I haven’t done New Year’s Resolutions in the past. Probably because of all the bad press they get, you know about how easily they are broken. But this year I decided that there is something I really really want to focus on–self control.

Have you ever noticed that the thing that drives you most crazy about your children is generally something they picked up from you?! Avril is the most like me and in the past it has definitely caused some clashes, until I realized what was going. So lately Avril has been really high strung. When things go wrong she freaks out and starts yelling. While I don’t think I do that children do tend to take our negative character traits to the extreme.

So in order to fix the problem in Avril and prevent it in future children I realize that I need to gain self control, or at least enhance it. So that is my goal for this year. With it I hope to gain more order and peace in our home and in me.

Honestly there have already been a couple times that I have lost it. But the great thing about a New Year’s Resolution is that instead of getting down that I couldn’t even make it through the first day I realize that I have a whole year to work on it. Learn from my mistake and keep plugging away.

Proeun and I have discovered that if each of the children gets toys from each of the aunts and uncles and grandparents that our house will fill up quickly. Already with the necessary gear of 4 children plus 2 adults a couple cats and a dog life around here sometimes makes for close quarters. So this year for Christmas we drew names on Proeun’s side of the family and we decided that we would only purchase one gift for each of the children in addition to Santa’s gifts.

But what to get, we debated and debated then knowing how much they like Proeun’s guitar (he is still in the process of learning how to play it) we decided to look into guitars.

Two got a 3/4 size guitar.

Avril a half size guitar.

and for Mavis a smaller “toy” that was unsized. At first we weren’t planning on getting a guitar for her but then realized she would probably feel left out so now our house has 4 guitars. For Two the guitar was overshadowed by his first small kind legos and new hunting game for wii from Santa.

But for Avril and her shadow Mavis the guitar are it. Picks are in high demand and apparently I have a couple singer/ songwriters on my hands. Topics of songs for Avril include, farming, getting her first guitar and being the first daughter. For Mavis her songs are mostly about grandma.

As I write this with my own babe in arms I find myself searching for the spiritual, the mysterious and the glorious this  time of year. The role of Mary in this whole drama certainly fits the bill. Here are the words to one of my favorite Christmas songs. I love meditating on it and wanted to share it.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your Baby Boy
Has come to make you new;
This Child that you delivered
Will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy
Will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your Baby Boy
Is Heaven’s Perfect Lamb?
This sleeping Child you’re holding
Is the Great I Am!

While it is an adventure trying to get 4 little children dressed in their best clothes, stand still, look at a camera and smile all at the same time it is a pretty fun adventure. I love pictures especially once they actually get to my wall or in our photo albums. This weekend we went to a new place for our pictures, Portrait Innovations. They were great. You can set an appointment, even on the weekend, the prices were really reasonable and even though I think our children are photogenic that doesn’t always mean they cooperate, but still we got some great pictures. Enjoy.

Now I have all these great pictures for posterity.

I am not sure exactaly how it happened. Proeun and I didn’t really have a game plan for the role Santa Claus would play in our holiday celebrations then last year Two told us. I remembered that Santa had always left presents for us and we had done the whole cookie thing but Santa wasn’t real to me or my sister.

Proeun grew up poor and honestly there were often no presents at all. He recalls with pain how teachers would always ask what you got for Christmas on the return from break, always in front of the whole class. Proeun loved school just because he knew he would eat at least one full meal a day.

When our children came along we didn’t really think Santa would be real for them either. Last year I didn’t plan ahead, no cookies, but I did have some carob cake I had made so Santa (me) got carob cake and soy milk (dairy alergy in this house). And he left some of the extra gifts.

The next week we were at Sabbath School when Two just bursts out, “Santa is real!” I was dumbstruck honestly.

This year we are trying to be more intentional. Trips to visit Santa, Christmas cookies, concerts maybe even a Christmas Eve Service.

This weekend we visited Santa.

Two was disappointed that we didn’t get to see the reindeer, especially “the red nosed one.” He asked, “But how did Santa get here from the north pole without his reindeer?” I told me the airport.

Mavis wasn ‘t so sure about the big guy. I guess he’ll have to guess what she wants, but candy is a good bet.

There was a guy there helping Santa pack up, (yes we even cut it close visiting Santa). Proeun said he wondered who that guy was. Two said without hesitation, “he was an elf.”

If I haven’t said it before we had a really fun weekend. In addition to going to a fur trade rendezvous and seeing a very nice fireworks display so close we could see the little man walking back and forth in a cloud of smoke our family took their first train ride together.

The local Kiwanis club was offering rides as a fundraiser. We got on the first ride. There on an air conditioned passenger car (the green and yellow one) and a caboose that was not air conditioned and very popular.

I let the my parents and the older children ride in the caboose while Proeun, Mavis and I rode in the passenger car.

Two wasn’t happy with that decision, and still upset when we got back to camp. It is so hard when we disappoint our children! But after a few hugs and kisses and listening to how he felt he was better.

Our tickets.

Two running for the train. Do you think he’s excited?

View from the window–the paper company on Dunlap island. Kind of puts all our paper use in perspective. 

While my parents had ridden trains before for my little family it was our first time, and very cool.

There is something about celebrating the holidays with children. Of course I have been celebrating Christmas with children for several years now but this is the first year that we really made an effort to celebrate. Honestly we could have done more, but we started out cooking and baking and cleaning the house for Christmas, then came the decorating. I love all the Christmas movies on TV and we read the Christmas story in a variety of storybooks for the week before Christmas.

If you ask my children what Christmas is about they will say, “giving and sharing and loving.” That just about makes my heart burst with joy. And honestly I haven’t coached them on that either. Perhaps they have picked something up for the movies we watched or  stories we read.

We are also starting our own traditions. Christmas Eve Proeun had to work so the children and I stayed home in the snow storm and got things ready for a fabulous Christmas dinner–including dessert. It was simple and fun to be with the children. After dinner we cleaned up and opened presents. We had gotten a Wii for Two mostly but also for the whole family. We had planned it since last Febuary and saved little by little till we had enough for it. We were very excited to see how Two would react. But first we wanted to give him some of his other gifts. I had also gotten him Lincoln Log type building blocks. We had him open them first. Honestly I thought he would be disappointed but he thought they were very cool. Then out came the next box. We video taped it but I think it took awhile for it to settle in because it wasn’t until after the camera was turned off that he really reacted.

Of course then the next 2 days were busy with family and he didn’t get a chance to play it. Now there is a little let down from the holidays but the good feeling of being with my children remains. The holidays were not without their moments of frustrations but at Christmas dinner with my family I asked what their favorite Christmas was and I could confidently say–this one.

Next year I plan to let the children help pick out the gifts we will give their cousins so they can have some of the joy of giving as well.

My oldest child is 5. A few days ago he asked for a piece of paper and pen. I wasn’t paying much attention, but all of a sudden he says, “Mommy look I wrote my name,” and he did without prompting from me. I had showed it to him before but not for at least a week and still he remembered it.

Later I was showing Avril a trick using a cup and water. When you hold the cup upside down it traps air in it. When you put it in the water the air stays trapped until you let it out by turning the cup ever so slightly and a bubble escapes. The next night she was explaining it almost word for word to Two.

The morning Proeun and I were excited about Thanksgiving and all the good food and getting together with family. Then in the midst of going to the library and grocery store for last minute supplies I realized that I haven’t taken this opportunity to explain what Thanksgiving is really about. Obviously they are able to grasp much more then I have given them credit for. I suppose the actually story can wait but not the idea that it is about being thankful–not food and sweets. I am not sure how I will do that yet but I’ll keep you posted.

I don’t know exactly where I developed my love for handmade items. My mother made the majority of my sister’s and my clothes. That was probably a start. Then later I worked at Historic Fort Snelling as a “costumed interpreter.” My job was to dress in clothes from 1827 and live as though that were the year while tourists visited with us. Some of our clothes were provided but things like cold weather gear were not. I learned to knit just so I could make my own mittens and keep my hands warm.

That year I learned to knit I made scarves for all my cousins for Christmas. I was hooked. Now each year as Christmas approaches I get very excited. I try to figure out what those on my list might like and what I have time to produce. This year those on my list can expect knitted items, sewed items, homemade beauty products and cheese.
 
It really helps get in the mood for Christmas when you start now.

Here is a recipe I made for myself for an early Christmas present from Natural Beauty at Home by Janice Cox.

Basic Cold Cream

1/8 tsp Borax powder
1/4 cup distilled water
1/2 olive oil
2 Tbsp grated beeswax

Dissolve the borax in the water in a glass measuring cup and set aside.

Mix together the oil and beeswax in another glass measuring cup. Place the glass cup in a pan water (about 1 to 2 inches of water), making a water bath. Heat the oil-besswax mixture in the water bath over medium heat until the beeswax is melted (8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

When the wax is melted, bring the borax-water mixture almost to boiling –I do this by putting the glass cup in the microwave on High for 1 minute. You may also use a water bath. Remove the oil-beeswax mixture from the water bath. Slowly add the borax-water misture to it, stirring briskly.

Pour the cream into a clean container with a lid. To use massage a small amount into your skin and tissue off or rinse off with warm water.

I used it last night. Proeun even used it and it worked great.