Good Mom Bad Mom

Hello 2011!
I have been making lists today.  Mostly "To Do" lists, and lists of things I don't want to forget.  It's a new year, and a new chance to start afresh.  Having just looked at the numbers for blog entries in 2010, - it wasn't a great year for blogging.  365 days, and 20 posts.  Pllllbbt.  So 2010 is down a bit from the initial 95 posts.  SO, to make up for it, I will now entertain you with what I did and didn't do this holiday season to be a good/bad mom.

Bad Mom:

1. I didn't get the tree up until way late.  It never even had ribbon.  I own ribbon, lots!  I even have a "ribbon" drawer, and I kept it out until the very last moment thinking that I would put it on.  My back went out, and that was the end of the ribbon fantasy.  I did put ribbon on someone else's tree though.  Theirs didn't make it to Christmas either.  The dog got in it, it fell over... som'n som'n.  Not sure.  It didn't make it, so it's as though it never really got done for them either.
2. Lights on the house.  I blame my spouse.  We look like a bunch of Jehovah's Witnesses here.  No yule merriness, just a wreath on the door that I pulled out of the garage.  I decorated it in my 20s.  And I thought that I didn't have time THEN!
3. Cristmas cards.  I had SUCH good intentions!  I may still send out ones to the people who sent us one.  I might.  I just need a sec to think about the things I'm willing to publicly admit to in a card.  I'm still thinking...
4. 12 days of Christmas.  Didn't do it for anyone. No service, no snow shoveling for the elderly, no "higher purpose" Christmas Cheer.  None.  Plllbbbbt
5. Advent calendar.  Skip!  Never got unloaded.  My kids had to do math subtracting from 25 all month.
6. Scottish shortbread.  Nope - I'm sure my ancestors will haunt me on that one.  Mech.
7. Wassail.  Didn't even think about it, and no one asked for it.
8. The Village Under the Tree.  I just couldn't police my children and a baby who can crawl.  In the words of the Wizard of Oz.  No one gets in to see the (village)!  Not no way, not no how!!  Skip!
9. Cookie exchange.  Abigail did have a thing with the Girl Scouts - I sent her with a package of Oreos, and the girls ate most of the cookies on the plates they were supposed to be giving to the aged and lonely in our area. None of the Oreos made it home or on her plate, and  I finished off the two cookies that DID make it home.  The ones with the butterscotch chips.  I'm feeling very aged, and the cookies looked all lonely.
10. Nativity.  I own a Fisher Price one.  Aaaaand it just didn't make it upstairs.  It's by the advent calendar.

Good Mom:

1. I bought matching pjs for all my kids!  That is quite a feat with 3 boys, one girl, and a huuuuge difference in sizes.
2. I took my kids to see Santa!  On a Saturday and dressed up no less! Got the picture too.  I thought Matthew had scanned it so I could add it here as proof.  He didn't. Ah well.  That's on HIS to do list.  NOTA BENE:  He read this post and took umbridge at the very notion that he didn't scan it in.  I said, "Well show it to me, " and he said, "It's right here.... in a non-traditional "scan" folder..."  an hour of clicking later, there was no pic, from this year, that had been scanned.
3. I put up the elves on the shelves.  This took quite some doing too.  They are supposed to come the night after Thanksgiving dinner, and go home on Santa's sleigh.  Do you have any idea how crazy it is to remember those things on those busy nights!!! Not to mention getting them in and out of the rooms where your kids sleep!  They are tucked away until next year...
4. I bought gifts ahead of time, and stashed them at Matthew's office to avoid any mistaken discoveries. 
5. My children still believe that Santa is rad and in tune with their every childish wish and Christmas desire, while also believing that Mom & Dad are old fuddy duddy's who give them dumb gifts like socks and pants... and matching pajamas.
6. Isaiah got his new baby ornaments!  One from the White House, one from Hallmark - a porcelain rattle that is really cute, and of course SOLD OUT in my local Hallmark thus necessitating a drive up to 106th.  I found a cute baby blue pig too.  Couldn't resist. Had my local vinyl lady print out his name and birth year to make it personal.
7. Set up the train.  It was for one day only - but we got it up, as though Santa had needed it to be running with hoppers filled full of colorful chocolate goodies before he left.
8. Family Talent.  I bought whoopie cushions and taught my kids the lyrics to "Up On the Housetop" and had us sit on the cushions and stand up in time with the lyrics.  Hilarity ensued.  I thought of that myself!  I did!
9. Mended the stockings.  The stupid acetate has been shredding for a few years, and I finally pulled out the sewing machine, and mended them up.  So satisfying to have that done!

So maybe I was a bit more bad than good.  But for good, bad, or indifferent IT'S OVER!  I can wrap up this year and shove it in a box to stress about again next year.  But for now... I'm just happy getting the kids ready to go back to school.  That I can do!  THAT I can DO!  And I've blogged at least once in the New Year.