The girl holding the extension cord

We had a big winter storm that left me trapped inside with my kids for 4 days. My 7 year old started crying when I told him to get dressed for school this morning. Had the ice left me a caged animal for yet another day, I may have been the one crying instead.

Hurry up and take the photo, Momma.  I'm ready to sled and you're cramping my style.

It’s amazing how every other day of the year you are wishing you got to stay home in pajamas instead of having to go work for the man but the moment you can’t go anywhere you think you’ll die if you have look at the same 4 walls for one more second.

So it was sort of nice heading back to work this morning. I enjoyed listening to the radio in the car. I enjoyed seeing some different faces when I got there. And then I was ready to go home again after roughly three hours. Apparently that’s how long it takes for my flannel pjs to call my name.

While on lock down, my kids and I surfed the net, watched tv and read. Well, technically, that’s what I did. But my kids were in the house while I did it so it’s practically the same thing. We also baked brownies, went sledding and bickered over the television remote. We also managed to find time to fling our Christmas tree up.  And my 10 year old only broke one of the fragile ornaments from my childhood.  Winning.

Sledding!

We’re also advent calendaring. Last year I discovered the joy that is separate advent calendars for each kid. I admire households where the kids can share one. Technically, mine are physically capable of sharing one. Their mother just isn’t physically capable of supervising them sharing one.

My son’s birthday is in December so he has permanently called dibs on anything remotely interesting that takes place on that day. But everyone wants Christmas Eve because it’s always something especially good. But if my son gets his birthday he'll never get Christmas Eve if we're alternating days. And who in their right mind wants to try to keep track of anything other than alternating days. That would be called work. And it’s an advent calendar. Is shouldn't create extra work.

Cue the separate advent calendars. Cue the daily activity of happily showing your sibling what you got. Cue the chorus of angels rejoicing.

This year everyone got a Lego advent calendar. My 7 year old’s brain nearly exploded when he discovered that they make a Star Wars kind. He’d been explaining to me for several days how much he liked his Lego one last year and that we should get another one and I was nodding like I was listening.

December 1st rolls around and he cheers when I announce he's getting a Lego one.  Then I show him the box and his brain practically dribbles out his ear and down the side of his neck. Couldn’t believe his luck. Well played, Momma. 

His and hers Lego advent calendars.

His sister got the girly Lego kind. I’d pretend the feminist in my soul is offended that girls get different Legos in girl colors except I’m not because my daughter likes it and that’s enough for me. Although I’m going to write the Lego people a hate letter if that calendar doesn't produce the Christmas tree until the 24th. Because every day I've got that kid asking me when she’s going to get the tree.

She's addicted to Christmas and Christmas trees specifically. Have I mentioned she bought herself a mini tree at CVS last year on clearance for $3?  Did I mention she’s been decorating it every month with a different theme she randomly selects? Did I mention I'm tired of looking at the shamrocks she selected for November? Save me.

Speaking of rescuing me, this is happening at the bottom of my stairs:

A tiny drop in the bucket of his light collection.

Clark Griswold sent his representative to ask if I'm going in the front yard to work on the light post.  There's been talk of skipping the trees in the yard this year and making "decorations" instead.  I don't even know what the means but I do know it's going to involve everyone walking round and round the light post holding multiple strands of lights.  

You didn't think I was kidding about the light post did you?

Clark once had me in the front yard rigging a pulley system to form a Christmas tree shape.  You know things have taken a turn when you are standing in the dark consulting on whether or not the shape is right.  And by taken a turn, I mean speaking your husband's love language.  Because if you love the Italian Stallion, you hold the extension cord and walk round and round the light post trying not to jack up his lighting scheme. 

Imparting important Griswold wisdom to the next generation.  And, yes, that man is wearing a headlamp.  All the cool kids are. 

Gotta go.  There's an extension cord calling my name.