Laugh Out Loud

The Christmas season is upon us and every year I tell myself that I am going to enjoy this time of year with my kids. We are going to bake, we are going to play, we are going to make homemade gifts and just like always, the days passed too quickly and we haven't gotten to do any of that.



Custom orders for PaddyWhacks began stacking up in November, a house to try and keep up, children that must be bathed and fed on a regular basis, Christmas program practice and programs to attend, shopping to do, and just the regular hustle and bustle of the Christmas season got in the way of enjoying it once again.



This past week has been a whirlwind of activity from trying really hard to finish all of my orders and get them delivered, to baking cookies for cookie bouquets for teachers, to trying to gather all of the things needed for class parties. Today I vowed that the rest of the Christmas season was going to be about my kids. I have 7 days until Christmas and we are going to make those 7 days count.



I want to Laugh Out Loud and I want to Laugh Out Loud watching my children be children and enjoying the Spirit of Christmas and I want to see the joy in their little eyes as they discover it all. So starting tomorrow, there is no more baking, unless it's with my kids baking what they want to bake. There is no more cutting, painting, sanding and staining in a cold garage. There is no more screaming and yelling to leave me alone long enough to accomplish starting a load of laundry.



There will be plenty of food making for reindeer. There will be plenty of cookies made for the big guy when he comes to visit. There will be lots of looking at Christmas lights. There will be lots of Christmas movie watching. There will be lots of late nights and hot chocolate. There will be lots of time spent as a family. There will be family traditions made. There will be lots of opportunities to Laugh Out Loud!



So the countdown to Christmas has officially begun in our house and on Friday, December 18th we enjoyed:



Finding Elvis the Elf first thing this morning.

Mommy enjoyed having all of these cookies and the mess out of her kitchen.

This Candy Cane baby actually sat on Santa's lap today when he came to visit Reece's Christmas Party at school.

Santa read his "NICE" list.

Reece waited patiently to see if his name was actually on the "NICE" list......Happy to report that he squeaked by another year.

Caden's favorite Student teacher, Mrs. Henley celebrated her last day of being in his class. A few tears rolled down our faces and we wished her well and hoped that we would see her again soon. She is going to make an awesome teacher and touch the lives of many kids, just like she did Caden's. Caden had a lot of fun teasing her about being a YUCKY bird fan and she teased him by making him eat Jayhawk sugar cookies. We wish her all the best and we know that she is going to do great!!! Mrs. Henley, you rock in our book even if you are a Chicken Hawk!

We enjoyed so much fun food that our tummy hurt!

The class parties are over, the weekend is here and then only 2 more days of school and we our out for break. I can't wait! I'm ready for lazy mornings. I'm ready for great afternoons. I'm ready

for evenings where snuggled up on the couch with a blanket and a good movie is the best place to be.

I'm ready for moments when we just...

LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!!!

*Thanks Dina for my Christmas present and for reminding me that it doesn't matter the amount of presents under our tree, it doesn't matter our financial situation, it doesn't matter if something doesn't get done....What does matter is that we take the time to laugh out loud and truly remember what Christmas is all about! I love it and thanks for being one of the most amazing people I know!