As much as I LOVE watching the holidays through my children's eyes...I also feel stressed about the mile long to-do list.
I really don't mind shopping for the boys or for my husband...but everyone else seems SO HARD. My mom is pretty easy...but my husband's parents, my brother/sister-in-law, my brother and his wife, my grandmother, and my aunt. And these festivities aren't a one present deal and you're done. Everyone gets you several so you feel inclined to get several for them as well.
I really like to do thoughtful and meaningful gifts...so it's really hard for me to just pick out something on the shelf or a gift card. I sometimes wish I could hold a truce and say hey let's just not exchange gifts and instead just eat and enjoy the company!
I also feel like I should do as many as holiday events as possible. Which in reality I shouldn't feel that way. I need to pick and choose and not make myself feel bad if we don't go to every.single.one on the list. I loved Meghan's post on KMB on how we think the only way we can bring joy to our children is by doing things. When in reality, it's the simple things that create the fun.
Then it's the traveling. I really would just like to stay at my house. I don't mind the drive to the in-laws because they live in town, but each year I dread the long drive to my parents. I long to just have the holidays at my house...and sometimes just with the four of us!
Anyhow, we just received some of our photos from our fall session...this photo captures Conley's personality perfectly!
Happy Tuesday friends and Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you have tons of family fun with lots of turkey :)
Natalie
What a totally beautiful photo! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThe holidays can be really hard for people. Sometimes they are for me. I'm just such a spring and summer girl that it's mostly the illnesses and travel that get me! And being cold! And yes, shopping for 7,000 people..
Oh my!! Conley looks so big and adorable!! I feel like he should still be a baby :) hope y'all have a happy thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteLove the picture!
ReplyDeleteI understand the dread of long drives. I've missed Chinese New Year a few times the past few years since we've had children. Driving to their home is just a lot of work and stress.
Regardless, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Great picture! And I'm with you on gifts. Gift cards are always loved from people but I feel like they just don't have enough thought behind them!
ReplyDeleteoh the cuteness -- still want to pinch those cheeks! And I hate people like me.... haha
ReplyDeleteI am hosting Christmas Eve at my house this year. That way, we don't have to travel. And since all I wanted was for my family to be together -- I don't care about the work. We will sit and drink wine and laugh while dinner cooks, and then do more of the same as we eat! My parents will be here Christmas morning, which is awesome for them and the kids. Best.Gift.Ever
As for other gifts: we made the decision that we are only to buy for actual children. Once you hit 18 years of age - sorry! But we do a find gift exchange game where everyone brings a wrapped gift of no more than $10 to $15 dollars: the game is you put numbers on the gifts and then everyone draws a number - lowest goes first and they pick the gift that matches the number they drew. And so on. But -- anyone can opt to steal a person's gift, rather than choose their drawn number. Oh my gosh.. it gets so Fun. I've seen my 70 something aunt just be ruthless when she wants a particular gift!!! LOL
but it's all good fun, and each adult still goes home with something.
I know what you mean about wanting the holidays to be simpler. This will be our very first year that we haven't traveled for hours on Christmas to be with family. We'll be celebrating just the three of us here in London, and I'm actually thrilled because it'll be such a different experience than our usual hectic Christmas day! I don't think I'd want this every year, but it'll be nice to try it this year! Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Maybe you can bring up halting the Christmas gift exchange after dinner when everyone's bellies are full and in good spirits! :)
ReplyDeleteOh girl I so understand!! We did call a truce and we exchange names with Tim's family and my sister and I only buy for the kiddos. I love the holidays but I want to live in the moment and not from my to do list!
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