Do we really need more stuff?

I love Christmas.  I always have.  When I think about the reasons why I love Christmas, getting stuff doesn't even make the top 10. 

The thing I love most about Christmas is the music.  I sing Christmas carols year round because I love the music so much.  Some of my favorite Christmas tunes are Little Drummer Boy, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Christmas Eve in Washington, Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland, Silent Night and so many others.  Because I knew Hannah would be born in December, I sang Christmas tunes to her the entire time I was pregnant with her so that she would recognize Christmas music when she was born and really love it just like I do.  So, needless to say, I love Christmas and the music is a big part of why I love this wonderful season.

Next on the reasons why I love Christmas is the Christmas Tree.  The ornaments that are collected year after year and literally take you on a stroll down memory lane every year as you decorate your tree with your family.  Over the years, my girls have learned where a lot of our ornaments came from and they will recite the stories too as they hang the ornaments in their special spot on the tree.  The smell of the tree is also another thing I love.  But, perhaphs the thing I love most about the Christmas tree is the lights.  Sitting in the dark and rocking in my rocking chair while Christmas music is playing in the background and watching twinkling lights on the tree is just about as good as it gets in my book.  The lights are mesmorizing and always make me feel warm and happy inside.  And, isn't that what Christmas is really all about?

I guess the next love I have for Christmas would have to be driving around and looking at Christmas lights.  We used to do this when I was a kid and it was so much fun.  It was something I could look forward to doing each year with my mom, dad and sister.  And, now every year the four of us pile into the car and do the same thing.  Every year we go to different neighborhoods and look for bigger and better lights than the year before.  And we have even found a few houses over the years that are so spectacular we make a special trip to see them each year.  Yes, Christmas lights are definitely just one of many reasons that I love Christmas.

Playing Santa Claus is another reason I love Christmas.  It is so much fun and now that our oldest daughter no longer believes in Santa, it is even more fun.  She is actually in on it and plays along so well.  She builds the little ones excitement way beyond what Mom and Dad would ever do.  Waiting until they are asleep on Christmas Eve and then hauling everything out and making a dazzling display is my part.  Jay puts all the crap together and handles the stockings.  Some years I eat the cookies and the apple and some years he does.  Then, the next morning after we have been awoken by squeals of delight, we get to play along and act surprised over the wonderful magic Santa left behind.

The food.  I love food in general, but only Thanksgiving offers a more delicious feast than the Christmas table.  Now that both of our mothers have passed on, the food isn't as spectacular as it was in years past, but we still get our fill of candy, sweets and homemade dishes during the month of December.  And then we spend the first half of the next year paying for it.  :)

Family.  Christmas is really all about family.  It isn't about buying or receiving presents.  It is isn't about fighting over parking spaces and putting yourself into serious debt.  It is about reflecting on the past year of your life and being grateful for the people in your life that make your life worth living.  Its about hugging your children and being thankful that they are OK and that their love doesn't come with conditions, it just is.  Christmas is about charity and love and hope, not more stuff.  We don't need more stuff.

What are you thankful for?

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone.  2009 in general was a particulary tough year for the Trent family.  We started off the year with the loss of Jay's mother on January 11th.  I remember thinking then that it was a hell of a way to kick off a New Year. 

We also had many other ups and downs throughout the year, but when we sat at the dining table this afternoon, held hands, said the blessing and then started talking about what we were thankful for, I feel truly blessed.  My girls light up my life and make me proud every single day.  My husband keeps our household running smoothly  and provides the stable, nurturing home-life we need.  He will never know how comforting it is too me to know he is here for our daughters every day when they get home and that I don't have to worry about them makes my job away from the home so much more satisfying.

Looking over now and seeing my baby all curled up and sleeping in her daddy's lap makes me feel so peaceful.  She knows she is loved.  She knows that she can depend on both of us to take care of her and make sure she has everything she needs.  These things seem like basic stuff, but when you look around, there is a lot of sadness and suffering in our world.  There are over 2 million children in the US that are hungry right now and somehow by some miracle, I am OK and my husband and children are OK.  We have so much, and most of all we have each other. 

So, the next time I start to feel stressed out about money or angry at my husband for forgetting something at the grocery store, I am going to let it go and just be happy and truly thankful.

Working for the weekend

Best weekend ever! Saturday, we had a professional photographer come and do a photo shoot of the girls on our property. The pictures are absolutely amazing. They are both growing up so fast and such beautiful young ladies, inside and out.

After the photo shoot, we did some cleaning, napping, tv watching, video game playing, card playing, and just hanging out as a family together. Then, to end the day with a bang, Jay fixed chicken and dumplings with rice and biscuits for dinner. Delicious!

Sunday was another awesome day with perfect, late autumn weather. And, for some unknown reason, other than they love each other a lot, Abigale decided that today was going to be "Hannah's Best Day Ever". So, she made her eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast; gave her a full body massage, painted her nails and rubbed lotion on her; played games with her all day; built a tent in the play room and did pretty much anything else Hannah wanted to do, all day long!

Then, I took the girls to PetSmart to pick up some pet supplies and then we went to 7-11 and got Slurpies and a snack. When we got back, Jay and I listened to old classic-rock upstairs for about an hour while the girls made cookies in the Easy-Bake Oven. Then, because it was "Hannah's Best Day Ever" Day, we let Hannah pick dinner, which was chili dogs with baked beans and ice cream for dessert.

We just finished watching the Grinch and now Hannah is tucked in for the night, ready to start her new week tomorrow. Jay and I are relaxing with the dogs and Abigale is reading in her room. I'm ready to start this short 3-day week and enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving with my family. Life really is good. :)

I Bet Mine Can Out Talk Yours

Reports cards came home this week. My Middle Schooler got all A's & B's and every teacher commented on how polite and nice and cooperative she is. I am convinced that they have confused my "tween" with someone else's child because polite, nice and cooperative are not exactly what comes to mind when describing her. But, that is beside the point... the point is, she seems to be doing great in school and we are very proud of her.

My Kindergartener, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. She is way above "average" in all academic areas. She always finishes her work first and she is a delight to have in class. But, and there is always a but when Hannah is involved, the side of the report card that tells about her behavior shows that the darling little Hannah that we know and love is the same little darling her teachers know.

She NEVER shuts up. I don't think it is possible for this child to be quiet. She talks or sings all the time. She talks and sings when she is playing, taking a shower, going potty, eating, watching TV, at the movie theater, in her sleep...I repeat, in her sleep! And, apparently, she talks at school. And, the best part is that she admits that it is absolutely ridiculous for anyone to expect her to sit quietly while others are working. Once she has finished her work she sees no reason why she can't chat with people around her, regardless of whether or not they have finished their work.

Well, I guess if non-stop, incessant talking is the worst thing she does this fine Kindergarten year, then we are pretty darn lucky.

Time is flying and they are having fun!

They are just growing up too fast! Tonight, Abigale is at the corn maze with a new friend she made. Part of me is ecstatic that she made a new friend that lives close by. But most of me is sad that she is out with friends on this Friday evening. The dad that is taking them, asked me if it was OK with me if the girls went off on their own. I wanted to scream, "No, don't take your eyes off her!" But, instead, I said, "Sure, as long as she is always with a friend, she doesn't have to stay with the parents the whole time."

I get inside, settle in coloring with Hannah when the phone rings. It's a lady named Heather saying she is Caris' mother. Apparently, Caris is a little girl in Hannah's Kindergarten class and she hasn't stopped talking aobut Hannah since school started. They want her to come over for a play date tomorrow. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Play dates are just the beginning. Pretty soon she will be off to corn mazes, then dates, then college, then her own family. I know this is completely irrational thinking and that these are normal, healthy experiences necessary for becoming a well-rounded, contributing member of society. But they are my babies. They lived inside of me for 9 (really 10) months! A part of me wants to lock them in their rooms and throw away the key. But that would be selfish and in the end wouldn't do anyone any good. The world needs them and all they have to offer. It is my job to prepare them, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I think from now on, at least until they go off to college, I am going to declare that Sundays are Family Days. They can go off with their friends on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday is our time. :)

Quality of life...

Quality of life. This means different things to different people. Some people will forego a big house for a short commute, others will drive an obsurd distance to have their dream home. Some people have a two-income household and put their children in daycare while others live on one income so their children are home with them. There really is no right or wrong answer because everyone has to decide for themselves what quality of life means to them.

I like to work. I like the feeling I get when colloborating with collegeaus to invent a new system or come up with a new marketing piece. On the other hand, I LOVE being a mom. I relish the time I spend with my girls and try to make our time full of fun, love and things that are bound to be part of their wonderful childhood memories. Because I like to work and work for a small company that often demands a lot of my time, I constantly feel like I am being torn in different directions. I feel guilty because I like working and like the contributions that I make to my company. And, on the days that I do sneak home early to surprise the family, I feel guilt again that I am not at work taking care of the zillions of tasks that need to be done.

For me, spending 3-4 hours a day in my car is like throwing money out the window. My time is so valuable and the time I spend just sitting in a car is time I could be with my girls or finishing up a project at work. How is this a quality life? The guilt, the wasted hours, the working my ass off to just barely make ends meet. There has got to be something bigger and better than this. I can't except that this is my life for the next two decades while I raise a family.

To be continued...

Smile...It's picture day!

When you work for a school photography company, everyday is picture day. So often, we have to remind ourselves that even though we think about picture day every single day, the schools we service only think about it a couple of times a year.

Well, today was one of those times at my daughter's school. Hannah is in Kindergarten at a school we just acciqured. It was a very unique experience to be at the school setting up equipment, numbering barcodes and getting everything ready for the kids when I knew that our first customers would be my own daughter's class. Not only was I there as a photographer's assistant, I was there as a mom. A proud mom of a Kindergartener. I experience picture day everyday, but this was her very FIRST picture day. Her teacher knew I was there and so she called Hannah out first. She got to be first! It is a true honor to go first because you get to hold the sign that tells us what class you are in and make a silly face. Then, we take the real thing.

It was amazing how quickly I turned into an assistant, instead of being her mom. I posed her up just as I would any other kid, but I BEAMED with pride when she flashed her precious, toothless grin. She did great and I was there. Not as the overbearing, overprotective mom, but as the help.

Tomorrow I will go to another school and I will go through the exact same routine, with more Kindergarteners having their first picture day. But, I will never forget today because I got to do what I love most, being a mom, while I was on the job.