Gift Giving

It happens every year.

The overwhelming task of finding the perfect gifts for each person on our list.

I am not one who buys gifts because it is expected of me. I buy them because I truly want to. I do. I think gifts must be my love language because I enjoy giving them as much or more than receiving them. But I'll admit, the task can be rather daunting at Christmastime. With four kiddos, parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces & nephews, and our spouse, it gets really expensive even when  you are spending frugally.

A couple of years ago we decided that we will no longer purchase gifts for siblings or parents. It was a family decision. My parents, siblings, and I all got together and decided that it was just too much to get a gift for every.single.person. So, my parents don't buy us gifts but focus on the grandkids instead. We have never purchased gifts for Jay's side of the family as it is so large & they all live far away. Half of them don't celebrate Christmas anyhow.

I am fine with this arrangement. It lessens the stress that comes with so much money going out. The only thing is, the kids get really spoiled. We tried to get them only one gift plus stocking stuffers the year before last. That did not work. They had things that they'd been needing and things that we really wanted to get them. Last year we tried to just be really selective but it still wound up being a lot of stuff. It was around last Christmas that I ran into this idea on the internet.

 I LOVE it!

I cannot remember where I first saw it but this lady explains it really well on her blog.

It's perfect. You see, with two of the kids having birthdays right at Christmas as well, this will really help to narrow down the gift-giving options for us.

Each kid gets 4 gifts:

1. Something they want
2. Something they need
3. Something to wear
4. Something to read

It will make me put more thought into what we buy them. Because they only get one for each category. Plus it will free up some of the other things for their birthdays. It will help the gifts to be more meaningful. And it will keep the cost down.

At least, that's what I'm hoping...

Waste Not; Want Not.

Whilst decorating for Christmas, I began to notice a common theme in my home.

* I have a lot of stuff I don't like & I have a lot of stuff I don't use.

So, in an effort to purge our home rather than our bank account, I have decided that it is time I repurpose, repair, or regift many of my belongings. I have a lot of craft supplies that I rarely use these days & those should come in quite handy. The plan is to make as much of the stuff I have into something I truly enjoy. The rest will have to find a home elsewhere. Of course, there are always sentimental items that aren't particularly your favorite, but you can't bear to part with them. I also plan to find a way to put those items to use if possible.

Another thing I've noticed is that I need to find a way to display photos of our family. The living room is sort of an 'awkward' space and it is difficult to display them there. Our hallway could be a really nice place to display them but I'm not sure if I can commit to decorating my hallway. I like the blank/clean feel of it the way it is. I know, I'm boring.

The Hunt

Yesterday, we met with Mom & Dad & Tess at the Christmas tree farm just a hop, skip, & jump from our place. Often I will stay home with the little ones and Jay & the older ones go choose a perfect tree. This year I opted to go with and I'm so glad I did. We had a great time!

Floaties

 

Avril did not care for the 'floatie" in her bath the other night.

She started hollering for me and when I went in there, Rhett had already climbed into her bath, fully clothed. Nevermind that he had just gotten out of his own bath.

Monet Sounds Prettier than Picaso

Avril worked diligently on her drawings all morning. She is doing a wonderful job drawing pictures and writing her letters. And she has found the world of color recently. Gone are the days of entire pages being colored completely pink. This girl is all about the colors of the rainbow these days.

 

See....

 

And she even displayed them so beautifully on her closet door.

 

 

 

 

With GLUE!

 

 

 

Thank the Lord for children's glue. It's washable.

And wash it she did!

 

 

I couldn't bear to really get after her. She was just so proud of it.

And some of her pictures tore when we pulled them down.

But she didn't get upset, she just went to happily scrubbing.

And she got it all off too.

 

A Little Bit of Summer

Huckleberries are sort of a summer signature in North Idaho. After all, it just wouldn't be summer without them. And after two years of huckleberry neglect, we went picking this year. Thanks to our freezer, we get to enjoy a little bit of summer all winter.

Being the native Idahoan that he is, Rhett was happy to demonstrate:

 

As long as eating is involved, this kiddo is game. He even showed off by double-fisting it a few times.

 

These photos may not be much from a photography standpoint but in the eyes of this momma, they are something to be treasured.

(and inspiration to get better at using my camera again!)

 

the year

I have been feeling the burden for so long. The burden to be that mom & wife.

The wife who helps her husband before he asks instead of sighing and rolling her eyes after he asks. Twice. The wife who greets him with a smile instead of a scowl & cross words. The wife who keeps the house tidy instead of vegging out on the couch. The wife who plans & cooks healthy meals instead of scrambling just to throw something resembling food on the table. The wife who responds softly to his stress instead of lashing out from her own stress. The wife who loves him more than herself.

To be the mom who opens her arms to her children in the morning instead of growling at them to leave her be. The mom who does crafts with her children instead of snapping at them for cutting up paper. The mom who shows her children how to clean rather than get stressed about the constant mess. The mom who giggles, & laughs, & plays on the floor versus talking on the phone. The mom who plans ahead & patiently helps her children out the door instead of snarling at them because she's late. The mom who gently corrects wrongdoing instead of lashing out in anger & frustration. The mom who is attentive to her children instead of trying to occupy them in order to be alone. The mom who loves her children more than herself.

I have spent years watching other women, online, in person, on television & movies, in books, be that woman. I have envied them and longed to be them. But lately the longing has changed. It's becoming a realization, a whisper in my heart.

You can be. With me, all things are possible.

And it's true. I can be that wife & mom. I know it won't be perfect. And it certainly won't be easy. But in my own way, with the gifts God has given me & the beautiful family He has shared with me, one day at a time, I can be her.

I was talking with a friend the other day and she suggested that I give it one year. That I just commit to putting everything else on hold and completely invest in & attend to my family and see what happens. And the more the idea settled into my mind and the more I pondered & prayed, the more I wanted it. I want that year. I want the freedom to not volunteer for anything extra, to stop obsessing about my weight, to ignore my telephone, and to put my family first. To invest wholeheartedly.

So I'm taking that year. It may be 2 or 3 or 30 in the end but I'm going to start with one. One year. Expect to see less of me on Pinterest & Facebook. Expect to hear less from me on the phone. Expect me to say no a lot. And expect to see more of the family here on the blog (after the kids are sleeping of course).

Now I'm not saying that I'll never take a break or do anything extra, I'm just saying that my family is going to come first. I know God will give me the strength & wisdom and I hope others will hold me accountable. It's going to be a challenge. And it's going to be worth it!

This is the year.