Ba-Humbug the Christmas Blues Away...

Every time Christmas rolls around I get all giddy like a child opening presents on Christmas morning but then as the month lingers on I start to get the "Christmas Blues".


This time of year brings back a flood of memories of Christmas' past. I am reminded of Christmas with my Mammaw and this year it's doubley (is that a word??) hard because we just lost my Pappaw 3 short months ago. His death is still fresh on my mind and I have been having a hard enough time dealing with his loss without throwing the holidays into the mix.


I know I need to live in the "now" because these years with Brody & Victoria will fly by while I am living in the past. I am really trying hard to stop these emotions so I can enjoy the present but I am having a terrible time at shaking it all off.


It also saddens me because Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I look forward to the next Christmas as we are wrapping up the current one. I love seeing my children open their presents with great joy and excitement. I love suprising them with little things that they weren't expecting or something that wasn't on their list.


I know this Christmas will be one for the books but I just have to get through this "Blah-ness" so I can make it happen. I am hoping as Christmas gets a little closer (like it's not close enough -- 9 days!!!) these "blahs" will go away. Having my parents here for Christmas will make it more exciting; espicially for Brody. He loves his Nannee and Pappaw!


So, I am Ba-humbuging these blues away so I can enjoy Christmas Day!

13 Days and counting....

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only 13 days away. Every year it seems December flies by and we're stuck waiting another 365 for a magical holiday and time with our families. For me (my husband may not agree) it's not about the presents it's about the traditions, the togetherness, the feeling of joy in the house when December rolls around. Everyone is happy and joyful and the world seems like a brighter, nicer place...that's how I feel about it some may beg to differ.

This year we started a new tradition that hit the map by storm; ELF ON THE SHELF. We (Victoria and I) have had so fun much moving this little thing around the house. It seems ours is very mischievous and gets into a lot of trouble! He's always messing up something. Brody wakes up every morning and wants to know where the Elf if and when he sees him he tells the little guy that he wants "a McDonald's like Hudson has". It's too sweet. What he is really asking for is a McDonald's play set that is like a kitchen but this one is geared to boys. His little neighbor friend, Hudson, has one and he loves playing with it. He even told Santa that he wanted it so hopefully it will be under our tree on Christmas morning. Brody has had his share of good and bad days....mostly good so he has a great chance of getting what's on his tiny little list of things.

Talking about lists! It seems each year our tree gets fuller and fuller with presents underneath the tree. I will admit that it's mostly my fault because I want our children to have everything they ask for, if not more than they ask for (that's usually the case). I tell myself each year that I am not spending a ton of money on useless gadgets and clothes that may never be worn but something comes over me and I can't help shower presents underneath the tree. You would think I would stop because it takes a ton of time and energy to wrap all of them. One thing I do NOT do is use gift bags at Christmas. There is so much joy when it comes to unwrapping a box with a pretty bow on top. I go to the trouble of making my own bows to adorn each present and that seems to take ages but it's the little details that I feel make the present unique and special. I even go overboard and pick out wrapping paper that suits the person I am giving the gift to. That may be my OCD kicking in. I can't help it though, the present has to be *perfect*. My family probably has no idea that I am like this with Christmas presents. They probably think I just wrap it with any old paper and slap a bow on it and call it day :)

The house is finally decorated and it looks great. Mike & Victoria  did a lot of work on the outside lights and I handled the inside stuff like the mantle and just little Christmas nick knacks throughout the house. I did do the front door because I am anal about that. It has to look a certain way and if it doesn't come out like I have it pictured in my mind then I am not happy with it and we start all over again. Thankfully, Victoria helps me with it because I am entirely too short to do the decorating at the top of the door and she is tall enough to hang the garland for me. She knows where things go to and likes order as much as I do so we make a good team when it comes to the front porch decorations. However, we have had some issues with the timers working at night to turn the lights on and off so that has sent me spinning into a tizzy. The lights aren't coming on when they should and I have to manually turn them on every night. We even went a few days where they would trip the breaker box and we had to fix that problem. Our lights were cutting off within 5 minutes of plugging them in. It seems like we always run into problems with the lights every year.

Brody FINALLY had his picture taken with Santa Claus with crying and I was beside myself. He even talked to Santa and told him about the Elf on the Shelf and what he wanted for Christmas. It was a really sweet and most perfect memory that I will hold dear to my heart. It's amazing how fast he is growing up and believing in all of these magical things. He loves Christmas and that makes my heart happy. He keeps asking when Santa is coming and we have strict orders  that we can't have a fire in the fireplace the night he does decide to come. How precious. I am really going to soak up these next few years with him and Santa because before I know it he will no longer believe in the jolly old fellow.

So from my house to your house; Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoy the holidays as much as we do. And remember to start traditions that last for many years to come. Those will be the memories you have to look back on knowing you did the right thing.....Santa still lives in all of our hearts....we just have to make our children aware of his love.

Holiday Memories that Last

I think that Christmas (besides Halloween) is my most favorite time of year. It's like it's the one time your spirit is free to be a child again....at least for me it is.

I get all wrapped up in buying the *perfect* tree that always tends to be entirely too big for our living room but somehow we manage to get it to fit. Usually it entails a little cursing and a fit or two but it does make itself into an upright position and the angel looks perfect when we are finished decorating the massive pine tree.

Another joy of the holiday season is BAKING! I love to bake/cook the common household staples around Christmas time. You get cookies, candy, dipped pretzels, cheese straws and so much more. It's like your kitchen becomes a bakery during Christmas! The smell of your house is a mixture of sugar and spice with a splash of pine tree....HEAVEN.

This year my parents will be here for the holidays and I am beside myself. It will be a wonderful holiday filled with so much love, laughter and days full of making memories. I always make a gingerbread house with Mom and the kids so I can't wait to do that this year. It always turns out so pretty and it's a wonderful bonding experience and something that Victoria will hopefully do with her children. Hopefully we are making traditions for her and Brody....that's what Christmas is all about right?!? Family traditions?

Growing up we had a few family traditions like going to the same Christmas tree lot every year to pick out the not so small tree. Coming home putting the tree up and decorating it while listening to Christmas music. We would always ride down Union Street and little side streets to look at the beautiful lights that lined both sides of the streets. We would always watch "It's a Charlie Brown Christmas" and several other holiday cartoons. I would always go to the Carolina Mall to get my picture taken with Santa Claus.  It was a magical time for me growing up. My parents made Christmas special even though I am sure they thought these small gestures didn't mean a whole lot to me (but they did).

I can only hope that I am making the holidays special for my children. I want them to look back, smile and get that warm fuzzy feeling inside like I do when I think of my childhood during the holidays.

Take Off

Today Mike's Aunt Annie is coming into town for the Thanksgiving holiday and as usual we scurry around to get the house looking spotless...and that hit me today....WHY do we do this?

We put so much pressure on ourselves to make the house look immaculate when in reality most people "live" in their houses meaning...it's never spotless or white glove clean.

I don't know about other houses but ours is lived in. We have a teenager and a toddler living under this roof and it never stays "clean"; it stays picked up and tidy. That is all I can do. Yes, I am blessed with a housekeeper but honestly my house is a disaster 2 days after she visits.

Well, back to Annie, we are excited about her arrival. We have not seen her since Brody was a few months old. So it will be nice to see her this evening. Mike is beside himself he loves her to death and considers her a mother figure. She has been there for him a lot the past 20 years. He enjoys her company and she brings a piece of his "home" with her....and we all need that around the  holidays.

So with that being said, I better stop the blog so I can finish up some things around the house ;)

All Systems: Slow Down

Wow, where has this year gone?!?! I feel like time has flown by and now the holidays are fastly approaching us! Next week is Thanksgiving.....eeeeekkk.

This is really a random post because our life has been a whirlwind the past couple of months. I am honestly ready for things to slow down so I can enjoy the holidays and not feel so rushed. However, I don't think that is going to happen.

We started out the month attending my Dad's annual Hospice Charity concert and as usual it was a success and fun was had by all that attended. The music played and the wine poured freely. They raised money for a great cause and people were already signing up for next years even tickets. Can't go wrong with that. I am so proud of my Dad and his band for doing this. Hospice is such an amazing organization and it's something that you can fully appreciate until your family has to use their services. We have had to use them twice and each time I walked away with a new found respect for the nurses and staff that work within the organization. They truly are miracle workers.

We cleaned out Pappaw's house while we were there for the concert and rented a truck to bring back a few items that were left for me. My grandmothers dining room set, a bedroom set and some other miscellaneous things. All reeked of cigarette smoke so we spent most of Saturday bathing the furniture (and ourselves) in Murphy's Oil and Liquid Gold. I smelled like cleaning supplies for two days. We already have the dining room set in  the house and every time I walk in there I smell my Mammaw & Pappaw's "house". It's kind of weird but comforting feeling. I know my Mammaw would be happy that her set will still be used for holiday dinners. I am actually excited about using it this Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had to get the chairs recovered because the fabric was old and smelly so those cushions will be done today and I am looking forward to seeing what they look like when I pick them up :)

This past weekend we went and saw our neighbors children compete in their YMCA soccer tournament. We have the best neighbors and we try to support them and their children. It was a perfect fall day and they did a great job. They won their first game but lost and fell out of the tournament during the second game. They played hard and we enjoyed watching them since we are a soccer family....Vic's soccer conditioning as a FRESHMAN will start in a few short weeks. Say what?!?!??? My kids are growing up entirely too fast....TIME SLOW DOWN, PLEASE!

I have been spending the past few Mondays at Morningside Elementary School tutoring children that come from lower class homes that do not get the support they need at home. Either they come from a broken home, their parents are not able to help them or far worse; their parents aren't around. I have truly enjoyed my Monday mornings with my two little boys Juaneye and Jordan. They light up when they see me walk into the classroom and that makes my day. I was able to volunteer through our church. It's a great mentoring project that helps our community and that is what First United Methodist Church is all about; giving back to the community.

I am SUPER excited about Thursday because I will be attending the Stewart & James holiday show. Kristen and Arre Fuller always have amazing frames and all are unique and one of a kind. They are a little pricey but you know you are getting a one of a kind reclaimed wooden frame. I have several around the house and I always love to add more to my "collection". It's a nice night to get out and have girl time with wine and cheese. It's an event I look forward to every fall.

Well, I will wrap it for now because I have been in my PJ's too long! It's time to get dressed and try to get some things done today!! I do have another recipe to add so be looking for that one to be added to my blog later in the week.

I'm Thankful...

Last year two new traditions were started in the Beemer house thanks to ideas from a few of my Facebook friends. The first tradition I started was each day in November my status update will read something I am thankful about. We all spend so much time griping or blabbing about nothing that it's nice to take 30 days out of a month and think about something we are truly grateful and thankful for. Halfway through you really have to start to think about them because they don't come rolling off your fingertips as fast as they did in the beginning. That to me is sad, but I am guilty.

The second "new" tradition we have is our "Thankful Tree". I go out in the woods pick up a few long branches and stick them in a large vase full of seed (so they will stand) and place it on our front porch with all the fall decor. Every day each family member fills out what they are grateful for on a leaf made out of construction paper; that leaf is then placed on the tree with ribbon. Sometimes I have to push a few family members to add theirs but they do and at the end of November we have a full and beautiful tree. When November is over I take the leaves off and place them in a Ziploc bag and save them to look back on. I have already went through last years and a few warmed my heart, made me smile and chuckle. Making memories....that's what this stay-at-home Momma likes to do.