the holidays

I have been browsing through other people's blogs this afternoon (and attempting to create a Christmas card, but let's be honest, I'll probably use one from Costco and it will still arrive after Christmas...) instead of doing the things on my to do list.  There are some crazy Christmas crafters out there!  When do they have the time to do all of the cutesy little doodads that they are making?  How does their house stay clean while they are crafting?  How do their children get fed?  When do they shower?

I only have two projects to complete before Christmas - and pretty much all of my Christmas shopping - and I am running on empty.  I just have to paint both of these items.  One color on each.  Nothing fancy, but the only time I can paint is when the kids are in bed.  Well, you know how bedtime went last night with Miss Pink.  I got her room all cleaned up and she was in bed around 9:15.  Immediately after I walked out of her room she flipped on the light and started to read stories.  Mr. Orange needed to finish his train track and then he turned off his lamp and went to sleep.  Since Miss Pink was still awake, I blogged.  She finally passed out around 10:45.

Knowing that it was safe, I brought my stuff in from the garage and started to paint and catch up on "The Biggest Loser".  It was 1:30 by the time I crashed in my bed.  I fell into a restless sleep because I was worried that one of the kids would wake up and go downstairs to get some water and see their Christmas present drying in the living room.  At 5:30 I opened my eyes and Miss Pink was standing there, staring at me...WIDE AWAKE!!!  I had her climb into bed, gave Mr. Blue the order to keep her in our room while I hid their present and the painting supplies in the garage and ran downstairs.  It took me a few minutes and when I came back upstairs I saw Mr. Orange in his bed PLAYING ON MR. BLUE'S iPHONE!!!!  I went into his room and told him it was too early to be playing games on the phone and that he really should go back to sleep.  I took the phone from him and he started to scream and holler.

I went back to my room where Miss Pink was jumping up and down in the bed saying, "But, Mom!  I gave that to him!" I'm thinking, "Yes you did give it to him and you woke him in the process thanksalot!"  I went back to Mr. Orange's room and laid down with him so that he could calm down and go back to sleep.  Miss Pink came in and wedged herself in between the two of us.  So there I am, exhausted, with my bum hanging off the edge of the bad, Miss Pink wriggling around, her hair in my nostrils...you get the picture.  I finally give up.  I convince Mr. Orange to go to sleep for a little while longer and leave his room.  Miss PInk and I head to her room.  She starts screaming for her blanket.  (It's hard to know which blanket she is screaming about because it switches from day to day and she usually carries around anywhere from 1-45 blankets with her.)  Mr. Blue gets up and finds the blanket she wants in 3 seconds.  I go back to bed at 6:55.  We all slept until 8.

I'm pooped.  I feel like crashing in my chair like Miss Pink did in hers a few nights ago.

The kids will be in bed at 7 tonight, asleep.  So help me.

The holidays are a killer!!!

But, seriously, I am sooooooo excited to give the kids their presents.  They are going to love them.  Maybe not on Christmas morning, but they will be gifts that they remember.