beating december at its own game

 I'm not a super-motivated individual usually. When Dan gets home from work in the morning, he busily cleans up the kitchen and living room and makes it perfect so he can relax. That's not really how I function. I float through my day going here and there, tending to the urgent, making lists, checking things off, and maybe getting distracted by a random thing that sounds fun at the moment like trying clothes on and seeing what kind of outfits I can create or scrolling through Amazon to search for a new area rug. Neither of those are urgent or even really productive since we're not buying a rug anytime soon and I won't remember the outfits I've created. This is totally normal behavior for an Enneagram 9, by the way, if you're not familiar with the Enneagram. (Check out Type Descriptions — The Enneagram Institute for more info)

December pretty much kicks my butt every year. Well, I should say the butt-kicking starts before Thanksgiving when I need to start making holiday decisions and think about Addie's and Winter's holiday birthdays. I hate feeling behind and harried and December is so good at making me feel that way. I'm usually scrambling to 5 different stores to get presents for those I've forgotten and last-minute kid gifts because one or two kids have more presents than the others. And I always leave stocking stuffers 'till the last minute for some reason.

This year, I decided to get ahead of December. 

I did a brain dump before Thanksgiving which I highly recommend. Take everything in your brain and put it down on paper. Hand-writing is ideal because it's more therapeutic and it helps you remember what you wrote, but a digital brain dump works too.

I started Christmas shopping in October and actually had a few things saved from early in the year with certain people in mind. It would be a little weird and random to buy someone a gift out of the blue, but if you save it for Christmas it's thoughtful and appropriate. 

We took the family to Great Wold Lodge in lew of birthday parties for Addie and Winter. We will do this forever. Birthday parties are no fun for anyone during the holidays.

I made a list of all the things I needed to do during December and just started getting them done during November. Slowly. Amie style. I can't tell you how much difference it has made this year. I also decided to be nice to myself and get all the teachers Starbucks gift cards. Done. My sister Wendy says that's all they want anyway, being a teacher herself. She scolded me one year for suggesting I give them ornaments with my kids' pictures in them. "NO! Gift Cards!" she yelled. (Spoiler alert Darla 😆)

I also got all my stocking stuffers at the Dollar Tree one November morning. Another thing that made a difference was saying no to myself when I would think, maybe we should do something new this year. Like breakfast with Santa or a Christmas parade or buying elf babies on Amazon which would complicate the hiding of the elves on the shelf. I say no to myself when I think it would be nice to bring someone a meal or invite guests over for dinner. Not December, Amie I constantly remind myself. You can be a thoughtful person in 2022.

I created a December to-do list and a January to-do list. I want to start playing the guitar again and cooking through my favorite cookbook. January, Amie. January.  I have all these things I'd like to do but are not urgent. Like catching up on my correspondence and cleaning out my stack of old paperwork. (mostly 1000 pictures the kids have drawn in the last year) Anything not Christmas-related goes on the January list. It's very freeing. I get permission to not even think about it.

So, here's what's going on these days:

We had a family Thanksgiving at my cousin's house the Saturday after Thanksgiving which was super lovely and also Addie's birthday so it was a fun day. Angus asked the man of the house, "Is this actually a house?" To which he replied, "Ummm yes." Angus responded, "Well then why don't you have butt wipes?!"

My uncle Doug is the kids' favorite. He's under there somewhere.

My least favorite tradition. Dan taking the kids up the big ladder to hang lights.

Friendsgiving with these fabulous people.

Mya asked me to curl her hair for her orchestra picture. It took forever.

Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate Addie and Winter's birthdays. The Higerds joined us so we had an extra fun time.

One of their favorite parts is the buffet.

I can't really see without my readers these days so I just assume they're smiling when I take pictures.

It was so nice of Mari to have a boy for Angus to play with. James is working on his smile.

On our way back home, we talked about our favorite part and our least favorite part of going to Great Wolf Lodge. Everyone's least favorite part was mostly leaving. Mine was when I went downstairs to bring a pizza back up to the room for dinner and a pack of 8-year-olds went in and out of all the elevators and pushed ALL of the buttons. It took like 20 minutes to get back to my room.

Trimming the tree. 

I put the ornaments in two piles. Breakable and non-breakable. I requested that the littles hang the non-breakable ones. They were insulted and insisted on hanging only the breakable ones. Addie dropped this one last year and I glued it back together. It's my favorite one of my grandma's. So of course she insisted on hanging it again.

Mya's fake smile. She was mad at me for something I did. It happens a lot these days because she's 12. Love you, Mya. 

Angus brought his school photo proof home and I was like Oh my goooodnessssoooo cute!!

To which Addie replied. "I'm cuter! See here's proof haha!" Spectacular joke, Addie.

"Oh Addie, everyone loves me." Nice come back, Angus.

Winter borrowed Mya's sweater and won a contest for the best Chrismassy outfit. (You can't see it in the pic but it has a unicorn head coming out of it). Winter didn't think it was Christmassy enough but we didn't have anything else so I forced her to wear it. Mya was irritated that I let Winter borrow her sweater without her knowledge and even more irritated that she won a prize. Winning prizes without even trying is Winter's theme this year.

Always scrambling for elf ideas. Looking forward to the day when the kids find out that it has been me all along and they can come up with their own elf ideas.

I've never TP'd a house so this was fun... Dan cannot confirm or deny that he has skills in this area. The elves did it in case that's not clear.

I usually throw all the healthy eating out the window in December. 

Ain't nobody got time for that. Plus, I was good all summer. Okay that's a lie. Some of the summer I was good.

Addie made this ornament while at the christian after school club. 

"This is a terrible picture of me! I looked WAY cuter that day." - Addie

Hanging out in the early morning with this guy and his kickin' morning breath before anyone else woke up.

Angus: (whispered) Who's your favorite kid Mom?

Me: (whispered back) You are.

Angus: I knew it.

Angus, show me your pretty blue eyes.

The 3 younger kids were in The Living Nativity at our church last night. Angus invited his whole class and two of them actually came. He was so happy. The girls got to take turns being Mary and shepherds since they all wanted a turn being Mary and there were 4 performances. You can still see it tonight and tomorrow night. My kids won't be there but equally cute ones will be. 

Check out this link for more info:

Living Nativity - Church of the Open Door (churchcenter.com)

These two were my favorite Mary and Joseph. Yep, that's baby Jesus in Adde's belly. Joseph snuck a kiss on Mary's cheek as they were standing in front of the audience. Addie told everyone on the way back to the dressing room that he is NOT her boyfriend in case anyone got the wrong idea. 

The kids were inspired the next day to do it again at home. Otter participated too.

That's it! Good luck getting ahead of your Decembers!