.

I've had my doubts, well "doubts" is the wrong word; more like concern's about Mrs. Gilmore. She's a little gruff and negative, on the kids; they are just 1st graders. Not always showing a positive, patient attitude in class and seems to get annoyed fairly easy. Basically she seems like the kind of teacher I would be; which is why I could never be a teacher. Ha. But I've seen once or twice now, some sweet brief moments she has had with a student before she goes back to the normal Mrs. Gilmore. ;) Now this book buying? I'm impressed. She is a great teacher, don't get me wrong, and Antonio loves school and her so I suppose that is all that matters. And maybe she's like wine, she'll get better as the year goes one. In the mean time, I'm going to keep trying to shower her with little gifts to sweeten her up. Ha!

Christmas is in 11 days, are you ready? I know we are! Antonio seems a little more excited with gifts under the tree too. He has two separate Christmas count downs which helps with the, "Is it Christmas yet" question. He knows exactly how many days are left. And whats even more exciting is that my sister in law comes to visit for a few days starting the 1st of January so the fun will continue!

Antonio watching the train go through the "gift" tunnel!