A Real Barn Burner

Don't get me wrong: I hate seeing retailers stocking the shelves for Christmas before I've even enjoyed my 4th of July BBQ.

The speed at which holidays seem to blaze through gets faster and faster every year . . . but . . . Valentine's Day . . . it is MY FAVORITE!

We just celebrated Christmas, but for whatever reason, I am all over Valentine's 2016! It started yesterday as I was perusing a catalog that was very reminiscent of Current (is that still around?) Anywho, it seemed that every page had something to offer in the way of X's and O's, not to mention Easter and St. Patrick's Day. Those three always seem to be a bundled package. It got me thinking about my mom, which I do every day since her passing ten years ago, but more so than usual as I thumbed those pages. You see, my mom was that mom who decorated for every single holiday (including the lawn on my parents' anniversary). I'm pretty sure she coined the phrase "craft room," well before HGTV started cashing in . . . heck, before they were even a household name! Such was the place so much was housed and created, but I digress . . . .

I have fond memories of little wooden figurines and perpetual holiday decor all year long. These are the kinds of memories that wrap you up like a warm blanket. My mom was awesome. Our home was always a home. For whatever reason, I never did this beyond fall decor and Christmas decorations in my own home--until today.

Just last week, I was still plugging in my Christmas tree every night and enjoying the glow. Re-enter the Current-like magazine. Most of our Christmas decorations are red and white, sooooo, with a little adjusting (and 10 to 12 business days for delivery on certain items), I decided to embrace Mom's enthusiasm and holiday homemaker sense of style (minus the 80's touch) and turn our home into a love shack--complete with heart-themed tree!


The surge of desire for such a plan is really twofold: the first, obviously came from my mom, and the second came from an old tradition in my family surrounding Valentine's Day. You see, we celebrate pretty big: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. The story goes (round and round the table every year) that when my father and his siblings were children, they put all of their just-received Christmas gifts (which weren't many but did include a go cart for the four of them to share) in "the barn." It is still a matter of debate as to whom, but someone burned down the barn, gifts and all! Fast forward through the "way they each remember it" to my grandmother. Not having money to replace any of their gifts at the time, she managed to save enough money to get them each a little something special by the middle of February, and so began the first Valentine's Day Breakfast Celebration. She carefully wrapped these small tokens and placed them at their seats during the special "breakfast for supper." It wasn't about recreating Christmas, but bringing a bit of joy to her children during the winter months following this childhood heartbreak.

Every year since then, for nearly 50 years, our family has continued this celebratory event. To our family, the celebration is all about our love for one another--because we all know that so much more could have been lost in that fire. As an extended group, we share breakfast for dinner on the closest Saturday. We even exchange small gifts! Last year, I was so stoked to find ceramic BARNS--and just enough for each aunt, uncle, and my dad! LOL! I couldn't help myself! Each individual family has clung so tightly to the tradition that we each have a special breakfast ON the14th--no matter the day--which means some very early school mornings some years! But nevertheless, it is complete with fun plates (mine are passed down from my mom - shell shaped china plates that we only used for that day), fun cheapy decorations, and of course little gifts for everyone from mom.

Now don't get me wrong: I certainly don't advocate the ridiculousness at which so many have become accustomed the celebrating non-events and gifts for simply breathing. This is a long-standing family tradition, one that started well before every person became a trophy-holding "winner."

I love this holiday for so many reasons. I love the doilies, the HOMEMADE cards, recollections of

Valentine boxes created by my kindergartners from years gone by, and being extra girlie dressed in pink. But nothing compares to the love shared and passed down by these two mothers. These images are forever ingrained and, as a mother, I pray my children, too, will cherish the value of tradition born from a mother's love for her family; the gift of warmth wrapped in sweet memories that they can hold long after I'm gone.

PS - My hubby is totally loving the festive atmosphere. He got a little giddy as I was decorating and asked, "So does this mean 12 days of Valentine's gifts?!?!" (See our November 17th blog.)


No, my love . . . don't get crazy.


XOXO!

--Stacey

A Hubby's 12 Days of Christmas

A few years ago, I ran across a very cool idea: 12 Days of Christmas gift giving for your husband. I thought it was neat because I had never heard of it. Of course, my bubble was quickly burst as I logged onto Pinterest and found a ton of ideas . . . who ARE these people with all of this insider information? Anywho, being the nut that I am, I thought, "How fun would it be to do this for my kids' teachers too!?" And as it would happen, in that same year, I had bought Advent style boxes for both children and had them paint the boxes as a fun Spring Break project. I then filled those for the kids to open each day! Everyone had a little something going on!


Now, before you roll your eyes, just know this little burst of freakish energy was short lived, and this "perfect storm" of Christmas tiding never rained down as a group again.


Like most new things (at least for me), I was all over it! The ideas and gifts just fell into place . . . I was so stoked! Just ask my co-director at the time. I had wrapping junk and gifts shoved in every corner of my office and under my desk so that my husband wouldn't happen upon them at home. I scoured Pinterest for ideas and ran across everything from candy to fit the "numbered" days, socks and drawers and the like for each day (which just seems wrong--how boring), just plain ole surcies that had nothing to do with the numbers . . . uh, no . . . if you're gonna do a theme, DO a theme. And of course, several Pinterest promoted the naughty, freaky, sexy "doing" the 12 Days of Christmas. While I'm sure that one would have been received with great enthusiasm, I throw my back out doing the laundry, so a crotchless panty Christmas, it was not.


I have kept up with this tradition for my beloved, and he LOVES it! He won't say it, but when that first gift day rolls around, he gets a lil giddy . . . around day four, he'll say something along the lines of "Oooh, another gift!"


My man of few words tells much with so little. I think--well, I know--that I love doing this for him so much because he ALWAYS knocks it out of the park when he gives me a gift, and I have had more gift fails in our nearly 19 years together than I care to mention. Knowing that he loves it and looks forward to it, and knowing that I can make him smile--this man who gives so very selflessly all year long--just makes my heart burst!


I like to end with the 12th day falling on Christmas Day, so I begin on December 14th. I start thinking and planning usually around the end of October. I buy/make, wrap, and tag all twelve gifts before the 14th--that makes "delivery" each day so much smoother, especially with so much going on right in heat of the holiday season. So here are my gifts from that first glorious year:


1st Day of Christmas

Season ONE of Once Upon A Time on DVD - RIGHT!? So perfect! We love this show but came upon it really late in the first season.


2nd Day of Christmas

TWO tickets to see Michael Buble in concert - My husband has a December birthday, so I'm killing two birds here, people! Michael Buble is one of our favorites, and having seen him in concert before, this was just too awesome, especially so close to home.


3rd Day of Christmas

THREE days in Greenville - The concert was IN Greenville, and we NEVER go anywhere, so a three-day excursion was just right! Btw . . . concert wasn't until January. I definitely wouldn't be THAT foolish as to try and do all that in December.



4th Day of Christmas

FOUR wine glasses - Bless that man. Ours all seemed to be broken. He's a bit of a wrecking ball with anything made of glass, plastic, broth . . . (see the incompatibility list).




5th Day of Christmas

FIVE GOLDEN DOLLARS!!! (and a new wallet!) - I learned that you have to go to the bank to get these . . . aanndd you might have to go to a couple of banks. He really needed the wallet, so the five gold dollars just made sense . . . and again . . . peeeeerfect!



6th day of Christmas

SIX chocolate-covered strawberries - Now this one I had delivered from Edible Arrangements, so scheduling was a definite so that it would arrive on the right day. Very yummy . . . he shared.




7th Day of Christmas

SEVEN cards a 'coming - I bought and wrote/signed seven different Christmas greeting cards (the good ones from Hallmark, even) and strategically placed them for him to find during the day. I have fond memories of watching my mother do this very thing for my dad on like a random Tuesday, so this one was sentimental for me.




8th Day of Christmas

Dinner reservations at EIGHT pm - Like I said, this perfect storm never happened again, but this particular year, the 8th day fell on a Friday night, and the kids' Advent boxes held a "coupon" to rent a Redbox video to watch with the sitter while we went out. Everyone was super stoked! And we got a little down time for just the two of us.




9th Day of Christmas

NINE kisses - Simple enough. But change 'em up . . . keep your man guessing! Wink. Wink.




10th Day of Christmas

Top TEN List - Very David Letterman style here. I typed a list of the top ten things that I love about him, and I used the coolest font and the best clip art I could find; I printed it in color and framed it. Interesting side note: this one has stayed the same for day ten each year, but the list is ever changing.




11th Day of Christmas

"Heaven" at ELEVEN - Okay . . . so maybe there weren't novelty undies involved, but I figured that since we would most likely still be up at 11 pm on Christmas Eve, why not a little Mommy kissing Santa action?




12th Day of Christmas

Modernist Cuisine Book - This was the only one that didn't have the number associated with it, but it was a book that he had seen featured on a cooking show, and I FOUND it! I really wasn't willing to give up the day one spot, cause . . . duh . . . perfect! So this was his "big" gift, and appropriately so on Christmas morning.


It was a fun experience! Of course, the tags were all rhyming and could be sung to the tune of "The 12 Days of Christmas." Years following haven't been quite this over the top, but like I said, I was on FIRE that year! Whoop! Whoop!


I highly recommend doting on your man a little this season . . . and be sure to throw in a little lovin'! ;)


--Stacey



PS - If you'd like to see the lists from other years or if you'd like my 11 days of teacher gifts ideas, let me know! I'd be happy to post.

When Toys Try to Take Over . . .

Several of my closest friends had children before I did, and let me tell you, I benefited from their wisdom. My poor best friend had to endure endless calls through nine months of pregnancy (in her great wisdom, fairly early on, she told me, “Listen. Your body is going to do weird and crazy things. Just assume that they’re all normal unless there’s a LOT of blood or a LOT of pain.”) It was good advice, but I still called her. The calls continued through the newborn days, and I was never more grateful to have girls in my circle who had blazed the trail.

Along with advice, they gave me hand-me-downs. Boxes and bags of maternity clothes, sleepers, bibs, burp cloths, baby socks, and some of the sweetest, softest outfits you have ever seen. Then some toys came in—fuzzy rattles, plush snuggle toys, colorful singing characters that hung on the arm of the car seat.

Well, the toys kept coming. And coming. AND COMING. By the time baby #2 arrived, our upstairs family room looked like a Toys R Us outlet store. We had one of everything, and although we appreciated the gifts (seriously—I think my husband and I have bought five toys to this day), the toys were taking over.

And let’s all say it together: “They didn’t play with any of them.”

I walked into our family room one afternoon and saw toys scattered all over the floor. My son was sitting on the floor in a corner looking sleepy and zoned-out and not really playing with anything. I told him, “It’s time to pick up all of these toys.” He automatically replied, “But I’m still playing with them.” I said, “You’re playing with ALL of these toys?” He blinked and looked around and then said, “Oh, no, we would need more kids for that.”

Yeah. It was time for a toy cleanse.

It took me months to match up parts, shine away the dust, and figure out the best places to donate the best of the stuff. We’re down to bare basics now, and all four of us are better off (plus our dog was able to cut down her dose of anti-anxiety medicine). But both kids have a fondness for a couple of characters, and I want them to enjoy their animated buddies. I mean, Big Bird and Strawberry Shortcake and I had our fun times together back in the day, so I get it. I’m picky about what my kids watch on TV; in fact, there’s one wildly popular show that I flat-out refuse to let my little girl watch (I don’t care how cute it looks—I’m not budging). But she likes “Doc McStuffins” . . . and after a hard day of kindergarten, who doesn’t need to kick back for thirty minutes with a sitcom and a cup of half-strength grape juice? So here are some creative ways that I’ve let Doc into the house--without allowing her to take OVER my house:

Last summer, Grammy gave her a little gray Doc McStuffins t-shirt. Instead of letting her wear it to school, it became her Friday night shirt. As a reward for giving it her all with writing her name and counting by fives, each Friday night, my little one takes an extra bubbly shower and puts on her Doc t-shirt with a pair of soft pink or purple shorts. It’s our Friday night ritual, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything . . . of course, I noticed that the shirt is creeping up her middle, so I went ahead and bought a new one that she’ll get for Christmas. I bought it two sizes too big.

For that same birthday, she also scored a Doc McStuffins beach towel. Unless I miss my guess, Doc will be joining us for our annual beach trip for years to come. (Shoot, I still have the Mickey Mouse one that I got for my thirteenth birthday.) Bonus: her birthday presents were covered in Doc wrapping paper.

We have another fun tradition also: every fall, my husband and son go on an overnight camping adventure. As soon as we kiss the boys goodbye, we head to Wal-Mart’s party department and buy a pack of Doc paper plates. We feel that cartoon paper plates bring a certain elegance to our Friday night take-out.

We also have a Doc toothbrush, Doc bandages, and a pair of navy blue canvas shoes—plain on the outside, but Doc’s little face is inside the shoe. Her Granddaddy and her uncle have already bought my daughter a Doc lab coat and matching hair band for Christmas . . . I’m thrilled that we’ll be able to play doctor’s office together, but as she sports her coat, she’ll have to use her imagination with the tools she’ll use. I feel certain that our dog will get plenty of check-ups, and I’m looking forward to seeing what regular household items will magically become medical instruments. Other possible Christmas gift ideas include a Doc bath towel or wash cloth, body wash or bubble bath, coloring books, snack plates, and more bandages (‘cause I’m sure you know how long those last). We also love Doc stickers—because then, a plain notebook, a box of tissues, or a snack pack of Goldfish crackers will suddenly involve our girl Doc.

My bottom line method of managing the toy tidal wave: if it’s something that we can use or use up, then Doc is welcome in my house . . . but please . . . no more junky toys.

--Andrea