Christmas Day Reflections

• Reflection #1: I just realized I missed doing Gray's post for this month. Oops. I have decided that as of his three year birthday I am going to a less rigorous posting schedule.
• Next year these lovely children of mine are getting one present from Santa, one from us and one from their brother. Three presents, including all the stuff they get from grandparents and aunts is ENOUGH. Opening presents today was torture- Gray would attend for about 0.5 seconds to tearing the paper off his next present and return to the very first present he saw when he woke up (a tool bench). He just didn't have the attention span for all of those presents, and, in fact, I held one back and decided to give it to him on his birthday. He just got too much.
• Cookies I made this year: Russian teacakes, 3 layers, 7 layers, cut out cookies, candy canes. I am not making the 7 layers again, they were gross.
• I found a bunch of Xmas cookie recipes AFTER I had made all of my cookies for this year. I am being strategic about those recipes for next year and packing them with my decorations so I will find them earlier.
• Candies I made this year: soda cracker candy (OMG, that stuff is like heroin to me), fleur de sel caramels (ick), oreo bon bons (also ick), Dove pretzels.
• I am not cut out to be a candy maker. The soda cracker candy and the pretzels are about all I can handle. Next year I want to make fudge.
• Big gifts for the boys this year: a tool bench, a tunnel/tent combo, a Frosty book that has Grandma's recorded voice telling the story and Gray got his beloved, coveted car transporter.
• I got five pans (yes, I was happy about this), some jewelry (rings, bracelet), cookbooks, a cheese set and markers and some fun gadget-y stuff from my mom.
• Christmas with two very small children and no relatives around feels like just another day, but with more stress. I'm hoping next year will be a little better- more fun? relaxing? I don't know. Something.