Is it over?

That is what Beau asked me on the morning of December 26th.

"Yes." I told him wearily, yet with much relief; "It is over."

Then he asked, "What's next? Valentine's? Easter? Carmella's birthday? What Mommy? What's next?"

Sigh.

And then on the 27th he threw himself on the kitchen floor and had his monthly tantrum (even though he is 4 he still has tantrums but now we are down to only one a month. And that is so much better than when he was 2 and had them everyday.) While he pounded his fists and kicked his feet he screamed through gritted teeth: "I WANT TO GO TO A PARTY!! THIS HOUSE IS BORING! I NEED A PARTY!"

Seriously. Isn't that something I should be hearing from him at 16 and not at 4?

Yes, I know it is totally my fault. This is what I get for trying to give my kids a fun and happy childhood when really what I should be doing is showing them how much life sucks so they will be prepared for "the real world."

Please note that "the real world" is quotes because Pop use to tell me all the time how awful "the real world" was going to be and what a shock it was going to be for me and blah blah blah. And yes, it is because of his warnings and naysaying that I sponged off Pop as long as could get away with it. I mean really, he made "the real world" sound like such a terrible place so I figured yeah, well, then I'll try to avoid that place.

And see, that is what happens when you do stuff like cut out articles from the Wall Street Journal about how the next generation is going to be worse off even though they will be more educated and give them to your only slightly spoiled 13 year old daughter.

Really Pop, I am grateful. See this isn't me being ungrateful. Nope. No not at all. Just me reveling in your wisdom and how right you were and how smart I was to try to avoid it all for so long. (But that Pookie. I don't think she is grateful at all. You know, I don't think Justin is either. Be me? I'm grateful.)

However I am thinking a different tactic than Journal articles and prophetic warnings might work better for my kids. Okay I mean Beau. Carmella seems to get it.

I am thinking that in this case it might be better to show rather than tell so I am presently shopping for just the right sweat shop to see if they have some sort of kid exchange program that I can sign Beau up for. And in exchange I get a grateful little kid who has been stitching Gap labels on jeans since he was knee high to a sewing machine and Beau learns to be grateful for what he has. Win win situation.

Ah, I kid. I joke.

To make the social detox less painful for the kids we've been alternating one fun day with 2 boring days since Christmas. Hopefully, with a few consecutive days of boring Beau will be fine, even eager, next Tuesday to return to the sweat shop, I mean preK.

I've been slack about posting the pictures from our holiday festivities and I've had some emails about their whereabouts. So better late than never here are some of the highlights:
Okay while I was dying from the worst case of bronchitis ever and was unable to run I busied myself with a project.
Project?
What project?
See that sweater?
Well, I made it.
Okay not the sweater (but Carmella thinks I did). But I cut out from felt and made the Santa face and then hand stitched Santa, all the sequins, jingle bells and the word "Jolly" myself. I thought the project was going to take me an hour. It took six. Hours. Only a few hours less than I spend running a week.

No I have never sewn anything before and yes there was a pattern but that was for a stocking. So it was almost like doing it from scratch. Seriously, there were a lot of sequins and beads. It is very pretty. And best of all? It jingles.

So that's right people. Along with marathon runner and one time triathlete I can now add crafty Christmas sweater seamstress to my resume. Amazing that I have all these talents, yet no paying job. . .

Whatever. Ryan loved it. He wore it on many occasions this past holiday and can't wait to break it out next year.

On to other things.

We went to church on Christmas Eve. This was Beau's first time ever getting to sit through a service. We always put him in the nursery. But I figured he could handle it since it isn't a long service and there is singing and there is of course fire.

And Beau was good. Well except for maybe in the middle of the sermon when the preacher asked "Are you listening to me? Are you listening to me?" And Beau loudly answered above the quiet of the congregation "No!"

But other than that he was good.

Kids all dressed up outside the church.

Look Santa came!

Wake up!
New bike!

Presents!

Bubbles and Poppy brought more!


Off to Lala's for more present madness!


Carmella's doll that pees on itself.

It is so weird to me that she wanted this doll but then again she was always very eager to help me change all of Beau's diapers. See if only I'd waited a few more years to have that second kid I could have been on easy street.

Bear with me here.

Lala's tables!



The kid's table.
Dessert and the after party at my house!


Like anyone would want either of these two to operate on them.The kids always get in my bed


And see, I'm not the only Ho!
Steph and Dee Dee!

The day after party at the Gibbs. These guys are Ryan's friends from high school and some from elementary school. And since Ryan and I went to elementary school together I've known some of them that long too.

But now Christmas is over. We've packed up all our decorations, thrown out all the trash and are ready to hang up our hang overs and get on with those New Year resolutions . . .

You can see more of Christmas pictures by clicking on my flicker badge.