Let Me Break It Down For You

There are just 43 days 'til Christmas. As the holiday falls on a Friday this year, that includes just 6 weekends--1 of which is really part Thanksgiving, wouldn't you say?

We are hosting Christmas at our house this year, as we have each year since Valerie was born (with the exception of last year), so that means I have a whole lot of stuff to get done. And soon. Me, who can barely get the dishes and laundry done in a timely fashion. I'm getting quite excited about it, really. But as all the Christmas minutiae start to bubble up in my brain, I find myself also getting a bit, shall we say, panicked. How I am going to manage it, I don't know.

Or do I?

As I was out driving the kiddos around today, having lofty thoughts (and that is a whole "nother" post) as usual, I thought, what I really need to do is just lower my expectations. Then I thought of a more pleasant word for that idea: simplify.

You see, I get such planning going on in my noggin. Such ideas. Such wonderful, time-consuming ideas. Like back when before we had kids. Tom and I used to make our own wrapping paper. We would use big foam stamps and acrylic paint to decorate the blank side of Trader Joe's (what else?) bags. I know, crazy. But it was fun. And get this: I used to make almost all the gifts I gave out. Crocheted scarves and slipper socks. That crazy Sara and her crochet madness. And even more fun. For the 3 consecutive years before Valerie was born I embroidered holiday motifs on tea towels for 8 different recipients. And I even crocheted the decorative edging. More crazy, yes. But oh, so much fun!

Tom and I used to bake, too. We would make 3 or 4 different batches of cookies to share with family and friends. And we always brought a pumpkin pie, made entirely from scratch, to Christmas dinner at my parents' house. Those were the days.

Those were those days.

Now I must simplify. And why? The why is where it's at.

Valerie and Andrew, that's why. As I get more entrenched in the planning and preparations for the events leading up to Christmas, I will focus on keeping it simple. And not just because I must. But why I must.

Beyond all the stress--and self-inflicted disappointment due to piles of laundry, undone dishes, sprawlings of clutter, etc., etc., etc.--everyday with my wonderful Tom, and my two precious babies who are the meaning of life itself, is a handmade gift to me.

Simplify. (And get the bathroom clean before the guests arrive, too, please.)