Anybody else's kids on pre-Christmas hyperdrive?

[4kidsandadog]

Well.... hyperdrive is pretty normal for my house...  I have a 2yo, 4yo, 7yo (on Dec. 30), and 11yo (on Dec. 30).  But the only person feeling rather frantic is me.  My husband and I haven't sat down with the gifts to make sure we have everything we need. Can't ever seem to get the kids in bed early enough to do that.  Here we are, less than a week to go... nothing wrapped even!!!  And he is working out of town all weekend.  When he leaves Friday morning, we won't see him again until Monday night.  90% of the gifts are in his trunk.  I told him he will probably have to do all the wrapping himself while he is out of town.  Not fair!!  :(   Wrapping is one of the fun parts.

So the kids are operating in normal mode; it's me who is in hyperdrive.

Karen  :christmas:

[4kidsandadog]

Oh golly no... haven't thought about that at all.   :0  There is a SuperTarget near the house we are buying, but apart from that, I know nothing.  I've read a few pamphlets about the malls there, but am not sure how far they will be from us. I am sure we will scope it all out once we are there for good.  Closing on the house Jan. 31, and then leaving here probably on the 9th or 10th of Feb.

Karen

[janine]

We don't \"do\" Christmas really.

Most years we don't even have a tree.

The extent of decoration is usually Christmas cards hung on a ribbon.  If that.

This year, money (as usual) is tight.  I don't think we are buying presents.

Last year we bought this computer instead of Xmas presents for all.  Relatives usually provide a gift or two so youngest son won't feel left out, even if I can't get him the expensive things he would like this year.

Hah!  I was resigned to not receiving any gifts... Jesus is my gift! :clap:  :thumbup:  :christmas:  :saint: ...

But the owner of another board I moderate upon (lucky them!  ;)  ) sent me a big TEA MUG (aren't you jealous Booty!  :alien: ).  I've got a Christmas gift, I've got a Christmas gift!

ANYway, back to topic....

My 21-yr-old- daughter (the voice major with the fantastic range) is holed up in a back room with 17-yr-old-Gifted Program For Voice Son (no, I'm not too proud of them)...

They're going over the tenor parts of tonight's Community Chorale Christmas Concert... (a group of mostly adults, some pro musicians, some talented young adults...) to be held in the St. Francis Cathedral, which is very nice acoustically speaking, I'm looking forward to it...

Anyway, Jess is reaching into her low range and Mike is reaching up from his baritone to tenor... their voices sound almost identical,  intense, rumbling up the hallway, \"One fair day/ I met the grand array/ Of three great kings/ Upon a journey going...\"

Youngest son just came in from school, brightly telling me about his day... he plays French horn, just had his Christmas  Concert last night...

Now they're onto Handel's Hallelujah Chorus... God bless Handel...

(sound of Janine heaving a contented sigh...)

No lack of Christmas spirit here.  No hyperdrive.  But plenty of spirit :thumbup:

[spurly]

I don't have any children, but at 35 years old I still get hyped up.  Rented the movies Holiday Inn, Bishop's Wife, and Miracle on 34th Street (original version) to watch this week.  I just love this time of year.

Kevin

[Jeff]

We have always tried really, really hard to avoid the \"frantic family\" syndrome, and I think we do a pretty good job.  My youngest three (9, 10, and 13) still are running on what I call \"hyper-drive\" the last few days.  The younger two are in the fourth grade at our local public school, and I think they're excited about the upcoming holiday vacation.  My 13 year old.... well, is 13!  (That explains part of it, I think.)  She also just finished her homeschool drama group's play (they did very well, btw.)  So even though we're pretty low-key compared to many families in terms of extra activities, I believe the season is causing my children to be excitable, self-focused, loud and very active!!!

It couldn't be that I'm getting old and crotchety, could it?  :whatisthat:

[Jeff]

My wife has always done really well with gift-buying and planning that all out.  I only have to pick up a couple things during the season (usually the sprots/computer type stuff that she defers to me.)  I work shift work and have different days off every week, so I can usually find a Tuesday or Wednesday in the weeks before Christmas where she can take off and use most of the day (during a \"non-peak\" time) and knock out the bulk of our holiday shopping.

Have you figured out where all the good shopping in Omaha is located?

[Jeff]

My mistake -- I thought you all had already moved.  Everyone I've talked to that was stationed at Offutt has loved it.  I would've ended up there eventually had I stayed in the service as I was in the weather career field and they have a huge computer weather forecasting facility there.

[susieface]

It is definitely me who is on hyper-drive this year.  I started shopping too late.  Now I am running around like crazy, but it is a blast.  I am almost sorry I started wrapping though.  Since that first present went under the tree, my 6 yr. old begs and begs to open a gift every single day.  He is driving us nuts.  I love to wrap and to see the tree with presents under it.  The tree always looks lonely w/o presents.  I also have to wrap as soon as I buy because my 14 yr. old daughter is a real snooper.  She actually unwrapped a present last year and then re-wrapped it.  

I love Christmas though.  My 6 yr. old gave me a whammy the other day.  He asked me why we don't read more stories about the birth of Jesus at this time of year.  He then informed me that this is what Christmas is all about.  Out of the mouths of babes...   I guess I rely too much on church and church activities at this time of the year to do that while I worry about gifts and christmas dinner.

It will be a great day though.
susie :christmas:  :p  :p

[dgdodd]

Christmas has always been very special in our family but a little lacking for me this year, until this past Wednesday.  I had planned to return to my mother's house for Christmas (you would think she was Mrs. Clause) but will not be able to travel.  Because I hadn't planned on being here for the holiday, I hadn't decorated.  I am 33 and, like spurly, don't have any children.  To my extreme suprise, when I returned home Wednesday night, there was a fully decorated Christmas tree in my house! :D   It is beautiful!!!  It is a most wonderful gift - decorated by the children of some of my closest friends.  Every time I look at it, I can imagine them placing the decorations.  God is good and the joy of Christmas still thrives.   :christmas:  

I know this isn't exactly on the theme but I had to share how God gives such wonderful and simple gifts of encouragement.   :clap:  

BTW - my 11yo nephew has been on hyper-drive since September!  He loves Christmas.