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Monday, December 22, 2008

Cookies and Gingerbread




This weekend was perfect except of course for all the snow, the bad roads, our snow blower breaking down and Hailey running a fever. (ok maybe it was not so perfect) No really it was, I got all my presents wrapped, caught up on all my laundry, and baked a few cookies with the kids. I got to take my Sunday afternoon nap, life is good for the moment anyway. We baked some cookies with the kids Saturday night, that's always a treat with Hailey, the chick has zero patience and does not believe in waiting her turn to help at all, but she actually did good, I think we only had tears one time that night. I love doing things with the kids but I sometimes dread it only because of the hassle. I know that sounds bad but I like to have all my stuff in order and do it myself and with 3 extra sets of hands things can get complicated. I do it to myself every year I plan out everything in my head, we will make Christmas cookies listen to Christmas music and everything with go smoothly and perfect, then reality always hits me with disappointment, the kids fight, things never work out the way I imagine. Well over the years I have learned to just relax. I am trying to be more like John and be more go with the flow. I am happy to say for the first time I did just that. We all had so much fun, baking ,listening and singing to Christmas music, the night could not have gone any better. We even did the our gingerbread house with nothing uneventful happening. I can honestly say I loved every minute of it. We finished the night off watching Home Alone well the kids did anyway.(Mommy and Daddy fell asleep on the couch) I really watched John while we were making cookies, he is so patient. I have always known what a good Dad he is and how lucky the kids and I are to have him but sometimes I don't take the time to really appreciate him. He loves being a Dad, I love that about him, he has never looked at it like a job. I can honestly say that he has more of a hard time letting our kids grow up than I do at times. I will be the first to say that I love how much easier it is now that they are older. John does not want them to grow up and leave us ever. We can not even discuss what things will be like once they are out of the house. He honestly gets mad at me for even talking about it. All I kept thinking was how lucky my kids are to have him, how lucky I am to have him, he has taught me so much more about parenthood, love and life than I would ever admit to him. He makes me want to be a better Mom. He is constantly reminding me to stop and just enjoy the moment, he keeps me grounded when everything else in my life is crazy. He always reminds me that money is nothing we should lose sleep over. As long as we are all healthy and happy, those are his famous words that I so take for granted. Most women would appreciate their husbands reassuring them and I take it for granted because I hear it all the time. Anyway I hope all my friends can do the same, appreciate whats in front of them this Holiday season. Appreciate the life and the people that God has blessed you with... I know I am.

8 comments:

jennie said...

Love the perfectly imperfect weekend. You are living in the moment, arn't you? I am working on that too.

Your gingerbread house is beautiful! Ours was a perfect mess.

Love the sweetness for John. You are a lucky girl:) Sounds like you two are a good balance.Thanks for the little reminder today to be thankful:)

Jodi said...

I hope John reads this...:) Lucky you, lucky children. It is hard to take a step back but it definitely needs to happen, at least once in awhile. Enjoy your Christmas.

Lea said...

It's nice when we can realize what we have is worth appreciating. Sometimes it takes going through a WHOLE lot before the appreciation is really pounded into our heads. I can say I've noticed you are a bit more relaxed lately so John must be doing a great job! HA! We all have pictures in our heads of the "ideal" setting. I guess part of the chaos with kids is to remind us over and over again, it's DEFINATELY ok to NOT be perfect!! LOVE this post girl!!

Lisa said...

What a great family weekend! Thats the kind of things our kids will remember when they look back at there childhoods. Your kids are so blessed and to have both you and John as parents.

Kristin said...

I am glad that you had a great weekend. It is very hard to jjst step back and let things happen, but when you do GREAT things happen. Remind me of that next time I have to be in control:)!!!

You are lucky to have John just as much as he is lucky to have you. You guys are a GREAT fit! Your kids are lucky to have such wonderful parents who love them, show them love and what it is like to loce in return!!

Merry Christmas to your family as well. I am trying very hard to appreciate all that is in front of me!!!

hien k. d. said...

hi Shelly!

i stumbled across your blog from Jennie's site. (hope you don't mind.) what a beautiful, sweet post!

Merry Christmas!
hien

Jennifer Witham Buck / Graceful Expressions said...

thanks for the gentle reminder... how easy it is to overlook all of this.
very well said, Shelly!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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