December Activities

 
 Every year the day after T-giving, the same things appear on my to-do list, and I inevitably feel the need each day to do everything I can to check them off, so that I can make it until the school break without forgetting something.  On top of this annual list, and on top of daily homework and activities, packing lunches, and other regular December things like Christmas shopping and putting up decorations, it's:

-Teacher gifts (9)- And should I give a little something to the front desk ladies and nurse?  Why, yes.

-Luka's holiday party on Friday - need to send in red hots for the craft.  Do you know I couldn't find a bag of red hots at two stores, ended up buying a small jar for $5 (??), and then chanced upon a bag for $1 at HEB?  Yep, I made Luka bring the jar back from school so I could return it, and sent in the bag.

-As Room Mom for TJ, collect money from parents and purchase gift card for teacher.

-Send in $25 to participate in Luka's piano recital so he can participate and receive a massive trophy that will barely fit on his shelf.  Seriously?  What about just the joy of performing?

-Buy $5 gift for Mikayla's Santa party at school.

-Sign TJ up for next season of basketball.  $20 late fee after December 10.

-Send gift ideas for kids to family.  (Have to think of some first.)

-Bake 2 dozen home-made cookies for teacher cookie exchange. (Wouldn't that be nice to have?) Label the tray "Do Not Eat" so no one in my family accidentally eats 10.

-In 22 baggies, separate out bulk materials from Oriental Trading for TJ's school holiday party. (This took 2.5 hours one evening.)  Train Scott on the craft since he was helping with TJ's party, and I was helping with Luka's.  This was FunTimes.com.  The bow is pretty difficult to tie, even for me.  Ask TJ to identify all the pictures of his classmates to figure out which one won't have a picture for the "cute" little ornament they will make that will get pulled out of the ornament box each year with parents saying, "Ohhh, [INSERT NAME] you remember 3rd grade?"

-Send text to all the other parent volunteers to make sure they are remembering their duties for the holiday party.

-Buy plain red T-shirt for Luka's 3 min. hip-hop performance.  Thankfully, no trophy.

-Have kids sign cards for teachers.  Do not forget to send the gifts to school. 

-Does Luka have any hand-me-down dress clothes I can throw together for his piano recital?  Check.  Make sure he tries them on first.

-Plan, shop for, and make appetizer for Luka's dance recital reception.  Store bought artichoke dip will have to do.

-Take the needle-nosed pliers to TJ's holiday party for the craft.

-Don't forget 2-liter of Sprite for Luka's piano recital.  Well shoot, looks like I should have hidden it because Scott drank some.  I forgot to label "Do Not Drink." Add it back to the grocery list, and back to the store I go.

-Have the cookies to school by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday for the teacher cookie exchange.

-Does Mikayla have white tights, a white turtle-neck, and black shoes for her show at Spanish Schoolhouse?  Why yes.  The next day, however, I was told by teachers that the tights were in fact off-white, and she needed white.  Off to Target.

-Send in 22 "trinkets" for TJ's holiday party gift exchange.  Answer texts from several parents wondering if trinkets can be food.  I say "sure" and just ask for forgiveness later.

-What does childcare look like over Christmas break for two weeks when they kids are out of school and I am supposed to be working?  Are there any camps? Spend 2 hours online that night looking for camp options.  And Christmas shopping on Amazon Prime at the same time. (Two windows open thanks for the big screen.)

-Schedule a GNO or an MNO, whatever you want to call it, because you know this woman needs one after all This Holiday Stuff.

-And now, what to do with all these crafts and trinkets the kids brought home from their holiday parties??

A month later, I'm sure I'm forgetting things, and I'm sure this post is boring enough for most of you, but this is my reality every December, that I will get to look forward to every year.  And I am pretty good about saying "no" (except to the obligatory stuff) and trying not to over commit...but all this on top of working 30 hours per week.  Thankfully, I am pretty darn organized.

A story about organization...Luka's piano and dance recitals were scheduled for the same Thursday night, one at 5:30 and one at 6.  I knew this in October.  I asked for him to be one of the first ones in the piano recital line-up, and one of the last ones at the dance recital.  I got a text from Luka's piano teacher on Tuesday evening saying "Don't forget the piano recital tomorrow!"  Say what??  After several texts back and forth with piano teacher, it turns out that the date on the recital flyer that we had was wrong, and she had "posted" a new one, which I never saw.  Wow.  Had it not been for that text, we would have missed the recital altogether.  And so it goes...

A few shots and video from Mikayla's performance.  Note the white tights.  Mikayla talked about her show for a month prior everyday waking up asking, "Mom, is my show tonight?" I have to wear pajamas to the show."  She was SO exited and was just beaming through the whole thing and having so much fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCNwaRt7-fk&list=UUGLVW3x-P5EUO-WDrbULJ5Q

For Luka's show, he got up an played in front of a whole crowd of people, and was the last one out of the whole group to perform so he had to wait over an hour just to play.  He got up there with great confidence and excitement and did a great job.  It is so fun to hear him play and to witness his enthusiasm for piano.

http://youtu.be/LrdDe4c2SlU

TJ is still really enjoying basketball.  He spends a ton of time out in the driveway these days, perfecting his moves, though he has also been known to ask, "Why do I need to practice?  I already know everything."  I really don't know how to respond to this other than a basic "Ok." There are just too many other responses that go flying through my brain in the span of 2 seconds and I can't seem to pick just one.  Some day, buddy, some day.  In any case, he is certainly not the star of his team, but it is fun to see him play and having a good time.

http://youtu.be/oZMbeSnnIv4

One more show this year was Luka's hip-hop dance recital.  It kicks in at about 1:18.  As long as you are having a good time, Luka, keep it up!  No other words are really necessary. 

 The boys had a great time this year playing up the whole Santa thing for Mikayla, who is VERY into Santa.  Luka would say things to her like, "4 more days until Christmas!" and then look at me and wink.  It's great to see them having fun helping to create the magic for her.  We did manage to fit in a visit to Santa. Turns out, Remax had a free Santa with no line, fee cookies, and free hot chocolate.  You didn't even have to turn over your email address to them.  Thank goodness, because I don't do malls and certainly not Santa at malls, and I don't pay $20 for a picture with Santa anywhere.  And, we missed Santa at the YMCA this year (not a horrible thing considering we think they pick them up from the local nursing home for a special senior outing...Mr. Claus never said a word, and Mrs. Claus fell asleep in her wheelchair one year we were there.)  Anyhow, this Santa was friendly and jovial, and Mikayla sat on his lap for quite sometime.  She told him she wanted a "train factory" for Christmas.  Ok...what?? Guess we should have prompted her a bit more.  Ironically, Scott had picked up a train set the year before at the local resale shop, lucky for us.  Unfortunately, after spending too much time on it Christmas Eve trying to get it to work, it ended up in the trash and it was not a pretty sight as I was blissfully wrapping presents.  Santa gave her a pink scooter instead.  Now we have to come up with something different for her birthday. (And Mikayla never mentioned the train factory again...)

The picture of the 3 kids with Santa about sums up our day...Mikayla all dressed up and TJ in his basketball uniform.

Opening presents is such a thrill as a kid, isn't it?  We we so lucky that Grandma and Grandpa could fit in another trip to help celebrate Christmas.  Grandma made their robes and scarves and found some sparkly boots for Mikayla.  (She has slept in the boot a couple of times she loves them so much.)