Mommas in the throws! Trust your reward is coming. The teen years bring a whole different level of Christmas joy. You'll sleep in again, have coffee in peace, still have excited kids who love Christmas but now they can actually bake you some food and you will never have to listen to another plastic toy making horrific noises to the point that you are hiding it by Christmas night. 🤣 Hang in there! We are not empty nesters yet so we aren't sad... no one cares a bit about wearing anything special and we literally laugh, play games and watch movies. And hey, if you don't look good...no worries, one of those teenagers will be able to photoshop you to perfection! 😝It's sublime and it's coming for, you too, one day!❤
I love it when I see parents who seemed to actually like their teens. My kids are not teens yet and so many people talk about how I'm not going to like my kids when they do become teens because "no parents do, but it's okay because they'll turn around in their twenties..." And I usually think to myself, "just cuz you didn't like your team is doesn't mean that I'm going to have to be like that when the time comes."
I decided that this year I am over the huge amounts of wrapping paper. We do not do a great amount of gifts anyways. I live sewing and made bags of nice Christmas fabrics that can be used over and over again in the next years. I also saw people use large squares of fabric for wrapping gifts.
When you said keep the trash for the week! I get that so much! We do a little something different though. We have a three kids 6,7,8. They can’t open the plastic packaging theirselves yet. So they start opening and then starts a line “can you open this for me?” So what we started doing last year is opening all the toys out of their plastic packaging before we wrap them. If their is small pieces we put them in a ziplock bag. If we bought several of the same thing then we go ahead and label the bottom of the toy with the kids name. We use Santa bags with their names. But you can still use small boxes and use wrapping paper. This way you could use smaller boxes and not as much wrapping paper. Win win!
For young children, assemble their gifts before wrapping them. That way you don't have impatient kids while snipping zip ties, screwing screws, and losing parts.
I start a pan of cinnamon rolls Christmas Eve morning and let them prove overnight. Also do the premade casserole and a fruit salad. We do heavy appetizers for Christmas Eve dinner and have the leftovers later on Christmas Day with charcuterie and cookie trays. I can relax so much more this way.❤
Excellent advice about keeping the trash bag for a week! I know I have thrown something away over the years! I love the advice about the pictures when opening the gift with children and videos are terrific for recalling who gave who what, especially when thanking folks for gifts. Thanks for sharing!
Another tip to make it a bit easier for my 7kiddos at least... is to have christmas jammies for everyone & that's what they wake up in & unwrap gifts & maybe even spend the day in!! They are matchy, or similar same color scheme & all I have to do is make sure the day before I just have them all washed! Bc we do elf on the shelf & they bring the xmas Jammies on Thanksgiving which is their first day back!! So we have them all season!
We’ll be hosting Christmas Eve coffee and dinner this year and will be having chestnut soup and bread with some fancy spreads, charcuterie board style stuff and antipasti. It’s fairly easy to prep the days before, looks nice and has something for everyone! Someone else will bring self made ice cream for desert, otherwise I’m thinking about making custard with cookies on top. That’s really all we need! For coffee there’ll be a bunch of cookies of course (we save some the weeks before) and likely some store bought stollen and poppy seed cake.
Omg! My husband is the same with being overzealous with the garbage! That's a great tip about keeping the garbage bag. I think every year I end up dumpster diving some missing toy piece! Thanks for all of the tips!!
Love love love the separate trash bad idea!! Can’t tell you how many times through the years we have been digging through numerous trash bags - with all kinds of leftover food and things you don’t want to dig through - looking for that one piece to a toy that got thrown away! ❤
I do the trash tip. Another thing I do is if I know the clothing fits and it’s what they want (perhaps older kids have tried it on or little ones tried and didn’t know it) then I’ll take the tags off and wash it. (We have allergies.). It saves me some steps. Kids find it easy to toss in the laundry vs putting it away. Here you go. Freshly washed and folded clothes. Same with toys. Take them out of the box and put in the batteries. Maybe put tape over the on / off switch.
I am older and my family does most of the hosting now. They all have the large homes and space to entertain. Looking back I remember all those moments of feeling like I was ready to go off the deep end though. You never fail to come to the rescue with such sound advice. If only my younger self would have known you then and we would have had RUclips channels or something of the like. I guess we just winged it and did the best we could. Just as you all do these days but I do believe your generation thinks ahead a little better than we did. Merry Christmas 🎄 ♥️🎄♥️🎄♥️
Ohh you knew we would love your top !❤ So you were so kind to set up a link for us. Ordered one 😂 all good tips too. Especially the trash idea. I am like your husband... I am a picker upper😁 🫤🙈🤦♀️ would be a good idea to try 👍Merry Christmas ! 💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️
Angela, u know how we admire YOUR way of saying things .. Pretty please make a video of the Real CHRIST mas .. reasons to live love act like Him .. his humblness from where he was born .. tips and tricks to not neeed moree .. Christmas without a material present .. I dont know .. I believe u know better how to make it .. God bless you,smart girl 🥰
Having an immediate family only Christmas was big for me growing up. My dad’s parents always did Christmas as a family on Christmas Eve. Large family gathering. They said it was so the immediate families could have Christmas morning together. My in laws don’t believe in this so they always want a massive Christmas afternoon together. Well I’ve wanted a calm Christmas. So this year I’ve decided to stop arguing with them on when to do it and concede. On Christmas Eve we will do out immediate family dinner and presents that night and the following day we will go to the big family event.
Is it weird that I think the side of your face that you didn't use the face pro on looks better than the one you did after 3 minutes? Nothing wrong with being pale. That's natural for you right? It's okay! :) I just noticed your arrows tattoo. Right away I knew it was based on the scripture of having your quiver full (at least I think they represent your kids being arrows). I love it. Loved so much of what you said near the end. So beautiful. I too have been a mom nearly 17 years (come Feb it will be). I hear you.
I'm sorry, but every family photo should have a middle finger in it for how annoying & useless those damned things are. It sucks the joy out of the moment - or the day if getting one done professionally, all for a memory that's pure annoyance or seething hatred for the kids. (YMMV with adopted kids or the freaks that actually love taking those photos =p) All for the mom (because dad doesn't give a shit, be real now...) to ooh & ahh over for 5 minutes before it's put into a photo album & forgotten. Cleaning out estates usually results in a lot of photo albums being tossed because no one wants them - apart from a picture or 2 of a special memory. So it's best to skip doing family photos unless you're really a tight-knit family, otherwise they'll likely bring up some trauma for some people as well. (Coming from an abusive family, all those fake smiles are a reminder of how no one lifted a goddamned finger to help any of us abused kids.)
Mommas in the throws! Trust your reward is coming. The teen years bring a whole different level of Christmas joy. You'll sleep in again, have coffee in peace, still have excited kids who love Christmas but now they can actually bake you some food and you will never have to listen to another plastic toy making horrific noises to the point that you are hiding it by Christmas night. 🤣 Hang in there! We are not empty nesters yet so we aren't sad... no one cares a bit about wearing anything special and we literally laugh, play games and watch movies. And hey, if you don't look good...no worries, one of those teenagers will be able to photoshop you to perfection! 😝It's sublime and it's coming for, you too, one day!❤
I love this comment 🙂
Me too 😊
Thanks for the encouragement. Not there year but I’m seeing glimpses from my almost teens ❤
I love it when I see parents who seemed to actually like their teens. My kids are not teens yet and so many people talk about how I'm not going to like my kids when they do become teens because "no parents do, but it's okay because they'll turn around in their twenties..." And I usually think to myself, "just cuz you didn't like your team is doesn't mean that I'm going to have to be like that when the time comes."
@Dragonfly20233 Well, aren't you special.
I decided that this year I am over the huge amounts of wrapping paper. We do not do a great amount of gifts anyways. I live sewing and made bags of nice Christmas fabrics that can be used over and over again in the next years. I also saw people use large squares of fabric for wrapping gifts.
When you said keep the trash for the week! I get that so much! We do a little something different though. We have a three kids 6,7,8. They can’t open the plastic packaging theirselves yet. So they start opening and then starts a line “can you open this for me?”
So what we started doing last year is opening all the toys out of their plastic packaging before we wrap them. If their is small pieces we put them in a ziplock bag. If we bought several of the same thing then we go ahead and label the bottom of the toy with the kids name. We use Santa bags with their names. But you can still use small boxes and use wrapping paper. This way you could use smaller boxes and not as much wrapping paper. Win win!
We do the family picture the last Sunday before Christmas at church. Easy to find someone to take it and we're already dressed for it.
For young children, assemble their gifts before wrapping them. That way you don't have impatient kids while snipping zip ties, screwing screws, and losing parts.
I start a pan of cinnamon rolls Christmas Eve morning and let them prove overnight. Also do the premade casserole and a fruit salad. We do heavy appetizers for Christmas Eve dinner and have the leftovers later on Christmas Day with charcuterie and cookie trays. I can relax so much more this way.❤
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
Excellent advice about keeping the trash bag for a week! I know I have thrown something away over the years! I love the advice about the pictures when opening the gift with children and videos are terrific for recalling who gave who what, especially when thanking folks for gifts. Thanks for sharing!
Another tip to make it a bit easier for my 7kiddos at least... is to have christmas jammies for everyone & that's what they wake up in & unwrap gifts & maybe even spend the day in!! They are matchy, or similar same color scheme & all I have to do is make sure the day before I just have them all washed! Bc we do elf on the shelf & they bring the xmas Jammies on Thanksgiving which is their first day back!! So we have them all season!
Yes, yes, yes about the separate garbage bag for lost gift cards, check, instructions etc! Good call!❤
The trash idea is brilliant! We have definitely had to search for things before.
We’ll be hosting Christmas Eve coffee and dinner this year and will be having chestnut soup and bread with some fancy spreads, charcuterie board style stuff and antipasti. It’s fairly easy to prep the days before, looks nice and has something for everyone! Someone else will bring self made ice cream for desert, otherwise I’m thinking about making custard with cookies on top. That’s really all we need! For coffee there’ll be a bunch of cookies of course (we save some the weeks before) and likely some store bought stollen and poppy seed cake.
Omg! My husband is the same with being overzealous with the garbage! That's a great tip about keeping the garbage bag. I think every year I end up dumpster diving some missing toy piece! Thanks for all of the tips!!
Love love love the separate trash bad idea!! Can’t tell you how many times through the years we have been digging through numerous trash bags - with all kinds of leftover food and things you don’t want to dig through - looking for that one piece to a toy that got thrown away! ❤
Sausage biscuit balls?? Please share the recipe that sounds amazing
This is just making me realize my standards are a lot lower than I thought… the q-tip and the window latch… holy cow.
Love the keeping trash idea!!
I usually have grandma come over the first week of Dec. so dad & I hide in the basement & wrap!
The trash bag idea ... Genius!❤ Merry Christmas!
I never thought of a root touch up pen. Thanks for the tip.
Merry Christmas!
These are great tips and reminders. Here to staying sane this holiday!
Excellent ideas thank you for sharing.
You. Are. BRILLIANT Angela!!!! 🤯
Fantastic ideas! Thank you and Merry Christmas 🎄🎁 ❤
Amazing 🎉 thank you for your lessons learned!!!!! 🎉
These are great tips! Especially the designated gift trash bag!!!!
You are amazing. Merry christmas to you and your family, God bless,
Great advice!! Thanks for sharing. Cheers 💕😊
Feliz navidad familia ❤
Love the advice about the trash
I do the trash tip. Another thing I do is if I know the clothing fits and it’s what they want (perhaps older kids have tried it on or little ones tried and didn’t know it) then I’ll take the tags off and wash it. (We have allergies.). It saves me some steps. Kids find it easy to toss in the laundry vs putting it away. Here you go. Freshly washed and folded clothes. Same with toys. Take them out of the box and put in the batteries. Maybe put tape over the on / off switch.
love this! great tips :)
This was soooo helpful
I am older and my family does most of the hosting now. They all have the large homes and space to entertain. Looking back I remember all those moments of feeling like I was ready to go off the deep end though. You never fail to come to the rescue with such sound advice. If only my younger self would have known you then and we would have had RUclips channels or something of the like. I guess we just winged it and did the best we could. Just as you all do these days but I do believe your generation thinks ahead a little better than we did. Merry Christmas 🎄 ♥️🎄♥️🎄♥️
You’re right that our generation is blessed with RUclips mammas who are able to share with us. You winged it the best you could!
Mama! You look so beautiful! I’m here for all your videos ❤
Ohh you knew we would love your top !❤ So you were so kind to set up a link for us. Ordered one 😂 all good tips too. Especially the trash idea. I am like your husband... I am a picker upper😁 🫤🙈🤦♀️ would be a good idea to try 👍Merry Christmas ! 💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️
New here is this lady a foster mom or does she adopt all these kids. She is a super mom
Do you have a link for the facial device?
I have never seen curly extensions before!
Trash bag is genius!
Thanks for the tips! What do you use to fill in around your hairline ? ❤
Angela, u know how we admire YOUR way of saying things ..
Pretty please make a video of the Real CHRIST mas .. reasons to live love act like Him .. his humblness from where he was born .. tips and tricks to not neeed moree .. Christmas without a material present .. I dont know .. I believe u know better how to make it .. God bless you,smart girl 🥰
I’m so bad with the pictures! I match my kids for every holiday or event and then never get a picture of them matching
Having an immediate family only Christmas was big for me growing up. My dad’s parents always did Christmas as a family on Christmas Eve. Large family gathering. They said it was so the immediate families could have Christmas morning together. My in laws don’t believe in this so they always want a massive Christmas afternoon together. Well I’ve wanted a calm Christmas. So this year I’ve decided to stop arguing with them on when to do it and concede. On Christmas Eve we will do out immediate family dinner and presents that night and the following day we will go to the big family event.
The face thingy website link doesn’t work. :/
❤
Is it weird that I think the side of your face that you didn't use the face pro on looks better than the one you did after 3 minutes?
Nothing wrong with being pale. That's natural for you right? It's okay! :)
I just noticed your arrows tattoo. Right away I knew it was based on the scripture of having your quiver full (at least I think they represent your kids being arrows). I love it.
Loved so much of what you said near the end. So beautiful. I too have been a mom nearly 17 years (come Feb it will be). I hear you.
Watching the video twice so that all the information swaps in to my brain
I wasn’t expecting a face laser thing in this- felt icky when talking about family Christmas.
Such a good idea to keep the rubbish! I have lost gifted earrings in the trash!
I get it, this is your job but man I was not hoping for a long commercial.
0:15 cute but I think you maybe cheating on your husband lol
I'm sorry, but every family photo should have a middle finger in it for how annoying & useless those damned things are.
It sucks the joy out of the moment - or the day if getting one done professionally, all for a memory that's pure annoyance or seething hatred for the kids. (YMMV with adopted kids or the freaks that actually love taking those photos =p)
All for the mom (because dad doesn't give a shit, be real now...) to ooh & ahh over for 5 minutes before it's put into a photo album & forgotten.
Cleaning out estates usually results in a lot of photo albums being tossed because no one wants them - apart from a picture or 2 of a special memory.
So it's best to skip doing family photos unless you're really a tight-knit family, otherwise they'll likely bring up some trauma for some people as well.
(Coming from an abusive family, all those fake smiles are a reminder of how no one lifted a goddamned finger to help any of us abused kids.)