The Advent Calander.

I got a Advent Calender this year instead of the creepy Elf I thought it would be fun to do a little activity or have a little treat each night in December.  The boys have been excited to see what is in the little box.  Only some of my great ideas didn't go as planned. 
We went and saw some Christmas lights.  I saw on the news that there was this great place that had 70 thousand lights and it did a musical display.  It was at a cafe so I thought we could get some hot chocolate and see the lights.  Sounds fun right.  Well here's the catch. Not only was it far far away the light show is only on every hr.  We missed it by 10 minutes so we had to wait forever for it to begin.  So we got the kids a treat.  Only Josh and Trevor ordered something they hated and complained for the next 20 mins.  The people next to us were smoking (the cafe was outdoor and on the lake which was pretty cool) but not only was the smoking smell horrible it's was a little something extra (weed) and it was making us all sick.  Finally after we about strangled the kids, and tried to keep them from falling into the lake in the pitch black the light display went on.  Just as Josh had to go to the bathroom so most of it was missed!!!  That worked out GREAT

Next we made a gingerbread house.  Now I'll again claim I'm no MARTHA STEWART and frosting is my demise.  My worst enemy like my boys say when they don't get along with something.  The stinking house kept falling down so I hot glued the sucker.  Only it still collapsed!!!  While the kids were decorating the broken house I made ginger bread cookies for them to decorate.   I forgot to set the timer and was so consumed on the stinking house that I over cooked them quite a bit.  Trevor was sweet and said.  "Mom they are way easier to decorate when they are hard."  I love that he liked them better burnt to a crisp.

Then I had them paint pet rocks.  OK now there is a reason 4 year olds shouldn't use things that said on the package it's for ages 8 and up.  Now not only are all the rocks, the chairs, his clothes, and Gavin red but it's water salable and WONT COME OFF!!!! (sweet)

With this long break the hair on the back of my neck stands when I hear my kids call "MOM".  As it's usually followed by, "Mom so and so hit me."  "Mom so and so peed all over the floor and I stepped in it." " Mom I need, I want, I can't etc."  So today I had a little chat with the kids and said.  " I want you to only say Mom if you are going to say something sweet after it."   A little later Josh came down stairs and said. " Mom can we have some candy,  that's sweet right?'   I love that kid and how he can always can make me laugh.

Who cares that the gingerbread house isn't perfect, and the lights were missed, the rocks are a mess and now Gavin's red.  We are making memories and spending time together and I hope that's what the kids will always remember. And every now and then the name Mom is followed by the words "I love you."  and that makes everything worth it :)...