taking the time

i've been m.i.a. on this blog lately.
i'm trying very hard to take time for the things that need to be done.
mainly finishing up for Christmas and spending special time alone with each child.
this is no easy task.

BUT, yesterday was anna's day.
{warning, scary picture below}


we went to see the nutcracker ballet,



and then out to eat.
in a RESTAURANT.
by OURSELVES!

it was so nice, so relaxing, but so weird without the rest of the family.
anna didn't miss them at all.
she kept telling me over and over how much she loved her special day.
and she was sooooo well-behaved too!
(poor middle child!)

after all the excitement of our day out, i wrapped all the gifts last night after the kids went to sleep.
and made a list of what we still need to buy.
yuck. more shopping.
double yuck.
let's stop talking about it. it's making me feel nauseous.

one new tradition we started this year is the elf on the shelf.
i'm sure most of you know about/already do this, but after hearing tricia tell me how excited her kids are over this little elf, i had to get one for us too.


i can not even begin to explain the excitement.
every morning, the kids jump out of bed to see what he's done/where he's moved to.
even on school days!
no more shaking the crap out of them, er, shaking them in the morning to catch the bus.
oh no. they JUMP out of bed and are awake and HAPPY!
it is amazing.

last thing. because this is becoming the longest post ever in the history of the world.
i bet you've been wondering how ben did at his Christmas program.
he did GREAT! we were so relieved!
i didn't cry.
he only cried a little when i dropped him off with his teachers.

he was a little freaked out on stage,


but as soon as the audience started clapping after their first song, he clapped for himself and his friends, got the biggest GRIN on his face, and all was well with the universe.


he didn't sing, but shook his jingle bells instead.
and again, clapped for everyone.


he's awfully sweet like that anyways.

ok, off to drink more coffee, make more lists, and maybe do a couple hundred loads of laundry.