Christmas Break Countdown... T-Minus Five Days

                                    

This is it.  The last five days before Christmas break, and it's on like Donkey Kong.  There's so much going on I'm not sure whether it will fly by in the blink of an eye or drag on sucking every bit of energy out of me... but I'm ready.  

This weekend, I had a list a mile long of things I had to get in preparation for this week, and wouldn't you know I forgot half the stuff I need.  For example, I bought the secret pal gift I needed but forgot the gift I needed for Secret Santa on Wednesday.  I bought the kids' gifts for their teachers, but forgot the goodies I'm supposed to provide for the teachers today.  I hunted high and low for an ugly sweater for today's Ugly Christmas Sweater, but came up with nothing.

It's very frustrating because Peanut and I were out for about six hours shopping, yesterday, and I can't believe I forgot so much.  Not just that, but I found the cutest stuff that I wanted to buy but couldn't think of a valid reason to buy some of it...and now I'm banging my hand against my head thinking that one of those gifts would have been perfect for the Secret Santa exchange.  I also had ample time to buy some sweet treats for the staff, but now I'm going to have to rely on what's available at the Walmart Express this morning.

But, I guess that comes with the territory.  When I have this much going on in one week, there's going to be some forgetting.  Over the course of the next five days (including today) I have two Christmas concerts to attend after school, two gift exchanges, a candle swap, the Terrific Tiger assembly, a Christmas concert put on by the county band during school, caroling around town, my class Christmas party, and a practice Smarter Balance test.  That's a lot of stuff to cram in to five days.  That's not even considering the teaching I still have to do, being that we're finishing up all of our units and making sure we're ready to kick off 2015 with all new content.  

Let's not also forget the fact that the kiddos will be super hyper and it will be down right impossible to get them to focus on anything.  If this week is anything like it was the few days before Thanksgiving break, I'm going to be EXHAUSTED with just trying to keep the kids calm and focused without any of us losing our minds.  Although, in fairness, they're not the only ones that I will have to control and maintain.  My own excitement may or may not be a factor in trying hard to keep everything calm and collected.  

I'm so ready for this week to be over just so I can get to Christmas celebrations without having so much to do.  I have yet to sit down with my kids and watch a Christmas movie since Thanksgiving, being that every single weekend since then has been taken over by Christmas shopping.  Thankfully, that's all done now, and for the last couple of days before Christmas we'll be able to enjoy our time together.  The kids are going away this weekend, so that I can spend some time wrapping.  But when they get back, we'll be making Gingerbread houses, watching movies, making fudge and cookies, and having some fun.  

But, before any of that can happen, I must first make it through these next five days.  I'm just going to take one day at a time, and not let myself get overwhelmed with how much is going on.  

Today is simple:  Ugly Sweater Contest, that I don't have a sweater for, but I'm going to try and improvise here in a few minutes.  My kiddos are taking the Smarter Balance practice test, and I'm sure that will be exhausting and a little overwhelming for them and me both.  Other than that, it's business as usual today.  Fingers crossed.  

So much to do, and so little time... but I'm ready to get it started and over with.  

Have a great Monday, everyone!