Holiday To-Do List

​It’s the most wonderful time of the year....and the busiest if you are a parent with little ones.  It baffles me how we find time to get it all done.  A sample of my list is as follows:

• Holiday shopping - kudos to my parents who did this BEFORE the internet....I could not imagine going store to store with three kids
• Wrapping gifts – no fancy bows and tied packages here…scotch tape and reused bows from last year will do
• Christmas Cards - addressing, stamping, sealing.  I think this took me a week just because of the increased difficulty of holding a newborn…not to mention what was involved with taking the photos for the cards
• Decorating the inside AND outside of the house - resulting in more mommy monitoring as we have just increased the potential toddler hazards ten-fold…pulling off one stocking could result in a concussion if the paperweight holder comes with it, right?
• Getting photos with Santa – having everyone fed and dressed and timing it between naps so that there is a possibility of a smile during our 30 seconds of fame
• Cooking – hoping to master those family recipes everyone loves
• Cleaning - ugh
• Playing Elf and building the toys on the list - wait, the toy reviews said it would take 8 hours to build an outdoor playhouse!!!  Why didn't we look at that before we bought it?!?

 
This time of year is exhausting!  And to think, we are only in Phase One.  We don’t have any kids in school yet.  With that comes holiday parties, recitals, plays, concerts and so many other things I have no idea about yet….but I am sure I will find a way to get those done one day too.  That’s what parents do.   We do it because of the sparkle in the eyes of our kids when they wake up and find their elf on the shelf each morning.  We do it because there is nothing sweeter than the sound of jingle bells from a three year old while they brush their teeth.  We do it because we hope our kids will grow up and love the holidays as much as we do.  In all of this craziness I am trying to remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect…because it is in the imperfection that the best memories are made.  Fellow parents, I hope you are enjoying the holidays.  The work, the spirit and the love.
 
Until Next Time,
MommyOfThree