I was an Elf

Every once in a while I am capable of being a fun mom.  Not very often, mind you, because I am old.  However, on December 19th I dusted off my image and dressed up like an elf.  Why?  See below.

I needed proof for my kids when they grow up complaining about the fact that I don't do crafts with them.  "Yeah, but do your friends' moms dress up like this?"  I didn't think so.

We had a large blow up Santa on the stage to sing to.  It was a little weird, but whatever.

Each of the grades came in and we did repeat performances for three hours.  I would say we were the biggest hit with the Kindergartners.  By the time we got to the 5th graders, we were tired and they thought we were nuts.

Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story, and the rest of us...

were blinged out in Christmas colors for our fantastic song "Santa Baby".  Kudos to Heather (Pink Elf) for writing the song!  It was hilarious!

ALL Santa listen, your Christmas colors are so boring RED AND GREEN We want more colors it’s true Santa listen, we’ve got some ideas for you… Santa listen, I’m out of place and feeling so blue, it’s true Wanna be seen in lime green Santa listen, add us to the colors this year. Why can’t we just keep red and green? We’re the best colors that we’ve ever seen Purple, pink, and lime green Blue and Silver, Santa don’t be mean Boo doo bee doo Santa listen, nothing rhymes with purple at all Who cares?  I want it in anyway Santa listen, add us to the colors this year Santa cutie, there’s one thing that you really need Some bling!  Like my big silver ring. Santa, cutie, add us to the colors this year

Santa listen, my favorite color is pink Whatcha think? I need to be in the line Santa listen, and add us to the colors this year Why can’t we just keep green and red? Get those crazy colors right out of your head. We’ve been here for oh so long Going with those colors would be very wrong! Boo doo bee doo Sweetie, listen, these elves have got a very good case Let’s face It’s time for change in the world Sweetie listen Let’s brighten up the Holidays Let’s brighten up the Holidays Let’s brighten up the Holidays

Every elf except for me had a head cold. 

Do you think this is an "I'm proud of you, Mom!" smile? 

The women in this picture are not real elves.  All elves were impersonated by moms.  The women in this picture are also the women that make up the Parent Teacher Organization.  That morning, we put on a Teacher Appreciation breakfast.  The teachers were treated to breakfast/brunch in the teacher's lounge while we entertained the kids with stories and a sing-a-long.  

No real elves were harmed during this event.

Mother's Guilt

There is only one thing that ever makes me really feel guilty about being a mother and that is when I resort to yelling in order to get my kids to listen. I HATE yelling and I hate when my temper gets to that point. What it is about kids that makes you feel like you are being pecked to death by a duck?

Last night in my prayers I prayed that I wouldn't yell at all today, especially because Dave and I are going to the temple tonight. That lasted until around 7:45am. Josh started whining and this was what he said.

"I don't want to put away my laundry because I have to do it every day and why do I have to do it every day? I'm tired of putting away my laundry!" This went on for about 5 minutes (he puts away laundry once a week) and I finally yelled, "Then DON'T PUT AWAY YOUR LAUNDRY! I WILL NO LONGER DO YOUR LAUNDRY AND THEN YOU CAN WALK AROUND IN DIRTY CLOTHES ALL DAY!"

Don't you love the maturity and calmness that I exhibited? I just get to that breaking point and the beast inside takes over.

I still think I deserve chocolate for Mother's Day, though.

Beyond the Bus Stop

Thanks to my Team Beachbody website, I discovered another fun little site called Beyond the Bus Stop. I have many many friends who are moms and trying to balance being a mom and still being an individual. I have long thought that the best example that I can be to my kids, especially my daughter, is to still be myself. My mom taught me to be independent because she was herself independent.

One of my major goals with raising children is to teach them how to stay strong in this world. They are going to face challenges that I haven't even dreamed of. I want them to know how to be strong because they see ME being strong. I love being a mother and I am grateful for my two beautiful children, but at the same time I always need to remember that they will have their own journey that will someday not involve me on a daily basis. I want them to someday leave home well equipped to handle their world because they have seen me handle MY world. It does them no good if I am off-balance because I am focusing completely and totally on them. I don't want to ever use them as an excuse to not accomplish what Heavenly Father has in mind for me. That sounds like a selfish statement, but it isn't. I do a lot for my kids and I try to do as much service as I can for others. But I am a much much better mom when I am also taking care of myself.

During these 90 days of P90X (which is by far my favorite workout program EVER) I am trying to focus on mind, body and spirit. I'm challenging myself by reading passages of scripture that I normally don't (i.e. Isaiah and Revelation). I'm focusing on learning the balance of nutrition and exercise in order to be fit. Not THIN, but fit. Healthy. And finally, I am trying to discover what I really want to be as a wife, mother, daughter, friend, cousin, and niece.

Sucky Mom Award - 10 Reasons I Win Today

I should know that if I don't wake up and immediately take a shower it is going to be a downhill day.

1. Loads and loads and loads of laundry because it has been two weeks and we should never go two weeks without doing laundry.

Reminder: Laundry doesn't wash itself.

2. Cheerios all over the carpet that I had just barely vacuumed. Not just all over, though. Stepped on and ground in.

Reminder: Make carpet cleaning appt.

3. Hear the words, "Mom?!" yelled in a panic. Enter bathroom to find Josh nekkid with poop smeared all over the toilet seat with the toilet paper in a nice heap on the floor.

Reminder: Just because they are five, doesn't mean they can't act like they are three.

4. Get an email saying that we are doing "secret santa" at work with a $25 limit and we are giving them on Friday. Had no plans to go into the office on Friday due to work party Thursday night. Now have to spend another $25 on something not budgeted.

Reminder: Send out a reminder email next July to schedule Holiday party earlier in December, along with any other fun things they want to do.

5. Office furniture not being delivered until 6pm, but the office is a disaster and there is no way to FIT the office furniture in.

Reminder: Don't do anything non-Holiday related during the Holidays.

6. Trying to decide whether or not to start South Beach, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Slimfast, or Sonoma diet due to feeling exceedingly puffy due to excessive Holiday treats.

Reminder: None of those diets have worked long term in the past. May as well stay puffy.*

7. Lots of snow the week before Christmas and I am not positive where the sleds are.

Reminder: Put sleds in garage around Halloween just in case.

8. I'm out of caffeine free diet coke.

Reminder: Get some.

9. I'm almost out of popcorn.

Reminder: Get some.

10. I FORGOT THAT JOSH IS "STAR STUDENT OF THE WEEK" at preschool and didn't make him a poster and his response was, "It's ok, Mom. I understand. I'll tell my teacher and we'll work it out."

Reminder: Put the kids first.

*I will not say "fat" because as we now know, there are good fats and bad fats. :)