When Christmas tried to kill me.

So last year I loved Tara's elf, Bernard. Then I forgot about how much I loved him until I read her post again this year. And then I decided to turn into a spastic Christmas Over-acheiver. What a great way to get the most out of your holiday season! What a fun way to string out the gift-giving! The treat-eating! The memory-making! Right? RIGHT. TOTALLY. I WAS SO ON IT! I dug out the dust-covered scrapbook supplies (from the days when I was hard-core), and stayed up til 2:00am making these little gems.

Aren't my good intentions so cute?

And see how they're still un-opened? That's because Alabaster Snowball (yes I even googled elf-names) is a relentless, slave-driving, homicidal bastard. The first morning was fine, even fun. He suggested we "Watch Elf". Check! What's next? "Write your letters to Santa". Check!

Then the fun train started to speed up. Take a family photo! Buy a toy to donate! Make treat bags for your class! Don't forget your teacher! Visit Santa's Ranch! Make cookies! Now make ornaments! Go see Christmas lights! Now now now! It's all so much fun!! Go have MORE FUN!!! 

And it was all just TOO MUCH FUN. We got so behind !!ON THE FUN!! that we had to take a break !!FROM THE FUN!!

And that's how we turned into Advent Calendar Drop-outs.  

Which isn't to say that we still didn't do lots of things on the list. In fact, the treat bags got made. So did the cookies, and Narnia was AWESOME. 

We just didn't go on the "right" day. Because it turns out that I'm better at doing stuff when it happens to fit in. As opposed to when it's ON! THE! FUN! CALENDAR! Also, after emailing Tara that Alabaster was forcing holiday cheer at gun-point, she said, girl you are crazy don't you know you need to break it up with easy stuff, like 'cuddle'. And that was confirmed by the ever-reasonable Laura when I saw her calendar which included activities like "give someone a hug". 

Oh.

Yeah, so I'm not sure if Alabaster the Fun Enforcer will make a return appearance next year. If he does, he will definitely need to bring it down a notch.

Other than that, we had a great time. Here are a couple lazy, under-acheiver shots I grabbed Christmas morning.

They were taken 10 minutes before we were buried in the avalanche of boxes and paper and toys that (as always) needed to be surgically removed from the high-security packaging that we all adore so much.  

I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A MERRY HOLIDAY SEASON! 

Now it's onto the time of year when we get antsy about changing stuff up. For me that will mean giving this blog a little face-lift. Nothing major, just botox and a laser peel. Because I realized the other day that there are a two things I look for most when I visit a blog: 

1. A photo of the writer with some background info. 

2. Easy to find categories broken down by subject (not date)

Mine contains neither of those things, so I'm going to change it. If you have any other ideas about what you'd like to see here, (whether it's suggestions for content, opinions about design, organization, photo tips, personal stuff, business stuff) I'm all ears! Thanks for sticking around despite my lazy posting habits. I hope to change that up in 2011 too.  

xo

Comments

[Tara]

I am dying over here. Laughing.
Bernard didn't make it to our house this year at all!! I couldn't get my crap together. Hopefully his much more consistent sister Bernice will show up next Christmas. :)

[Savvy in San Francisco]

Yeah!! I missed my Daily Relish!!! I love your good intentions!! You still get Mommy points! ;-) XOXOXO

[Kathy Schallert]

More pix of your adorable kids!

[Jo]

Loved this post.... and have missed you! :) I had to laugh because even with just the hubby and me.... my advent calendar was a bit over-the-top.... and we ended up just reading the "suggestions" and smiling at each other saying "oh... isn't that a good idea". :) Next year, I'm adding "cuddle" to the calendar! Hope you had a great Christmas.... looks like it was! :)

[Amy C]

Intentions are always good, but the spontaneous fun is better! Sometimes we need to just sit back and relax! What a great post :) I can't wait for more!

[charlane]

the elves can be rather high maintenance. but as long as you had love, it's a good thing, right?

hmmm, the categories thing throws me. I need to think about that...I rarely look at the profile picture but do look at the blurb the blogger tells about themself and then i look for either a sense of humor or a sense of whimsy....or totally eyecatching photography.

[misti]

So funny you mention your blog facelift...I will be working on a similar one too. My categories are reprehensible! I also like to read 'recommended posts' or 'favorite posts'. Things I might not find otherwise.

[xanthe]

hey lovely, you are so brilliant! and so funny, i love your drop-out story, sounds like you made it work for you in the end. (love your scrapbooking bits!)
new look blog is great, love your header! Happy New Year darling x.

[amy z]

I'll be laughing at the line "Alabaster Snowball...is a relentless, slave-driving, homicidal bastard" for a week. Thank you for that! And for always making me feel like a "normal" working mom (as normal as we can be, anyway) when I read your posts.

[Lesley]

The title alone cracked me up. I too read Tara's blog last year about Bernard. I too decided this year a little elf would visit us all 25 days of Christmas. Oh we did it...gosh darn bossy little elf had my son in tears. We didn't have time to do one of our fun Christmas tasks so the same note was left out for the next day. My 5 yr old said that the elf was angry because we didn't do what he said. About a week later it was "time to decorate the tree". Got it up, lights on, and was running out of time. The boy was getting cranky. When I suggested that we delay putting ornaments on till the next day...oh the tears. "BUT MOM, I don't want an angry Elf, we HAVE to do it TONIGHT". And so we decorated the tree with a crabby boy. It got done. We survived. Never again is that elf welcome back in my home!

[JenHef]

Love the new look, Little Miss Overachiever! Loved seeing the kiddos too. Hope your Christmas truly was MERRY!!

OH and Happy New Year, YO!!

[Rachel]

I love it like a fat kid loves cake.

Or like I love my Lola and my Clover :-)

and you.

I'm with you. I want to see family or the author.. clear direction NO CLUTTER! ;-)

Visually appealing.

LOVES YOU

[julie {angry julie monday}]

Why have I never been to your blog? What is wrong with me? Love the photos.... Our poor Elf, Zart, got forgotten after like day 5. I need to work on my blog categories, My 2011 goal.....I've got a photo on my about page though.

[Simply Lanny]

oh my goodness lovin' the new look, you are such a cool gal... Happy New Year !

[Deanna]

Talk about a taskmaster! Hey - Taskmaster Alabaster - hee

Your blog looks great - I love the new header. It seems my blog is in a constant state of being redone - but I like it a lot FOR NOW :)

[petra]

haha, what a great story. I hadn't heard of, or thought of, a Christmas calender like this, and despite what you just said I think I'll give it a try next year.

I just discovered your blog, and am already looking forward to reading more :)
P

[Laura Rauch]

I am crying laughing right now... we are totally advent calendar dropouts too!!!!

[Wanda C]

As alaways I loved catching up on your life. You never fail to make me smile!!!!

[leni]

these are so fantastic! and WOW, you make me feel like i slept through christmas! :)

[patty]

hysterical!
somehow ended up here from shutter sisters... :)
i think i will try the elf-thing next year, too... looks adorable.