Day Late and a Dollar Short

Day late and a dollar short is how I felt this whole Christmas season. I could not get on top of things this year. I felt like I was chasing after my to-do list putting fires out, so to speak, the whole month of December. We had school events, bake sales, Troy's birthday, early Christmas for Troy, William's birthday, real Christmas and several trips back and forth to Heathrow. Add in Christmas cookies, Christmas decorating, Christmas wrapping, then put in normal day-to-day chores and I feel wiped out. My Mom was here for most of it and thank God for that. My sister Rachel and sister-in-law Jennifer were here for a week at Christmas, just long enough to contract the flu that the family had for most of the time they were here. I still had a good Christmas, but it was frantic. I assume next year I'll apply the lessons learned this year to have it more under control. I don't really want to believe that this is how it's supposed to be for Moms that are trying to pull off the magic of Christmas for their families. Stay tuned to see if I can slow it down next year.


Veronica opening presents.


Ben was able to add a lot of fuel to the fire of his dinosaur passion this Christmas. Lots of new dino things.


William loves his trains, he sat quietly for 10 minutes in the middle of the hustle and bustle of gift opening engrossed in this new Thomas the Train book.


William opening his gift from Santa. Thomas the Train stuff.


Cute happy faces on Christmas morning.


Glammy had these elf pajamas made with their names on them. They were pretty cute running around.


Names on the front, nicknames on the back.


OH MY GOSH! Is it him, is it really him???????? All three of my kids still believe.


Snow, really pretty snow in England. No one shovels though, I guess they figure it only lasts for a few weeks so why jump out there and do anything about it. The sidewalks get pretty icy for the walks back and forth to school though.


William is 2! We did a birthday party for him early this year since Troy was going to be away for the real birthday. We went and played at a soft play place, ate at McDonalds and came home to eat cake. Just with the family, it was nice.


We did a cupcake Christmas tree for his cake.


Ben dancing with some strumpet named Zara at his school. They were having a Christmas party. Super cute.


This is William's mad face. It's pretty funny, sometimes he means it serious, sometimes he does it to be funny. Either way I can barely stop from laughing.


Ben was a soldier in the nativity production his preschool did this year. He even had a speaking part. It was only 4 words "Go to be counted" (telling Mary and Joseph why they had to go back to Bethlehem). I couldn't have been prouder. Troy was proud of the mustache.


Troy and I went to the Royal Air Force Lyneham's Christmas ball. We even had to dress up and stay up past midnight. It was fun. Thanks to the babysitting Glammy. Troy was cornered into buying his very own tux (the rental price verses buying it...it was worth it). If you didn't know Troy and I are real casual people and just on principle Troy didn't really want a Tux hanging in his closet. But what's done is done, now he's got to get his monies worth and wear it once or twice more. He would love to be invited to any formal events you know of. Ha.


Glammy is here to entertain and cater to the kids! Yeah for me.


Veronica was a beautiful angel in her school nativity this year.


Troy's birthday. I think we need to move to a new house because every year I take this exact same picture on his birthday. We need some new surroundings. Japan, here we come!