This year, Santa's all the rage at our house. I was wondering when the idea of a jolly fat man who brings free presents to nice children was going to catch on. And although our year was filled with loads of naughty deeds, These girls are making a strong finish in hopes that Santa will remember their more recent behavior.
Mom also implemented a new behavior program just to help keep them on track. We keep a jar on the kitchen counter. On one side of the jar, you will find a bucket of "warm fuzzies." Every time the girls do something nice or helpful without the typical whining, I toss in a warm fuzzy. Then there's the "cold naughties." These little, black, plastic beads find their way into the jar whenever mom hears fighting, yelling, naughty words, or witnesses disobedient behavior.
Every week, we empty out the jar. If there are more warm fuzzies than cold naughties, the girls get rewarded. You can imagine what kind of looks I get in the grocery store when Winnie loudly reminds June, "You better be nice, or mom's going to give you a cold naughty!" Oh well, at least we found something that works.
This week was a success! So we had a girls' day out and saw The Princess and the Frog. And we couldn't resist taking a picture in front of Alvin, Simon and Theodore in the "Movie Vader," as Winnie calls it. Maybe we'll go see their movie, too, if we can just be good, for goodness sake!
Anyways, back to Christmas. We got all of our decorations up over Thanksgiving break. Here's our tree tucked neatly in the corner. The girls spend most of their evenings shaking their presents, and trying to sneak peeks through the "accidental" rips that keep magically appearing in the wrapping paper.
I'd love to own an ornate, beautifully-crafted nativity, but for now, this Fisher Price one will have to do. The girls have had a ball setting this one up over and over again and we've had some great talks about the baby Jesus this year.
This is the first year we will be spending Christmas day in our Oklahoma house, so we decided to put up some lights. We are usually visiting Utah for the month of December, but Kolby just couldn't get away from school long enough to make the trip. We're all a little melancholy that we won't be spending the holidays with the fam, but I'm actually a bit relieved in a way. Traveling with two kids that hate to fly and enough presents to fill a mini U-haul always proves stressful.
So I guess we're ready. Bring it on, Santa!
4 comments:
We haven't even been brave enough to put any presents under the tree, now that Tukk can drag his cast around well enough to get to - and attempt to eat - everything within reach. And I love the cold naughty idea. Maybe I should try it... except caulder will probably think those are cooler than warm fuzzies. Sigh...
Jess, the tree and all the decorations look fantastic. I love the pic of the chicks and the chipmonks. That little nativity is perfect for the girls to touch and talk about. Good thinking. We will miss you, but love travels across the miles. Watch for two big boxes in the mail. Love and miss you!
good job on the decorating... and fill the time with you own new family traditions. You'll love it more than you think. :)
I'm a bit behind and just barely checked out your blog - dewie was sitting here with me and when she saw Winnie she gasped and said, "HEY!! Thats my Friend!!" We wish you guys were coming to Utah :-( Is it because in the past you have never been able to hang out with us?? I know that's what it is! If you come I promise we will get together - have hot chocolate - build snow men - and snow forts maybe have a snowball fight or two. But...if you can't, we understand. :-( Miss you guys!
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