While there are days when I say that statement and start laughing as if I’m a crazed idiot from the funny farm or the wicked witch of the west, this year (at least so far) I really do feel this way. Coleman obviously has no understanding at all for what day is very quickly approaching us, but Brittain understands more this year than ever before. And “understanding” translates into the most well-mannered, even-tempered angel of a child that you have ever seen. I really hate to see the holiday come and go for this reason alone.

When talk of Santa began, there was a clear interest that sparked, but it wasn’t until Dawson (Brittain’s Elf on the Shelf) arrived shortly after Thanksgiving that everything got kicked up a notch. Of course I have to give myself a shameless plug and say that if it weren’t for me, Dawson wouldn’t be a part of our family and that part of the excitement of Christmas wouldn’t exist. Fortunately, even after the phone call I received from Dan where he said, “Did you know that thing is $30? I left and didn’t get it. Plus, that little dude is creepy. Why don’t we just buy a freaking regular elf?” Dan, oh, Dan. Don’t worry, he begrudgingly purchased the all-too-expensive, creepy dude elf and of course has loved every second of finding places to hide him each night and seeing Brittain’s face light up each and every morning when she goes to find him.

This year we made some STRONG suggestions to Brittain that she needed to ask Santa for some things for the upstairs. After 8 years of being in this house I finally talked Dan into giving up his “Men Den” (what man needs an entire floor of a house all for himself?!?) So, the upstairs is now a big playroom and it’s going to be awesome. What started with bean bags developed into a play area that we’ll easily be able to put our kids in so that we can go back downstairs to start drinking (just kidding). But seriously, Santa apparently thinks that Brittain has been a VERY good girl this year. He’s putting up a wall-sized chalkboard and whiteboard and 2 big bulletin boards. He’s even bringing a brand new plasma t.v. (mainly so it’s out of reach of baby brother). Especially in the last week, time spent on making the upstairs sparkle for Christmas morning has been more than any of us have slept. But what’s that saying, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”? Yeah, that’s where I am right now. For now I’m focusing on my children’s faces on Christmas morning and the joy that will give to all of us who have been blessed to have them in our lives.

Haha…you thought that was the end of this post, didn’t you? You thought wrong. You know this blog isn’t just about the good. It’s about the bad that goes along with it because while growing up has it’s wonderful advantages (the kid thing alone is an advantage I never knew would be like this), there are stresses that threaten to make me lose my faith and focus on the negative in my life instead of the positive. Sometimes it’s hard to push through and there are definitely days I want to curl up in a ball, close myself off from the rest of the world and give in to that “will things EVER get better?” feeling. I’m pretty sure this is why I go to church every Sunday, though, and listen to the words we should all live by. I’m doing my best, just as we all are with the tribulations we encounter in our lives.

Fooled you again. I want to leave this post so everyone has the warm and fuzzies, so I will leave you with some of Brittain’s Christmas letters. They are sure to warm your heart.

Brittain’s letter that she gave to Santa. You will see that she asked for a T.V (teve), a Lalaloopsy doll, bean bags (ben bags) and a desk (desc). The top says “bear Santa” and she told him while she was in his lap that she accidentally put a “b” instead of a “d”.

This one says “The Elves are working until Christmas Eve”

“Dear Santa, can I please have a elf on the shelf if I am good.”

“Dear Santa, thank you for giving me a elf on the shelf.”

“I love Rudolph. I love all the reindeer. Dear Santa, I have been a good girl. How is Mrs. Claus. I want a Lalaloopsy doll. I want a TV. I want a bean bag.” And she now signs her name with her first and last name and her initials. Brittain Gill BOG

I was really fortunate around the holidays because I had the opportunity to photograph many families. Some just wanted some updated pictures, but there were lots that wanted pictures for their annual Christmas card they send out. For some reason I’ve just never done a Christmas card for us. I think a lot of it is because the same people that I would send a card to, follow the blog, so I only imagine them getting a card in the mail from us and saying, “Yep, seen this picture on the blog, so this is boring” and then chunking it in the trash. And I would be saying, “Why did I spend that money on postage and also create a card with a picture that everyone has already seen?” I mean that’s how I USUALLY feel. But with all the pictures I’ve taken of everyone ELSE’S kids, I woke up the other day on a mission because I had NO pictures of MY kids. So I became mommy dearest and started ordering everyone to PUT SOME CUTE CLOTHES ON AND SMILE BECAUSE I’M GOING TO GET A GOOD PICTURE OF YOU! They were very accommodating. Brittain was tired from school and Coleman was just tired, but they trecked to the backyard to try and appease me.

Certainly not the greatest photos of my beautiful children. Coleman was less than thrilled to be doing this because all he really wanted to do was eat the grass. Brittain did her best, but at that point in the day her best was a plastered on smile which i’m convinced is as much as she could muster up at the moment.

But still I look at these and smile because even in their worst moments they are still the best children I could ever ask for.

[Show as slideshow]

A few years ago me, Cec, Matt and Dan all went to see Dane Cook (comedian) perform in Atlanta. Several of his skits we had heard before on his DVDs that we owned, but many were new and there was one in particular that he did at the end of the show that stuck with it. He was talking about his mother (who had recently passed away) and Thanksgivings at their home. He said that every year his mother would call him and his brothers and ask them to come home for the holidays. Some would do it willingly, some out of guilt. Each year they would arrive and his mother would go on and on about how thankful she was to have them there and how ALL she wanted was for them to relax and she would cook them food. She was just thankful to have them there in the house and that’s all that mattered. But then Thanksgiving day would come and they would all be awakened by the sound of pots and pans crashing and the voice of their mother? yelling, “GET YOUR LAZY ASSES OUT OF THE BED. I HAVE BEEN SLAVING AWAY IN THIS KITCHEN COOKING FOR YOU WHILE Y’ALL ARE DOING NOTHING AND I AM TIRED!”

Can everyone relate to this? Because when we heard it that night Cecilia and I started rolling because it sounded all too familiar to us. Tell me, is there a family out there whose holiday get-together ISN’T stressful?

The holidays are stressful. There. I said it. Deciding on the food, making the food, deciding on who’s house, then getting that house ready. And then of course you have the family. You know, the whole reason to celebrate the holiday. The family.

I know, I know. I get it. People come and people go. Especially when there are spouses whose families DON’T live in Griffin, then you have to learn to SHARE your family. And even with the people who are IN town, we now have to wonder if they will show. Anyway, I digress.

For me, Thanksgiving becomes meaningful when everyone finally sits down together…as a family. All of the stuff that lead up to that moment doesn’t matter anymore. You’re finally able to sit there, look around at the people you love and be thankful for their presence. I love my family and what everyone brings to the table.

[Show as slideshow]