Would Someone Please Make It All Go Away?

Packing away the Christmas decorations is a lot like unpacking after vacation. It is so exhausting and boring! The thrill is gone and it is merely a large chore to add to my to-do list!

I would like to just blink my eyes and my house will be restored to its pre-Christmas state without me having to lift a finger. I honestly do not know how I did this with small children. It is all a blur...maybe I thought I decorated for Christmas back then, but I really didn't. I vaguely remember threatening one year of going on strike and not getting out any decorations except tree ornaments, but I'm not sure I actually followed through with it. See? Those brain cells of mine are evaporating by the minute!!

But, January 1st is the deadline for the tree to be gone and all remnants of Christmas to be stored away with only the pictures to remind us of how we spent the month of December (and, this blog, of course!). By the time the kids get on the school bus Wednesday morning all will be "de-cluttered" and organized. I just am not looking forward to the process!

My Last Hersheypark Happy Post for Awhile

Sniff.

Last night we went to Christmas Candylane at my beloved theme park, yet, the visit was bittersweet (get it? bitter SWEET? I just crack myself up sometimes!). The sad part is that we will not be getting season passes next year for a variety of reasons. The most important reason being the large sum of money that would require. The second reason being that my kids cannot agree on any rides they all want to go on with the exception of The Reece's Cup Challenge. And, lastly, it gets so crowded that if we don't go a dozen or so times in May and June we just won't get our money's worth since we avoid the park like the plague in July and August. With soccer and softball, camps and VBS I don't see us having a lot of time to go over to the park in the early summer.

But, a break is good. Absence will make our hearts grow fonder and I may volunteer a few times to get a couple of one day passes that we can use for a marathon day from open to close since it will be our only trip of the summer. Wow, that was a long sentence. Sorry. I'm a bit on holiday recovery. Seriously, I've slept long and hard this week.

Without further ado, here are some more pics from our lovely stroll through the sweetest place on earth. In honor of our last trip of the year to HP, we bought the girls gigantic custom made cupcakes afterwards at Chocolate World (don't worry, we only let them eat half a cupcake, the rest is saved for today).

That dumb hat was bothering me all night. Could I look any dorkier??!!

Apparently I was not the only one experiencing hat trouble.

This would be a great family picture if my hideous puffy coat wasn't taking up most of the picture frame.


Awwww.....aren't they so cute??

Our Christmas in Pictures

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I don't need to say much!

This was party #1 kicking off our 3-day Christmas extravaganza of family parties. How do you like #3's nice warm winter clothes she is wearing?

Enjoying a little Christmas Eve bubble bath in our jacuzzi tub (a special treat).

We even baked some cookies on Christmas Eve. And, I didn't yell or stress out about all the sprinkles on the floor. And, on the table. And, on the counters. And, on The Dog.

GAS even got into the cookie decorating (she took it very seriously).

Here are some of the snowmen we made for our Advent project. We tried to make something homemade for each family member. How do you like the snowman 2nd from the right (we named him Franken-snowman)!

The Husband started putting together #3's play kitchen at 11:25 pm on Christmas Eve.

This was what time it was when the kitchen was in the stage pictured above! He finished 3 minutes shy of an hour and a half. Let's just say I was snoring away by the time he was done.

This was how we "wrapped" the play kitchen for Christmas morning!

Christmas morning (we made #3 put on her Christmas jammies instead of the shorts and tank top she slept in.)

Jumping for joy. Her exact words: OH MY WORD! OH MY WORD! IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED! Repeat that sequence about 12 times. Loudly.

The Dog got a present; although this would have been more appropriate.

My patient father with my children....aka The Dog Stalkers

#1 with her dream dog (which is actually my soon-to-be step sister's dog)

#3 was in doggie heaven playing with my soon-to-be stepsister's other dog. The dog looks a little stressed here, wouldn't you say? Her eyes are pleading desperately for help....

Please! Make the Food Stop!

I am nearly in a coma from all the food I've eaten in the last 48 hours. Please someone stop the insanity!!!

I am sick from the rich, fattening foods that I would never dream of eating any other time of year! Like cheesecake, chocolate peanut butter ice cream pie, and fried queso cheese. Right now if I think about eating any of it I will throw up. I've also eaten more shrimp than a humpback whale and speaking of whale....yup, that's about how much I weigh right now.......

Other than the bloated, uncomfortable feeling I am experiencing in my abdomen right now, our Christmas has been wonderful and I'm looking forward to posting pictures!

Merry Christmas (Have a Mighty Encounter with Christ)!

This drama ministry at our church was probably one of the coolest things I participated in all year. It helped my family and me to remember the names that God gave us and not the names that people and satan try to give us.

I pray that you embrace the name that God gave YOU this Christmas. When you are walking in that name and identity you will undoubtedly influence the world around you for HIS KINGDOM and HIS GLORY.

God bless you and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Coming Soon to Etsy!

Apparently I'm not the only "different kind of crazy" in the neighborhood!

This is a photo of what I found inside the faculty lounge at our elementary school this morning. It is a boxed jewelery set made by two MALE teachers. Rumor has it, one day this week the chicken poppers went flying in the teacher's lounge (shhh! don't tell the lunch ladies) and this was the result by the end of the day. The picture doesn't do them justice! You can't fully appreciate the BLING!!

I think I saw something very close to this on Etsy only they used tater tots! Just kidding!

All I Want For Christmas

After some serious thought of what I want for Christmas this year it finally hit me! I want the mind of Christ! And, maybe a smaller dog. I know the dog thing isn't gonna happen, but how about the mind of Christ? Sometimes I wish those types of things could be purchased, placed in a box and wrapped up with a pretty ribbon. Then, we can say "I got joy for Christmas, just what I wanted!" or "Look! I got humility.....I really needed that!".

Lately, I've gone back and forth from feeling pretty icky in a spiritual sense to flying high with the knowing that I'm obeying what God is telling me to do. The "icky" part comes when I start doing things for my own recognition, admiration and praise. The "flying high" part comes when I do things that honor and glorify and point others to Christ. Sometimes it is almost like I'm driving down the road and all of a sudden I find myself drifting over the yellow line and I better make a quick adjustment before someone gets hurt.

If only the mind of Christ were under my tree right now, waiting for me to unwrap and use it everyday! How glorious! But, then again, if it were that easy, would I place it on the same forgotten shelf as my vacuum sealer I got for Christmas a few years back that has lost its appeal? Hmmmmm.....

I do know that God is stirring something up in me....to change this world around us for His Kingdom. I truly want that to be my focus and when it is, my heart is soft. I was prayed for the other day in a prayer tunnel at our church and the one thing that stood out was someone said, "she has compassion, now give her PASSION".

Now, that is a gift I'm ready to receive!!!!!!!

Time to Fire Up My Oven

With the Christmas season upon us there is a lot to tackle. This, by far, has been my most organized Christmas ever! I guess that was the upswing to moving this past summer. I know where everything is and having the kids in school helps with getting things accomplished, too.

My cards and packages are mailed (ahead of schedule I might brag) and now let the baking begin! Having the power out for a few days has set me back a bit, but I'm going to tackle it so I am not in a panic when it is time to present the bus drivers and soccer coaches with a gift in the next few days! I bought my industrial size bag of Nestle chocolate chips at Costco yesterday, so I'm ready to bake the day away!