Twelve Days of Christmas

                            

On the first day of Christmas, my true love said to me.....

Quit you're whining, you only have a one day work week!

Yep, folks.  After a week off, I get to go back to work today.  For one whole day.  Some are thanking all things holy that they aren't going to be at home with their kids for yet another day, while some are thinking it's a waste of time to go back for one day.  I'm one of those that are on the fence.  While I think it's kinda silly to go back for one day, as the kids will be super crazy and it will be hard to get anything done today, I'm also kinda glad that I get to have something to do today and that I get to see my co-workers and kiddos.

On the second day of Christmas, my true loves helped me...

Buy two more bags of Christmas gifts!

And again only a one day work week.

The girls' and I managed to get out of the house for a while, yesterday, to do a bit of Christmas shopping.  I took Peanut to pick out some clothes, because she's gotten to that age where it's not really "cool" for me to buy clothes for her.  She'd rather know exactly what she's getting for Christmas being that she was the one to pick it all out, than to risk the chance of me buying stuff that she'll never wear or stuff that she doesn't like but feels forced to wear because she got it for Christmas.

On the third day of Christmas, my youngest shocked me....

By eating 3 inches of ice-cream!

Questioning two bags of Christmas gifts, and complaining about a one day work week.

Jelly totally blew my mind during our shopping trip.  We decided to grab lunch at Red Robin, and she ate a bowl of macaroni & cheese and a fruit cup.  I told her if she ate all of her lunch, she could have dessert.  She did, and this is the dessert she picked...

                             

That's a Monster Mud Pie.  Three inches of chocolate ice-cream on top of a turtle ice cream pie, covered in whipped cream, and sitting on a bed of chocolate and caramel drizzle.  Peanut and I got a spoon as well, so we could all share the chocolatey goodness.  Well, Peanut and I had a few bites... and Jelly got busy on devouring the "Monster".  Ten minutes later, this is what was left...

                              

No, she didn't get sick... surprisingly.  

On the fourth day of Christmas, my Jelly gave to me....

Four mind blowing questions!

Three inches of ice-cream, questioning two bags of gifts, and only a one day work week.

Our shopping trip after lunch turned up a lot of questions for Jelly, who is still a devout Santa believer.  In our house, Hubby and I don't buy gifts for our kids, Santa does.  So, she was confused and a little angry when "Sissy" told her that she was getting clothes for Christmas.  

Jelly: "Why are you buying Sissy clothes for Christmas, Momma?"  

Me:   "Once kids get to a certain age, Santa likes a little help.  He's only good at making and getting toys for little kids, so parents have to help out with the big kids."

Jelly:  "But, why are you buying [my niece and nephew] presents?"  

Me: "We always buy gifts for our family.  We buy gifts for Grandma, Grandad, Grammy, [Grammy's granddaughter], and [my niece and nephew].  They also buy gifts for you, so it's fair."

Jelly:  "Why don't you buy me anything for Christmas?"  

Me:  "Well, I give your Christmas list to Santa, he tells us how much to pay, and then he decides what gifts off of the list he brings you.  We still buy the stuff, we just have him deliver it to you and then he surprises all of us with what he decided to get you."  

Jelly:  "Can't you buy me stuff AND Santa buy me stuff? That way I can help you pick out stuff that I want just like Sissy does."  

Me: "Well, once you are too old to get toys, I will buy you clothes just like I do for Sissy.  Are you too old for toys?  Do you want me to let Santa know that you just want clothes for Christmas?"

Jelly: (Sad face) "No.  I guess Santa can get me my presents again."

And this, folks, is why it is NEVER a good idea to take a 6 year old Christmas shopping.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my school district gave to me....

ANOTHER-DAY-OFF!!

Four mind blowing questions, three inches of ice-cream, two bags of gifts, and forget that one day work week!

I'm so glad that I set my alarm for 5AM this morning, got up, sat here writing my blog, only to see the message on Facebook telling me that due to some freezing rain that's currently going on there will be no school today.  Don't let that sentence fool you in to thinking that I'm complaining.  It doesn't bother me a bit that I'm up this early and I don't have to go to school.  As much as I miss being at work, I was NOT looking forward to going back for one day.  I now get another three days to figure out exactly what I'm going to do next week to finish up where we left off, and take care of the Christmassy stuff we were supposed to be doing.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my school district also gave to me...

Six hours to finish up shopping!

ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, four puzzling questions, three inches of ice-cream, two bags of gifts, and forget that one one day work week!!

Now that school is cancelled, I know EXACTLY how I'm going to spend another day off work.  Completely finishing up my Christmas shopping.  I'm going to get out before the weekend and make sure that I have all the remaining gifts, stocking stuffers, and I may even go ahead and buy the family gifts even though that's usually done by my kids.  I don't even want to think about what the stores will be like over the weekend with everyone being snowed in for a week.  CRAZY, I guarantee that!  Yesterday was bad enough with traffic and such, so I can't wait to get out and finish it all up today.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my school district gave to me...

Seven days till Christmas break! 

Six hours of shopping, ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, four puzzling questions, three inches of ice-cream, two bags of gifts, and forget that one day work week!

For the month of December, I will only be working 8 1/2 days.  I got to work three and a half days the first week, got an entire week off because of snow, go back for five days, and then get two full weeks off for Christmas.  Once again, who has the best freakin' job in the world?  This gal!! And, no I won't be complaining because I have to go extra days in the summer.  I might be a little tired and stressed when they take away all of our days off between January and May, but having all this extra time to prepare for Christmas and spend with my kids for the holidays is so worth it!!

On the eighth day of Christmas, my playlist gave to me...

Eight Christmas movies! 

Seven days till break, six hours of shopping, ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, four questions, three inches of ice-cream, two bags of gifts, and forget that one day work week!

Every year, there is certain Christmas movies that are a MUST watch at some point or another.  They are:  Elf, Polar Express, The Grinch (Jim Carrey version), A Christmas Story, A Christmas Carol, Santa Clause, Santa Clause II, Santa Clause III, and a new addition to the line up is Arthur Christmas.

So far, we've watched Elf and The Polar Express.  I also watched Jingle All the Way and Saving Santa a few days ago, but I still have plenty of my movies left to watch between now and Christmas.  I think that I'll be getting some of those checked off the list tomorrow.  Jelly's watched A Christmas Story several times, already, but it's just not Christmas until we've watched the rest of them... except for A Christmas Carol.  For some reason, my kids aren't in to that movie as much.  That's more of a favorite of mine that I will probably have to watch by myself at some point or another.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my Facebook gave to me..

Nine new notifications!

Eight Christmas movies, etc. etc., ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, so on and so on, blah, blah, blah...and forget that one day work week!

Now that school's out, my Facebook has been blowing up with new notifications and messages.  I love Facebook, but I really love it during times like no school days.  There's so much more interaction between the people I work with.  I know it sounds of corny, but I enjoy the interaction we have.  It's funny to see the different reactions about having school or not having school.  I love how moods change and opinions change.  One minute everyone is hoping we go back, the next everyone is rejoicing that we get another day off.  I've been WAY too glued to my Facebook the past week, but I've really enjoyed watching everything play out.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my school district gave to me...

Ten days off!

Nine notifications, eight movies, a week till Christmas break, shopping, ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, questions, ice-cream, gifts, and forget that one day work week!

Yep, once again, I've had ten days off.  It's been ten days since I've been in my classroom, wrote a lesson plan, done any grading, seen my co-workers, or seen my kiddos.  Half of that makes me happy, the other half makes me sad.  Don't get me wrong, the break has been AMAZING.  Usually this amount of time off work has me pulling my hair out, but it's been so nice to just relax, spend time with the kids, not have to worry while my mom is in the hospital, and sleep as little or as much as I've wanted. Of course, I miss my co-workers and kiddos.  Facebook has kept me connected to my co-workers, but I sure have missed the faces of my sweet students.  I'll be so glad to see them again on Monday and hear all about how they got to spend their time off.  I'm also curious to see how many of them did their homework while they were away.. HA!

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my P-Momma gives to me...

An amazing Christmas Eve!

Ten days off, nine notifications, eight movies, Christmas break, shopping, ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, questions, ice-cream, gifts, and forget that one day work week!

Christmas Eve, in my house, is just as much of an anticipated event as Christmas Day.  The kids count down the days until Christmas Eve with excitement.  You see, while most kids are complaining how long it still is until Santa arrives, and parents are trying to keep kids entertained while the clock seems to be going nowhere, we are spending the day with P-Momma having our first Christmas of the year.

Before P-Momma came in to my life, I HATED Christmas Eve.  It was a day that seemed to never end. The kids were too excited and wound up to amuse themselves.  I was too excited and wound up to amuse them.  We would try watching Christmas movies, making some kind of Christmas craft, and even bake some sweet treats.  Yet, after all that, it still seemed like there were HOURS to go before I could put the kids to bed and get ready for Christmas Day.  

Now that we have P-Momma, we spend our Christmas Eve with her.  She cooks a wonderful meal, we open gifts, and the kids play and have a great time while P-Momma, Hubby, and I all sit around the table talking.  Our time there flies by, and before I know it I'm having to drag the kids home in order to get them to bed so that Santa can come before the wee hours of the morning.  I love Christmas Eve just as much as I love Christmas Day.... but, now the day before Christmas Eve has turned in to that annoyingly long day that seems to last forever.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,  my true loves will give to me...

An AMAZING Christmas Day!

Christmas Eve, Ten Days Off, Eight Movies, Christmas Break, Shopping, ANOTHER-DAY-OFF, questions, ice-cream, gifts, and forget that one day work week!

There's no doubt in my mind that twelve days from now, I'll be enjoying an amazing Christmas morning watching my kids open up their presents.  Of course, it will probably be all over with by now.  My kids tend to get up at the crack of dawn, because something (*cough* me *cough*) wakes them up.  I'm a bigger kid than they are on Christmas morning, and it's the one day of the year that I don't need any form of alarm to wake me up before the sun even comes up.  I'm definitely NOT one of those parents that kids have to yell and scream at in order to get out of bed.  If anything, I'm the one doing the yelling and screaming.  I've been known to turn on some bedroom lights before my kids wake up with the hopes that it would wake the kids up.  

Once the gifts are all unwrapped, and the kids have had their fill of opening everything up to check it out, we'll be getting ready to head to my mom's for Christmas number 3, more gifts and Christmas dinner.

I'm so excited, I can barely wait!!  

Today, despite icy road conditions, I am going to get out and finish up my Christmas shopping.  I want to be done, finished, finito!  I can then enjoy the rest of the stuff off of this list between now and Christmas Day.

I also plan on going up to see my mom, and maybe spend the night with her if the roads get icy again this evening.  Oh well, it's only been 3 hours since I started this blog post, think it's finally time to call it quits.

Have a safe and fun Friday, everyone!!