Christmas Leftovers

My mother has many talents. One of them is the verbatim resuscitation of several Dr Seuss books. I often remember her starting the Grinch Who Stole Christmas and waiting for her "gnarled Grinchy frown" and "fingers nervously drumming". Her intonations and facial expressions made the book (and waiting in the car for my dad to get some things for "Santa's Sleigh" from yet another store) much better. Sometimes, even when it wasn't Christmas, she would burst into Seuss stories.

Christmas leftovers are plentiful and usually have more umph. Here's to the leftover memories we had, including the shoes that became two sizes too small (for those not as familiar with the story, that was one of the possible causes of the Grinch's grumpiness). At least one foot survived. San Antonio sun is a killer on plastic and these poor little Crocs can testify.

Santa ("He's real you know" so says Mia) and reindeer and the True meaning of Christmas fight for the kid's attention during the holidays. Daily we had new reenactments. They were more interesting this year since Mia's school lessons focused on Holiday traditions around the world. She would often draw pictures of various Christmas holiday fun like wooden shoes placed out in Holland for Sinterklaas. I wish I had a picture for all the various hats she made to represent those various countries' celebrations. Alas, we just have her with her Reindeer Relay hat on.

We even got to spread reindeer feed on our grass. The feed was a special mixture made of oatmeal and red sparkles. (I was witness to this process when I helped out in Mia's class for their Christmas party).
Here is Santa Tiago pulling his Christmas loaded basket via a bungee cord on his car sleigh. Mia the reindeer is helping from the back. Talia is an unwilling participant.
That is much like her unwilling participation in the manger Mia made from two Costco boxes

or as our live Baby in our family play. (it needs a little work and sorry for my solo. The kids practiced, but didn't really join in which is too bad for all of you)


We had the babe in playdough form as well as on a Catholic candle. STORY:
Fernando wanted to surprise me with a candle lit Christmas Eve dinner. I suggested that the kids go with him. When they came home with this candle I had to hear the story. Turns out that after Fernando found his ideal choice, the kids spotted the shrine selection at the store. Fernando did his best to redirect their attention to other candles, but was thwarted by clever and persuasive arguments. Fernando pointed out that said candle was for a religion different then ours, but the kids reminded him that they believe in Jesus just like we do. Then he tried to point out the beautiful other options, but was reminded that this should be a Christmas candle. When all else failed, the kids suggested that it be put to a vote. Tiago dropped his selected candle with Christ pictured with thorns on his head to get the two to one vote needed for the said candle.
I hope that it isn't offensive to any Catholics that we bought this candle. Fernando felt like he had no other choice.

Cookie making is a must for the holidays.
Besides making cookies at home with Fernando and I, the kids got in on the action at the Bass Pro Shop before getting their picture taken with Santa. Genius of this store. Everyday they had a Santa, but the pictures were free and they gave you a coupon for a free kids meal. Then each weekend they had some free activity such as decorating cookies for the kids to do.


Mia also got to write a note to Santa which included the following: a cat, a real ginger(bread man), a dog, a lion, a star, a bell. Although the items weren't all exactly as she would have wanted like the animals being real, Mia did get all those items for Christmas one way or another.


Talia testing out the various water craft for sale to keep busy during the decorating time.

Attempt at a family photo.

How many times have you seen the ad for a car as a Christmas present? Well, I got a shiny car for Christmas!

It wasn't new. It was actually my Civic, but I got to wash it since the weather was so dang nice. That's right, part of my Christmas Eve activities was hand washing the car with the kids.

I loved every minute and almost gave Fernando the same gift, but dinner was calling.

Christmas Eve we opened up some new pj's

in hopes to preventing other previously placed presents to be opened.

Christmas presents came from all sorts of people. Grandparents, parents, siblings, friends and even Mia's school teacher Ms. Cortez (all good things get attributed to her whether or not she was even a part of it).

In any case, these leftovers will be remembered fondly and retold as all good Christmas memories do.

Ripple Effect and the Explusion of the Greatest "Show" on Earth

Fernando is currently living a vampire lifestyle. (That was to appease all those Twilight fans, go Team Tovar or is that supposed to be team edward???) He leaves for work around 5:30 pm and returns a bit disoriented at 8 am the next morning. After sleeping for as many hours possible, he gets ready for work/plays with the kids/shoves food in his face at around 4:30 pm to start it all over again. This started the day after Christmas.

This past Saturday, I had promised myself to take the kids to the Holiday Lights on the River Walk if they would take a nap. This promise had been made before, but broken on account a various external forces seeking to thwart obedient childrens' dreams. Against my deepest desires to send the kids to bed early, we went at 7 pm (very late for us) to the River. It was a blast. I came prepared with jackets, gloves, hats, and a baby backpack. With temperatures in the upper 60's though, I was carrying Talia and all the excess winter items. A couple hours later, we headed home for our beds. I had remembered to grab the Red Box movie we needed to return and kept contemplating picking up a new one for me to watch solo on this fine Saturday night.

AND SO THE RIPPLE BEGINS. . .
As usual, I felt a specific prompting to act in a certain manner. And like usual, I stack up all my reasons why I don't want to follow that prompting and try to make a valid case. Stupid, I know.

Problem #1: RedBox movies are $1 for one night. I knew I wouldn't return it on Monday so is the movie good enough to pay $2 for it?
MY PATHETIC RATIONALIZATION: Well, if I were to rent it from a movie store, it would totally cost more then $2 and way to go on committing to not returning it on Sunday.

Problem #2: I am already tired and it's almost 9 pm. Call it a night so you can be a happy, helping mommy for whatever the night or tomorrow brings.
MY PATHETIC RATIONALIZATION: There are a lot of clothes that need to be folded. I am sure that will take the duration of the movie to finish. Then the house will be cleaner for Sunday.

Problem #3: I am not going to take the time to download the filter for the movie, do I really want all that excess junk ie swearing or sexual content flowing into my house and head? Why don't you spend that time studying the scriptures? MY PATHETIC RATIONALIZATION: I am sure it won't be that bad. Besides I deserve a little adult down time.

Sorry prompting. . .I am just too convincing.

So I get the movie and hurry the kids home to bed. I shove the mounds of clothes into the TV room and prepare myself for the ABBA inspired musical phenom of Mama Mia. Fernando has warned me over and over and over again to keep my video critiques to myself because I am so critical and demeaning. Just ask the last innocent bystander to was forced to listen to me rip apart their family's favorite movie (that is topped by the Saving Private Ryan incident which will be remembered post post). SO lets just focus on problem #2.

May be there are many out there who can multitask with the TV on. This has never been me. It really doesn't matter the quality of programing, I will zone in instantaneously. By 2 am, the laundry was still unfinished and I was watching some Hallmark Channel Christmas Made for TV movie about Santa Claus and his need to get married to save Christmas, but the girl is an unbeliever who has a kid and obviously a poor relationship history blah blah blah. And when that was on commercial, I would flip to a movie about a coming of age love story between a 10 year old boy and an 11 year old girl who met in karate class. (this show actually had some funny elements that reminded me of my eccentric self back in the junior high days.)

Buzzing from lack of sleep, I summoned all my reason to turn off the TV and head for bead. Just then, Talia woke up hungry and sick. I fed her and soothed her the best one can with the fuzziness of late night activity and put her to bed. Then Tiago needed water and a potty break. I fell asleep around 4 and was up again to make breakfast at 6. This would have been punishment enough, but there was more.

Due to my groggy state of being, I was slow to react when it was important and overly jumpy when we could have not been. Bad combo for little kids. I barely made it on time to church in a ridiculously frumpy dress and shrug, greasy ponytail and funky clipping of the grown out bangs, a heinous lack of make up, and the familiar BO smell from one who took a rushed shower. I picked a side bench near the front.

I brought bribes for good behavior during the passing of the sacrament and that was about it. Because of my rush, I left the overly loaded church fun bag at home. I won't bore you with the minute by minute play, but instead give you the fast forward version.

Kids munching on very crumbly and noisy granola bars, Talia screaming, standing in back to listen, leave on Talia's account, go back in, wrestle with Tiago for Talia's car seat, try several ways to make fire shoot from my eyes to show Tiago visually I mean business (no luck), a sweet mother of 3 who just had extensive knee surgery and a car accident struggle up to my bench and offer assistance (clue one that you are causing a pretty big scene), leave again. . .more screaming, more bribes, more talking about good church behavior, more BO. Strangers asking to help (clue two you look like a show) SO ENDS SACRAMENT MEETING.

I talked, practiced, convince Tiago that nursery was good and only for one more week. Then asked Mia to sit with him so I could play the piano for the next two hours as my calling requires. Mia refuses to sit with him, Tiago refused to sit with class, Talia screaming, me running back and forth murmuring ridiculous angry comments under my breath, being asked repeatedly by several other church members if everything was ok, leader gets a replacement and I try to leave.

Tiago at this point starts screaming about how much he wants to go to nursery, Talia still screaming for her bed, Mia won't get up from the middle of the bench and I tried to focus on vanishing.

The whole way home I talked about my disappointments and how they could have been better when I realized something.

My ripple I started just complicated a normal event. I could have been well rested and therefore ready for church with such helpful ammunition as coloring supplies and interesting books for sacrament meeting. I could have sat in the back so as only to have the dividing wall notice my up and down and up and down and in and out and in and out scene. I could have asked for a piano sub so I could sit with Tiago and help him feel safe in church. I could have accepted the countless offers to help with Talia and there by free myself in order to help my kids. BUT I didn't and I am to blame.