So Young Now...

BAH HUMBUG
Has it really been a week since I last posted? We really haven't had many bloggy moments, but the week has flown by! Let's see, in as few words as possible? Kurt went away on business (to Disney World! But he assured me he was having no fun whatsoever! And no, I wasn't laughing when I heard that Florida was having some of its coldest and most uncomfortable temperatures in years!) Jack and Max went to spend a little time at my mom's house, so that I could have some girl-time with Nicole, because we never get any! Since Jack wouldn't sleep at grandma's and was up the first night until midnight, and the second night until 3 am, it's a safe bet that Jack won't be invited back to sleep over at grandma's any time soon! I had the opportunity to volunteer in Nicole's kindergarten class, which I can never do since they don't want younger siblings to come. I helped make paintings for an Indian tepee while the teachers built the Mayflower! And, surprisingly, I wasn't covered in paint at the end of it all, despite being assigned 7-8 children who would/could not sit still with their paint and paintbrushes!

I took Nicole to get her ears pierced when we were having some alone time but she took one look around and said "no thank you," she would wait until she was older! She was too scared to get her ears pierced! I don't know whether 6 is too young, but I do know that I was forced to wait until I was 16 and that was WAY too old! But no pressure for Nicole, I told her she could do it whenever she was ready! I have to say that it was really nice to get a little alone time with Nicole! I don't get much alone time with any of the kids, and I realize that I need to!

Everyone was home from their travels by late Wednesday---the temperatures turned cold on Thursday, and we woke up to about 4 inches of SNOW on Friday morning! The kids were very excited, but I was miserable---blustery, wet, freezing, I need to move south! I didn't take the kids out to play in the snow at all---by the time I picked them up from their schools, I came up with every excuse ever written as to why we couldn't go outside and play. I know I will have to step it up next time...

I thought I would try to get started on Christmas shopping this weekend, but my heart wasn't into it. It's too early, the stores are already too crowded, everyone is already too rude, the economy is too shaky, there is an overabundance of "stuff" and I am not ready to rush through this holiday season! Bah humbug! I really can't stand the thought of going out and buying more and more primary-colored plastic toys that will be opened with excitement on Christmas day, then cast aside forevermore with the rest of the never-played-with toys in the house, the day Christmas is over. Instead of gifts, I would love to travel, or do something different, but I know I won't do that; the kids are counting on Santa. Does anyone have any great holiday traditions they can share??