Do the hustle

A month ago, when there was no snow on the ground and no one was sick or tired (ok, maybe we were tired... When aren't I tired??), my sister said, "Hey let's do the 5k Santa hustle!" And I said, "Ok!"
Fast forward to yesterday when no one thought that getting up at 6:15 to go run a race in the freezing cold was a good idea. But really, the kids were all great and had a lot of fun. Abby, Cole and Nolan ran the entire thing. Max and I, Erin, Chad and my sister ran... Some. It makes me want to start running again. Just not in the cold. Or in the early morning. Hmmm...
Too bad I already did Christmas cards! (And also too bad I haven't sent them yet...)



Cutest eyes ever, Santa Nolan!


I look like a boy. I know it's supposed to be Santa and all, but still.

Awwwww.

There were thousands of Santas. Next year we put something on the kids so we can find them!

Finished!

To reward themselves, the kids went sliding on the ice.


And visited Santas reindeer!

A good time by all!!!

Yes, but what does it all mean?

Nolan my little philosopher...

What if

There are so many mornings that are rushed in our house. Despite everyone getting up early, the kids usually spend too much time watching tv, horsing around and doing anything but getting ready. I usually spend too much time trying to put away one last load of laundry, getting some more work done and doing anything but getting them ready. At the last minute, Max is always still shoeless, his backpack still in disarray. With the onset of snow this week, we weren't ready with boots and snowpants, and rushed around at the last minute to get it all together. There are some mornings when one or the other of them forgot to do their homework, forgot a permission slip to be signed or forgot they needed a snack, and it's realized mere minutes before we're heading to school.

Sometimes all those things are just happenings that I can take in stride with all the other things of the day. But sometimes? All those things come together and I just can't deal. Some mornings I scream and shout and make one or all of them cry. I yell jibberish about responsibility and tell them I'm leaving without them and that from now on they will have everything ready before they go to bed at night. I always end up feeling bad and try to make them feel better before leaving to school, but I know that sometimes it's too little too late, and it will impact the day they have.

And this weekend, I can't help but wonder what if. What if on Friday, that gunman had come to Jackson instead of Connecticut, and I didn't take the time to play with them, to indulge them, to answer their enless rounds of questions, to show them just a little more patience? What if I had yelled at them, and brought tears to their eyes, before I drove them to school and sent them on their way? What if I never had the chance to give them one more hug and kiss and tell them I love them? I can hardly bear the thought.  It's so easy to do, and I wonder if any of those parents of any of those little kids taken from us were in the same boat. I wonder if any of them had a harried morning, and were looking forward to the school day to start, if only to get some much needed respite. For any in that boat, I wish I can tell them I understand. We're all guilty of it. That their kids knew they loved them. And, I'm going to try really hard to find a little more patience each and every morning.

Angel? Yeah right.

Dave took Nolan to a basketball tournament tonight, and I took Max to Tae Kwon Do and Abby to volleyball. Ava fell asleep, and when she woke up at Tae Kwon Do, she threw the best fit you ever saw. She screamed and yelled and kicked and spit for about 45 minutes. I started in the bathroom with her, realized everyone could likely hear her, and then took her outside. She continued the hysterics there, until she just wore herself out.

 

How fitting that, on the same day as all of that, I found these pictures of her on my computer that Alina took. She certainly plays the part well!

I've lost my mind

Tis the Season to skip my blogging
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Work is crazy, my time it's hogging
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Sports events have taken over
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
To think I considered a dog named Rover
Fa la la la la, la la la la

See December passing quickly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Add in a kid who's kind of sniffly
Fa la la la la, la la la la

I'm just trying to survive
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
While I drink some Christmas wine
Fa la la la la, la la la la