Just for the fun of it.....

I have no idea if this is true or not but click on the link and wait a second. It's quite funny! :)
*****

HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926, in Amsterdam. Now there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands. HEMA also has stores in Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany. In June of this year, HEMA was sold to British investment company Lion Capital.

Take a look at HEMA's product page. You can't order anything and it's in Dutch but just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens.

Merry Christmas!

The Christmas Crazies

Oy. My kids have come down with a case of the Christmas crazies. I learned first hand today, though, that all the kids in my son's kindergarten class are stricken with this as well. There are lots and lots of times when I can't imagine having the patience to be a kindergarten teacher but today - I really, really, really couldn't imagine it. My son's teacher looked so frazzled by the kids bouncing off the walls. She said it was this way last week as well (I volunteer on Monday so apparently I missed the onset of it which came about mid-week) and she, looking extremely tired said "If it wouldn't be completely unfair to them, I'd take a personal day but I just can't see putting them a day behind because I need a break." Does she win some serious kudos or what? I was there a mere two hours and I was exhausted from the constant high level of energy in the room. It takes a special kind of person to be a teacher.

The crazies at home are insane as well. My son is wired for sound and so tightly spun that the tiniest things can, and do, trigger him and his reaction to Every. Little. Thing. can fly from pure excitement to complete meltdown. It's anyone's guess what will happen. It's keeping me on my toes, that's for sure.

My daughter has caught onto the "ask Santa for what you want" game and it seems like every few hours she is changing her mind for what she is asking. I remind her that the Christmas wishes are already locked in with Santa and that moms are done shopping. I redirect her wishes to what she locked in on before and she goes on her way....only to be back re-wishing again a while later.

The funny thing is I know she really doesn't have a clue how this all works. She was 22 months old last Christmas and she appears to have a very limited recollection of Christmas itself. I find that odd considering how great mer memory can be on other things. That is not true for my son. And he is reminding me often throughout the day how it all goes and what he is expecting to have happen.

It's funny to watch them and listen to them. It's also exhausting. High levels of excitement are hard to maintain.

Only 8 more days.

Christmas Cards

I used to love sending out Christmas cards. I loved all of it - getting the perfect photo, ordering the cards (and in recent years making my cards), writing up the annual Christmas letter, addressing the envelopes, stamping them and getting them into the mail. Before kids, they were in the mail on Thanksgiving weekend. After kids, it was the first week in December. This year though it just feels like this overwhelming task that I haven't the slightest desire to accomplish. I even thought about skipping it all together this year - it felt like a huge stress reliever just to think about not doing them at all.

But then....I felt a little guilty. I didn't want the kids to wonder why there was no photo card in this years Christmas book. So - we managed to get some timer-photo taken and I put together a card. I am skipping the annual letter though - I just don't want to do it this year. Maybe next year. Maybe not. Who knows. I sent out all the ones to family last night. I still need to work on ones to friends. I'm in no rush though - for some reason, this year it just isn't on the top of my "To Do" list. And you know what? That feels totally ok. I have a card to put away for the kids and if the rest don't get sent, well....they don't get sent.

This year, I want to do more enjoying of the holiday season and less stressing over things. I don't want to miss my son's excitement as he continually thinks of things he should ask Santa for. I was glad I had the time to watch him write his first ever letter to Santa. I loved having fun decorating the tree with the kids (usually this is something I'd totally be ok just rushing through for the sake of getting it done but this year I wanted to listen to their squeals of delight and excitement and I wanted to see their eyes opened wide in wonder. And I did and it was great!) and I loved just having really fun family time with my family.

Christmas cards, well...the lack of...seems a small price to pay to just be able to be in the moment with my family.

Can You Relate?

My sister-in-law forwarded this to me today and I have to say, it made me laugh. How many of us can so totally relate?

(Sorry - it came in all caps and I am just not wanting to devote the time to retype it.)


AN OLD MAN WAS GROCERY SHOPPING WITH HIS GRANDSON. THE TODDLER WAS CRYING AND AT TIMES SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. AS THE OLD GENTLEMAN WALKED UP AND DOWN THE AISLES, PEOPLE COULD HEAR HIM SPEAKING IN A SOFT VOICE... "WE ARE ALMOST DONE, ALBERT... TRY NOT TO CRY, ALBERT... LIFE WILL GET BETTER, ALBERT..."

AS HE APPROACHED THE CHECKOUT STAND, HE CAREFULLY BRUSHED THE TODDLER'S TEARS FROM HIS EYES AND SAID AGAIN, "TRY NOT TO CRY, ALBERT... WE WILL BE HOME SOON, ALBERT..."

AS HE WAS PAYING THE CASHIER, THE TODDLER CONTINUED TO CRY AS A YOUNG WOMAN IN LINE BEHIND HIM SAID, "SIR, I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL HOW SWEET YOU ARE BEING TO YOUR LITTLE ALBERT."

THE OLD GENTLEMAN BLINKED HIS EYES A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE SAYING, MY GRANDSON'S NAME IS JOHN.......... I'M ALBERT....