Slowing Down for the Season

Whew! The week is over--parties, teacher gifts, Christmas cards, Christmas programs, etc. Our household is exhausted. In fact, we got home from the taekwondo test results (yellow belt, decided!) & potluck by 7:00, changed right into our jammies, cuddled under the blanket for "It's Christmastime, Charlie Brown!", opened the next Advent door and we're ready for bed by 8:30--all of us!!
It's Friday, so Nate and Amelia were having a sleepover in Nate's loft bed. I had just finished the last of the night-time to-dos and crawled in bed myself when I heard little voices from across the house shout in unison, "Mom, will you sing us a lullaby?" Of course I was exhausted, but what would any mom in the trenches do at that moment? I rolled out from underneath the covers, put my slippers on and walked down the hall to sing soothing Christmas carols and the final request, "Hush Little Baby." I returned to my warm bed (I'd left the electric blanket on in my absence) a little after 9:00. Jason was already asleep and I soon followed.
We must have been in a deep slumber! We woke up in the morning with Nate snuggled comfortably in our bed (we typically carry them back to their beds after a few snuggles when they come down to our room at night). Neither Jason nor I woke up when Nate snuck in last night. He said, "I came down here so Amelia could get some sleep. She kept tickling my feet and being silly and she needed sleep because she's sick. The clock said 9:53 when I came running down here in the dark." Hmmmmm, we were O.U.T. and it felt G.O.O.D!
I DID go to Target this morning--at 10:30 on the Saturday before Christmas--that's sort of the opposite of slowing down and relaxing; but we survived. Tonight? Saturday service at Woodcrest followed by Christmas lights and cocoa!!

12-12-12

So, we wanted to make today special, which in the eyes of a child means a PARTY!! A pizza party to be exact. And then, just to make the day memorable, Nate and Amelia tried a Twinkie for the first time. Nate's observation? "Twinkies are just little cakes." Amelia said, "yum! I like frosting."
It was a sort of farewell party--the end of the world (according to the Mayans) and the end of the Hostess Twinkie (since they went bankrupt last month). And if the world is going to end soon, why not fill your belly with pizza and processed sweets?! ;)