What I'll miss....

Today while taking the Christmas tree down...Bradley whimpered,

"Mama....when you take the "dwithmath twee" down it makes me feel sad!"

It was sad for me too.....realizing how fast the season had flown by.... thinking back on all of the fun, little things that we were able to experience together. It's this time of year that I get most excited about....yet it seems to go faster than any other time of the year. It just isn't fair.

Following are a few snippets of things that I LOVED about this season.....

The excitement that was constantly in the air.
There was even more giggling, wrestling, dancing and singing to the music, and pent up energy.

I will miss Christmas programs, bake sales, picking out the "perfect" performance outfit for Karah, helping dress the kids for their big night...Seeing her first big girl debut.....holding her own hand when it was time to be on her own.I will miss dinner's out - when I had been too busy shopping to worry about cooking.

I will miss having Grandma A in town for the holidays....teaching Karah how to make her famous stuffed french toast!

I will miss mall nights with the kids....and shopping for our Angel Tree children.

I will miss cold nights out with Tommy T - when I didn't have the time or energy to fix my hair or put makeup on - because I had been running crazy.....only to have him tell me I'm beautiful.
I love that Tommy T.

I will miss blaring Christmas music on the back deck - and having neighborhood kids dance with each other...only to stop when they think they have spotted a sleigh in the sky.

I will miss seeing the initial awe in their eyes as they saw my new hot chocolate maker in action. It kicks....by the way. On sale now at Williams Sonoma!!! Hurry! Run!

I will miss shopping amid the lights with Christmas music playing at the mall.

I will miss decorating for the holidays....and decorating....and decorating.

I will miss Christmas Eve manicotti.....new jammies....and recounting the story of Christ's birth...as the kids hang the nativity ornaments on the tree.

I will miss watching the kids put out food for the reindeer.....and cookies and milk for Santa.
I will SO miss singing bare butt Christmas Carols around the piano.

And I will miss Christmas morning - being awakened by excited children, just as the sun is rising.....seeing the magic in their faces.....the belief in their eyes....and finding out that Santa really DID listen.And the Elf....Frosty. HOW I will miss him!!! He came the day after Thanksgiving. Santa sent him. He came to our house to keep an eye on the kids and report their good/naughty deeds each night. After the kids would go to bed - he would magically return to the north pole to report - always returning by sunrise. He would pick a new spot each time he came back and the kids would have to find him. They never touched him because they knew that he would lose his magical powers if it happened. Santa came and picked him up on his sleigh on Christmas Eve. He won't be back until next year. We will miss him so much - and the impeccable behavior his presence caused :)And needless to say, I will miss holiday cooking and baking! Do you see that Chocolate Mousse cake on my chin and the Christmas morning "pecan french toast" on my chubby cheeks???

Back to the gym we go!!!!
Like I said.....I will SO miss Christmas!