Last night, I stumbled along an unmarked DVD in the camera case. I popped it into the DVD player and my tears started rolling. I was watching my 14 month old girls splash in the tub being able to say no more than 'hi' and wave. It progressed to their second Christmas (age 19 months) where they were attempting to help me decorate the Christmas tree. Their enjoyment came from taking the ornaments off and throwing them for they of course were 'balls'-the only other word in their vocabulary at the time. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to get my girls out of their beds and hold them. I don't want another moment to escape. It seems impossible to me that in their meer 3 1/2 years, there are events and stages that I have already forgotten. Remember the small things! They are worth the time!
Yesterday and today, we finished up our Christmas 'baking' (though we actually did use the oven for one treat today). Peanut Butter Balls, Peanut Butter Star cookies, and Almond Bark Pretzels were the last treats to be made. Whenever I go to cook something (even Spaghettios) my girls want their hands in it. If you remember from my last post, it's a struggle for me to let some things go, but I'm really trying. For one day, my girls won't want to help me and I'll have to do it all by myself in my organized, control freak fashion. We rolled, we dipped, we scooped, we sprinkled. Nana (my mom) usually gets in on the Almond Bark Pretzel action, but the weather prevented her from being able to come down today. They are my least favorite things to make because they are so tedious. It's always better to have help with these. And help I did have!! These are so far from perfect, yet absolutely perfect because they were made with love. It was inching up on nap time so I really wanted to get them done quickly. Instead of dipping each one, I spread the entire bag of pretzels on wax paper and we just drizzled/clumpled/blobbed the amond bark over the tops and then decorated. They are crazy looking, but will taste exactly the same as they do every year, and people will love them even more because they'll know who made them....remember the small things (and over look the things that REALLY don't matter!).
Packing up the cookies and PB Balls...
Decorating the pretzels (you might get a $1000 bellyache (Christianson family story) if you eat one of these)
Yesterday's 'craft' (as if baking wasn't enough) was to decorate gingerbread houses. My friend Jess Kroupa made the gingerbread houses and came over to help decorate. The only thing about decorating gingerbread houses, is that you have to have a place to display them when you're done and I really don't. Oh well, we'll live with the extra clutter (LET IT GO!!) for the next month :)
Saturday afternoon was our friend Myah's 5th birthday party. This girl is all into Princesses and everything that goes along with them! All of the gifts she received were Disney Princess and none of them duplicates of eachother or anything she had! Amazing! The favors were dress up clothes from the clearance Halloween aisle....that Mary is a genious mommy! What Princess can't use a few more dress up clothes!? My favorite story from the party?? The way Myah was totally jazzed that her totally rockin'cake had a '5' AND her name on it (talk about lovin' the small things, right!!!). Check out the cake and Party Princesses below.
Of course a Princess Party isn't complete without a little Pin the Crown on the Princess:)
My Myah had her turn.Then Maysen, but Myah's head got in the way.
We wrapped a few more gifts. Once again, the lines aren't straight, the tape is crumpled, and and paper is wrinkled, but still absolutley perfect because of the LOVE put into them. There's nothing better than being a mommy to teach you about the small things and how to appreciate them...it's incredible!!!
In all honesty, we were WAY too busy yesterday and I really overdid it. I'm paying for it today, BUT I enjoyed the small things, let a few things go, and got to capture a few of those moments that will all to soon be lost because we'll be on to the next stage of preschoolerhood. It was totally worth it! I don't need any Christmas presents because all of the things that really matter, I already have.
We just love you guys...I think that pretty much sums it up... :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE you all.
ReplyDelete--i love the footie pajamas! it's kind of funny because you are not in the pictures so it looks like you make your kids do your "baking" for you. just kidding :)
--i have always wanted to make a gingerbread house also!
--that birthday cake was awesome! was your myah wondering why her name was on the cake too? :)
--i love how their little kitchen has moved into your kitchen because of the Christmas tree :)