It's Over!

This was our busiest weekend of the year. I cannot believe we made it through. It was touch and go there for a minute or two, but here we are. Here's the rundown, starting from Friday.



Friday was our home school party. We had an impromptu party at my house with the families that we go to the park with. Not everybody was able to come, but we did have a great time. There was food, and food, and food, everything from fried chicken to cookies. One of our moms brought these Ritz Bits crackers that were out of this world. Homemade cookies and brownies were present, but not for long. As good as the food was, the company was better. All the kids were outside playing, while we moms were inside talking. At one point the kids came in and asked to watch a movie. Sure, I say, because I'm crazy that way. The TV got louder because we were talking too loud, then we got louder because the TV was too loud. It just escalated. I finally went to turn the TV down and it was up to 48! No wonder nobody can hear.



It rained at one point. All the kids were outside playing nicely, the windows were open letting in a nice cool breeze. Then the bottom fell out. I had wet, smelly kids pouring through the back door. It was fantastic. I just handed out towels as they came in. I love wet kids that smell like wet dogs. That is the smell of a good time playing outside. As soon as the rain stopped, they went back out. Good times, good times.



Saturday was our Christmas workshop at church. For several years, the workshop was one where the kids would get dropped off, eat a pancake breakfast, do some crafts, hear some Christmas stories, and the parents were able to do some Christmas shopping. It was close this year, we just didn't do breakfast. That would have been too much. We only had the workshop for two hours this year. The theme was a little different.

When we planned this event I wanted a Santa's workshop. I wanted the kids to be able to come make great crafts that they could give as gifts to their parents or siblings or other members of their family. No foam crafts. Nothing against them, but they fall apart before you walk out the door. This was their chance to be an elf. We had awesome crafts. They got to make their own wrapping paper, snow globes, decorate the inside of a glass ornament, decorate hats and shoelaces, paint sun catchers, put together snowman soup, and decorate their picture with Santa. Santa showed up to tell them what a great job they did in his workshop. We had a Santa's bag toss (bean bag toss) and a pin the beard on Santa game. They took cotton balls with a piece of double sided tape on it, got blindfolded and spun once or twice, then had to get the cotton ball on Santa's beard. Too much fun! Everybody got a prize, whether they made the beard or the bean bag.

We also played the Christmas Carol game. You set up about eight different carols, with activities that represent that carol. You divide into teams and play as a relay. When one person is done, they go back to the beginning and tag their teammate who begins the process all over again. For example, the first one is Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly. They sing that as they decorate a branch from an evergreen with a couple of ornaments and a little tinsel. They move on to Hark the Herald Angels Sing as they place a halo of tinsel on their head and open a hymnal. You work your way through the songs and it is too funny to watch. The kids love it.

The story this year was The Real 12 days of Christmas. The story relayed the true meaning behind the song. Each item in that song has a meaning based in Christ. While they ate their cookies and drank their milk, they got a dose of Jesus. How great is that? I didn't know the story, so I got to learn great things, too.

We had lots of help setting up and tearing down. I had been allowed to speak at a church council meeting and they really came through for us. We had more volunteers than we had kids. That made it nice, too. More there to help corral. Even the adults had a great time. Some made crafts. I loved it. Already I'm thinking about Easter. Good grief.

After that, our babysitter came home with us and watched the kids while hubby and I went Christmas shopping. We had to go on the busiest shopping day of the year. We are so lucky. This year, though, we went with a plan and a list. We were able to do a little birthday shopping for our two youngest, who have bdays in January and February. We even got to have dinner and sit next to each other. We held hands. We were in no hurry and didn't let the crowds get to us. I get to wrap the rest of it tonight.

Sunday I got to greet at our contemporary service. I love that. It is so much fun. Sunday night was the youth Christmas party. I made two lasagnas and put together a nice salad. There weren't many youth there, and I brought home a whole lasagna. The good thing is that I don't have to cook tonight. It's lasagna again! We also had cookies and cake and ice cream and jello jigglers and yummy treats. We ate together and had great conversations. The kids went back to the youth house and watched a movie, but we took our brood home. It has been a long weekend and we were ready for bed.

That was our weekend. There was days and days of prep beforehand for events that were over within a couple of hours. But it was worth all of that to see happy faces, young and not so young. I had great conversations and was able to spend time with my favorite people, young and not so young. I am exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time. I am not doing anything strenuous today.

Have a great day!