Holidays Over...Mom Procrastinating

Happens every year.  The holidays are over and my anxiety hits overload.  Too many Christmas gifts to put away, have to unpack from traveling and then there is the insanity of putting away all the Christmas decorations.  Every year, it makes me anxious and puts my OCD into overdrive.  This year, I was a little better.  I told myself I could wait until the kids went back to school after Christmas break to put away the decorations.  All my friends laughed at me...full knowing that I would never last that long.  I didn't and everything was put away after a couple of days of us returning from Indiana.  I didn't stress quite as bad this year because I didn't put the pressure on myself that I normally do.  But I have procrastinated.  I've not written here in over a month.  There is a lot of stuff going on in my mind.  Some of it, I don't want to deal with so if I don't blog about then I don't have to think about it.  Some of it is just hard to get back into the routine of things after the holidays and the extra days the kids have had off with snow.  Yuck...snow!

So, I guess I'll start today with the holidays.  The kids and I headed to Indiana a little before my husband and stayed a couple of days after he headed home.  Jason had to work so the kids and I spent a little extra time with the grandparents, nieces and nephews (and the aunts and uncles).  I always love watching the kids with their cousins.  It never matters how long it has been since they have seen one another...they immediately pick up right where they left off...never skipping a beat.  The boys received everything on their Santa list so no complaints there.  Hailey was funny.  She opened her own gifts. If it was a book, she needed to leaf through it.  If it was an outfit, she would hold it up to her body and say "pitty".  If it was a toy, she tried to open it.  I truly believe she would have been content with only 2 or 3 presents.  She unwrapped each gift very slowly.  Almost as if she was afraid of ripping the paper. 

As always, the time with family flew by.  We returned the Sunday after Christmas on Jason and I's 12th anniversary.  A few days later we spent New Year's Eve at home.  The first time in 8 years that Jason didn't have to work.  We spent a few hours with our neighbors and then watched the ball drop with all three children snoozing in their beds. 

2013 was good to us.  We had ups and downs (who doesn't).   We stay busy with the kids, but we like it that way.  I'm hoping for an uneventful 2014 (fingers crossed!!)

Hailey checking out her stocking.  Note the Pringles in her right hand...she swiped them from her brother's stocking :-)

Apparently, she is stealing Brayden's new helmet.

Hello...someone please help me with this!

Hailey let Aunt Staci curl her hair.

These 3 spell trouble.  Hailey is a little over a year older than both the boys. 

Hailey is not quite sure of this Santa.

Waiting patiently to open her presents.

Surprise...a Doc doll

I think she is telling Daddy "help" :-)