Just Breathe Mom » Christmas

Polar Express Headache

Meredith — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:22:09 +0000

Our oldest son pulled a fast one on us this Christmas. We were finally finished with our shopping. I could not believe we actually finished before Christmas Eve. Probably a first for me. Anyway, we were kind of happy that we had nothing left to do but enjoy a few free days before Christmas Eve.

Oh�?�but we did forget something. A big something. We had not taken the boys to see Santa Claus yet. Crap. That�?Ts okay, because it was Sunday, the day before Christmas Eve. We had plenty of time. Our 3 year old could have cared less about talking to Santa. But our 5 year old couldn�?Tt wait to talk to him. So he sat on Santa�?Ts lap, and while I�?Tm wrestling with my squirmy 3 year old, I hear him tell Santa that he want�?Ts a Polar Express Train. Inside my head I screeched, �?oWHAAATTTT? A Polar Express train?�?� That little stinker hadn�?Tt said one word about a Polar Express Train before now. So here we are in the 11^th hour, and he�?Ts asking the big man for a toy that we know we don�?Tt have for him.

We bought an awesome wooden train for our youngest because that is all he talked about for a month. But not our oldest. We were positive he wanted this shark/dinosaur electronic game that he was glued to at the store a couple of weeks ago. So with those two big ticket items and a couple of smaller items, we thought we were set. But once our son asked Santa for that Polar Express Train, he spoke of nothing else. He told his aunts and uncles and anyone who would listen that Santa Claus was going to bring him a Polar Express Train. And he was so positive that he was getting that train because last year Santa brought him a mechanical T-Rex after he asked for it. CRAAAAPPPP! Needless to say, we had some scrambling to do. We kept trying to tell our son that Santa doesn�?Tt always bring exactly what you ask for. But he wasn�?Tt listening.

On this last weekend before Christmas Eve, a Polar Express Train was nowhere to be found. DUH! All sold out! But we did luck out because Target has a line of inexpensive toys that included a $15 train. The train was called the Holiday Express and had a Santa figurine driving it. Close enough for us. Luckily, the little guy can�?Tt read that well. He won’t know that it says Holiday Express and not Polar Express until it doesn�?Tt�?T matter anymore.

Thankfully our son was happy with his train. The jolly old man in the big red suit came through for him again. And again set the bar a little higher for us next year. But at least we learned a valuable lesson. Which is�?� take the kids to see Santa Claus the first week he arrives at the mall!

Gratitude

Joey — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:05:54 +0000

Sometimes with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we forget to take time to appreciate what is really important in life. Buying the most gifts, throwing the best holiday dinner, or having a house look like it came out of Martha Stewart’s magazine is irrelevant in the whole scheme of things. What really matters is taking the time to appreciate and focus on what you do have, rather than what you don’t and don’t have the energy to accomplish. When you show gratitude for the things and people that are in your life, then everything else will fall into place.

Hmmm, I know many people are thinking that sounds great, but right now they have to get to the grocery store, clean the floors, feed the dogs, dress the kids, and make dinner. Well, I have all of those things on my list as well (with the addition of vacuuming and laundry). Nevertheless, it is my goal this holiday season to stop in the moment and just relish in the life and gifts of love that I have been given. And to be thankful for my home, family, and health. My Christmas wish for you is that you are able to find a moment in the craziness of this season and do the same for yourself.

Merry Christmas from JustBreatheMom.com!

It’s a Wonderful Life!

Meredith — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:00:52 +0000

After 35 years on this planet, I have finally seen the movie It�?Ts a Wonderful Life. I have no idea how this film escaped my attention all these years. And I even consider myself a full time movie buff! I�?Tve never admitted to not seeing this classic before because I was afraid it would ruin my movie fanatic reputation.

Sure I�?Tve seen the famous clips over and over. But until I watched the movie in its entirety, I never really knew the significance of George Bailey�?Ts daughter�?Ts words at the end of the film. She says, �?oEvery time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.�?� Before, I just thought that was a cutesy saying. Now I understand that an angel named Clarence earned his wings by saving George. Very touching if you ask me.

And I must say that I bought into the message of this film big time! I can see why The American Film Institute listed it as the number one inspiring film of all time. Any one of us could be George Bailey. And maybe sometimes we need something to wake us up to how �?orich�?� and blessed we really are. Like many other fans of this film, I was blubbering by its end. I swore that it would never affect me emotionally because I had already seen, heard and read enough about it without actually watching it all the way through. But it happened, and it was a very pleasant surprise.

Maybe I�?Tm just an easy sap. Regardless, this will be on my annual must watch list at Christmas time from now on. And my sons will not have to wait until their thirties to experience this truly inspiring and heartwarming American classic!

I Want My Christmas Classics In December!

Meredith — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 05:10:48 +0000

Santa Claus is Coming to Town is on TV tonight, and I am thrilled. My kids are looking forward to it as well. It makes no sense really because we have owned that movie and several other Christmas classics for a few years now. But there is something about it being on TV that makes it special. Especially at Christmas time. I�?Tve endured plenty of off-season viewing of Rudolph, Frosty and Santa Claus. And it never seems right. Because it isn�?Tt right. It is very wrong.

When I was a child Christmas movies and specials on TV were a family event. We�?Td make popcorn and get to stay up past our bedtime. And before the movies started, the network showed that large neon spinning �?oSPECIAL�?� with exciting music to let us know they were interrupting regular scheduled programming to bring us another classic. It was a wonderful feeling.

With the advent of VHS�?Ts and DVD�?Ts, some of the magic was lost. At least for me. Back then, when the Peanut�?Ts Gang said, �?oMerry Christmas Charlie Brown!�?� and then started singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, I knew it was over for another year. Now, I just have to hit the rewind key if I miss Linus�?Ts crucial speech. Once Thanksgiving was over, I�?Td wait in anticipation for the Christmas shows because if I missed one, I had to wait another year. But that is what made it so special. It was not readily available and it felt important because all of the other kids I knew were watching as well.

I rented How the Grinch Stole Christmas for my sons the other night, because we missed it when it was on TV last week. It was that easy. We had a slumber party in our living room and made an event out of it, but it still wasn�?Tt the same. Especially since the first thing my boys did when we woke up in the morning was watch it again. I think I have a plan for next year. I will pack all of the Christmas related DVDs away with all of our other Christmas decorations. Then Frosty and his pals can make their Christmas debut when our tree and mistletoe do!

Check out JustBreatheMom.com’s Christmas Shopping page for more great holiday movies.

It’s A Christmas Miracle!

Meredith — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:40:57 +0000

What miracle you ask? Well�?�..all of our Christmas decorations were put up by yours truly. And I did it completely by myself! Usually I have help from some of the more aesthetically talented members of my family. I�?Tm always appreciative of their help because I host our extended family�?Ts big Christmas Eve bash, and I want it to look beautiful and Christmassy.

It was a daunting task, not so much for the physical labor but more so because I haven�?Tt a shred of decorating skill in my body. But the word on the street is that it actually looks nice! I believe it�?Ts true because I heard it from two reliable sources. The first source was my sister. The over-achieving Christmas decorator with a knack for all things classy and beautiful. She has put together some of the most exquisite trees I have ever seen. And she has a natural gift for creativity. She came over to my house the other evening while I was away from home and was impressed enough to call me that night after the hours in which I allow phone calls. (I prefer my children to stay in dreamland once they make it there). I was almost irritated because the phone rang so late, but after hearing her first sentence, �?oYour Christmas Tree is stunning!�?� I got over it real fast.

The next source that I know cannot be mistaken in his praise of my tree is my five year old son. As I mentioned in a previous blog, he is quite the painfully honest little boy. After the tree was lighted and decorated, he simply said, �?oWow mommy�?�that�?Ts a great tree!�?�

Before you think I�?Tve stolen Donald Trump�?Ts ego, let me just tell you that before this year, I was always known for my Charlie Brown Christmas Trees. Made with love, but oh so lacking a few creative touches. Although I�?Tm pretty sure I won�?Tt be featured in next December�?Ts issue of Martha Stewart Living, I do have a lot of pride in my tree. And that is a miracle!

JustBreatheMom.com has pulled together some cool Christmas Resources for you including: holiday recipes, songs, stories, coloring pages, and shopping. Click here to visit the Christmas Fun & Shopping pages!