I hope everyone's Christmas was as warm and cozy as hot cup of cocoa in your hands sitting next to crackling fire listing to Frank Sinatra.
As usual, I cannot believe how fast this holiday came and went. A little bitter sweet as I always look forward to it. However I am left full and happy.
This was a great year for a 3 year old to celebrate Christmas. I think he asked about everyday since the beginning of December if he could open presents. And now after three days of opening presents, I think he is in for a rude awakening when he realizes its all done and he has to wait a whole year!
As Everett seems to be more understanding of the holiday and all that goes on, I really wanted to be more intentional this year with making new traditions and lasting memories. So much so, that I think I set myself up for failure before even starting. From the handmade Advent calendar full of activities, to touring around to look at Christmas lights in our PJ's. It just all went, well, not as I had planned. I slacked on the advent calendar and the Pinterest-esque Christmas light viewing party was a fail as he was asleep in the care before we even started! Then there was the whole forgetting to video tape my uber excited 3 year old open presents and see what Santa left. Or dwelling on the wonder if I put enough emphasis on the real meaning of Christmas or if I let fantasy take over.
It's all really a lot of pressure if you ask me--to be a parent and balance between traditions, memory making and keeping it simple.
Why do we do that to ourselves? I think it's just another way for Satan to distract us from what the whole season is about and to make us feel bad for not measuring up to our neighbors and friends and other people we may look up to. What a joke that Satan is.
I told myself to give me a break and to take it one thing at a time next year. My kids don't care about how many Pinterest things I can create or how well I wrap my presents, or even how many Christmas movies we can cram into December, so why should I?
Sometimes it takes "failing"--or the thought of failure to realize that you haven't even failed at all and that really, it's all just a silly, blown out of proportion thought bubble, and if you let it go---it can't bother you anymore.
So, now that that therapy session is over...... :)
I wish you all a very Merry and Bright rest of the holiday season and wish you wellness and happiness into the new year. 2013 was a great year for us Larsons and I have a feeling 2014 has some good things in store too!
