’tis the season
We remembered to tell family that we weren’t “doing” Christmas this year (as in, no gifts). The kids are bummed, but with the move taking place right around the holidays, whatever they recieved would just have to be packed up anyway. And I certainly have no time to buy or make gifts this year. I’m not sure I’ll even have a chance to stitch ornaments for Niek and kids, although this has become something of a tradition the last few years. I’m curious to hear how (or if) you celebrate the holiday season, whether it’s Christmas or another seasonal celebration.
Yesterday necessitated some re-cleaning to prepare things for the rescheduled showing taking place early this morning (I’m not really here, actually, this is a scheduled post … just love that feature!). Arden’s feeling ever so much better and just couldn’t wait to get started on the day’s activities.
Hmmm. What sort of mischief can I get away with and still have her think I’m adorable?
Oh, I just love cleaning rags! They’re so versatile!
Now, where did Mommy put that bucket of soapy water?
Yesterday I finally addressed what’s probably the unhappiest aspect of our upcoming move – putting Gilbert and Nachtegaal up as being available for re-homing. Naturally, nut jobs started coming out of the woodwork.
“If they’re free, I’ll take them both” and that sort of thing, despite my carefully worded ad that these are very special creatures in search of very special people. It’s next to impossible to imagine not having Gilbert commenting on everything around him, trying to groom Spin, and generally contributing to every moment of our family life. 
The few times I’ve had to do this in the past, the right person has finally appeared on the scene. I’ll just have to be patient and hopeful till she or he shows up.
That picture of Arden with the cloth is just so cute!
Christmas, we are low key, but the one Christmas we did decide no pressies was pretty sad (as a grown up)! So one present each at least, Barbara, they are kids after all. With a promise of a ‘Christmas’ in Maine.
One year, as a child, we had 3 ‘Christmases’ – that was fun! (For various reasons).
We are not doing presents this year either, except for my niece and nephew – and are just having a BBQ. This will be a big change from previous years of opening pressies in the morning and then our traditional Christmas evening meal.
I hope you manage to find loving homes for Gilbert and Nachtegaal.
Arden looks very cute with the rag on his head. LOL
Your little helper looks so cute!
I hope you find the right people for Gilbert and Nachtegaal soon!
I love that second picture of Arden – too cute!
Good luck with finding suitable homes for Gilbert and Nachtegaal and fingers crossed that today’s house showing goes/went well!
Cute pictures of Arden.
Hope you find a nice new home(s) for your pets.
Crossed fingers that you find good homes for your pets. I know that is a big stress for you.
My kids would freak at the thought of no Christmas gifts. I think my husband & I have spoiled them over the years, remembering not being so spoiled ourselves. This year we told them they have a price limit and that we are sticking to it. They’re all teenagers and it seems like one present alone is €50 and always in a small box. Santa now goes to other homes where the kids are still young, but when he came to our house, the kids got one gift from Santa only. This was because God gave us just one gift–Jesus–and that was enough. The rest are from us. Typically Santa’s gift was the one item they wanted the most, which was hard to do at times when they wanted a horse or a queen sized bed.
Gift aspect aside, we’ll do the Christmas Eve vigil Mass, we come home & the kids open one gift–always pajamas–and then the next day we spend on our own. I miss being in the US the most on Christmas–I miss my extended family. 
Cute pics of Arden–glad he’s on the mend.
I don’t celebrate x-mas. Usually take off work since almost everyone does and I have use or lose leave. Get together with some friends during the last of week of the year.. those I don’t see very often.
Arden looks like a model for a TV commercial. I see a new revenue source for you.
Hope you find the right adopters soon!
Arden is so cute! I love that big smile on his face! I don’t know what my kids would do if they heard they weren’t getting presents at Christmas. Christmas is a big deal at our house! I hope all the house selling happens fast and you find some good adopters for your pets. That must be so hard on you and the kids as well. Hang in there!
I am so sorry to hear about the pet situation, I pray that you are able to find a good home for them. While the moving tasks are making it hard to fit Christmas in this year…what about writing Santa and see if he will visit when you all are in your new home (kind of like postponing it and celebrating your new life in your new home…just an idea).
Anyway, the real reason I had to comment is because your child’s smile on his face made me smile and I wanted to thank you for posting it. While I love the ages my boys are at now (13 and 10), I do miss those days when they were small!
Our Christmas is over the top. Though this year, with my mom moving, she has sworn up and down that we’re only getting gift cards. We’ll see. (The year we went to Florida over Christmas, we just had the package opening early.)
Sorry about the pets. It has to be heart-wrenching.
PS: my parents’ Maine house is in Wells.
Oh, I do hope you find good homes for your furry and feathered friends. I adopted my sister’s cat when she moved back to Hawaii. Actually the cat moved from Hawaii to the mainland but going the other way was another story. That cat never liked me very much!
I remember cleaning for house showings very well. We would stuff all the laundry and other junk into baskets and put them in our car. Then when we thought the showing was over we would do drive bys to see if everyone was gone.
I love to have a live Christmas tree which we usually cut ourselves. Other than that it’s pretty simple. I kind of regret going overboard with gifts while the kids were growing up, but I had so little growing up and it usually was stuff I didn’t want.
With all that is going on in our lives, I think we will be “passing” on Christmas this year. I secretly wish I could wake up some time in the Spring, but I really don’t want my life to pass me by.
You know I would take Gilbert and Nachtegaal right away, but that would defeat the purpose of finding a home for them in Holland. There do seem to be those “miracle people” who show up to adopt much-loved pets at the last minute. I hope they come your way soon.
I love Arden!
My adult children have each dipped heavily into the Bank of Mom and Dad in the past few months … so they will just get token gifts this year … both at their own request and of necessity. The two grand-children will do considerably better. As to adult relatives in the extended family: my family does a Kris Kringle thing, drawing a name from a hat and with my husband’s family, we all choose a charity and donate what would have been spent on gifts. My husband has only a sister and a first cousin … both over 55 like ourselves … and none of us need more “stuff”. For the nieces and nephews on my side of the family still under the age of 16, we divide them up among us aunts … the number I buy for has shrunk to 2 from a high of 6 just ten years ago. I buy my husband a designer fountain pen each year for his collection, and stuff his stocking with his favorite delicacies: tins of smoked baby oysters, English toffee, German marzipan, California pistachios … and then add a gift card to Barnes and Noble and I am done. He is a romantic soul and prefers to give me gifts of jewelry but this year I am going to ask for cross-stitch charts from my wish list and a few DVDs.
I remember reading in one of the JCS ornies mags about a designer’s family who didn’t intend to celebrate Xmas because they were in between homes. I don’t remember very clearly, but they finally had a tiny tree and it was a great memory.
I’m sure you’ll find a way to celebrate Xmas for the kids, even if postponed.
I can feel your sadness for your bunny and bird. I sure hope you find good people to take care of them.
You are living extremely stressful moments in your life and my heart goes out to you. You just have to hold on and it’s hard. Think of the good prospect, how things will be in six months from now, everything settled and all.
Hugs,
Lili
Neat photos of Arden, cleaning homes is a paying profession.
Gaby and I have been wondering what will happen with the dogs when you move??/ Love
First of all, I always turn to mush when I see photos of Arden. He’s photogenic and cute as the dickens, as they say!
As to Christmas. I can see how the ‘you can’t celebrate Christmas without presents’ can be ringing in your ears when you have young kids. It’s true. Christmas shouldn’t be about presents but it is a big part of it especially with young kids. What about setting aside a date in January to celebrate it in your new home in Maine? Just for this year make it a ’special’ first in your new home?
For us, Christmas has been getting more low key each year as kids get older. Adults have everything they need really. I try to bake goodies for presents as people usually appreciate that. (not to suggest you need to do that since you’ll be so busy!)
Good luck with finding new homes for your pets.
Could Arden be any more adorable!!!
I decided last Christmas that I was done with the stress and this year I have sent everyone on my list a giftcard on their birthday and I am totally relaxed for the holidays!!!! Best decision I ever made!!!
Arden … the sweetest face in town.
I’m sorry you have to find new humans for your pets. It’s very difficult to leave them behind, but the right person will show up.
Arden is just so cute, cute, cute!!! Can he come clean my house?
We stopped giving Christmas gifts a couple of years ago now and it has been freeing. I know having kids makes it different. We donate our gift money to a charity and the fun of picking the charity is now our tradition. Time, you time and attention, on the day in a new way can be a great gift too Barbara.
Hugs ~
Heidi
We do a low-key Christmas. I try to limit the number of presents the girl gets so that it doesn’t become an orgy of overconsumption. We also try to find somewhere to volunteer or a charity to support.
I will probably do the advent calendar thing this year though. I loved it as a kid, and I’ve seen the cutest wooden train set in the store…
I hope the right person shows up for the animals.