Nearly every single person I passed in the store laughed. And there was a time when I would have been laughing at myself, too. Yes, I was THAT woman filling my cart with Christmas decorations before Halloween this year, and I did it because Mayhem asked if we could start decorating early. Because last year, we had the kind of holiday I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Ever.
It started with me being behind on my shopping. Having a kid with a birthday on December 24 tends to complicate things. I decided we wouldn’t stress about it and we’d be fine. I’VE GOT THIS! But an unexpected call in mid-December changed everything.
Keith’s dad had been under the weather for about a month and his doctors decided a few more tests were in order. We dropped what we were doing, hopped in the car, and headed south to Georgia. The plan was simple: we’d go down for the weekend, and then head back to Ohio for Mayhem’s birthday/Christmas at home. WE’VE GOT THIS!
Only things didn’t go according to plan.
A mere twelve hours after we arrived, my father-in-law’s condition became critical. The hours quickly turned to days. But we were hanging in there together. WE’VE GOT THIS! Finally, my procrastination caught up with me. It was Christmas Eve and Mayhem’s birthday, when I realized the few gifts I’d purchased for Mayhem were back home: in Ohio. My body tensed and began shaking. I wanted to sob. I was envisioning the ceremony in which I’d be presented with the “Worst Mom of the Year” award when Keith rolled in. When he asked what was wrong, I bit my lip and whispered that we didn’t have any gifts. I fought back the tears and simply said “TOTALLY. DON’T. GOT. THIS.”
And with that, Keith announced (loudly, for Mayhem to hear) that there were a few things he needed at the store. We hopped in the car and 20 minutes later, pulled into the parking lot. Without saying a single word, we both knew the plan. Once inside, we split up. (The truth of the matter is that I looked like a stalker following a nice man and his cute kid around the store.) Pushing the cart and ducking behind racks, I began stashing some of the things she liked. And all of the sudden, we were having fun. It had been days since any of us had laughed or smiled, and this was just what we all needed. Mayhem was having a blast running up and down the aisles with her dad, oohing and aahing over ALL THE THINGS and Keith and I were having fun being the sneaky parents who might just pull off a decent birthday and Christmas after all.
When they reached the Barbie aisle, things came to a screeching halt. Mayhem slowly walked up and down the aisle, inspecting the dolls and noticing the details. Picking up boxes and putting them back. My instructions (via text) were that absolutely anything in that particular aisle would be perfect.
We sneaked around, making sure to avoid each other until I knew we were going to pull this off. I gave him one final instruction by text: “I’m headed to the checkout. Keep her away!!!!” As the cashier scanned the random selection of clothes, books, games, and toys, I felt a sense of accomplishment or relief (probably both). On the drive home, Keith and I held hands. And smiled. The holidays were not going as planned, but somehow, we’d managed to find a bright spot. And laughter. Which we so desperately needed. And we knew: WE’VE GOT THIS!
We’re absolutely thrilled to partner with one of our very favorite brands, Hallmark, to share our real life story of how we #keepsakeit together during the holidays. This year Hallmark is encouraging us all to celebrate and embrace even the quirkiest moments of our holidays. Be sure to visit keepsakeit.com and explore the moments others are embracing. AND …. you MUST watch the HILARIOUS videos featured! My current favorite is Vegan Christmas (click on the pig ornament on the tree to find it) and I literally had tears rolling down my face when I watched it. Also, be sure to tag your favorite holiday moments on on your social channels with #keepsakeit so Hallmark can see all the ways you embrace the (sometimes crazy) holidays.
And if you’re so inclined, I’d love for you to leave a comment sharing which video is your favorite (disclaimer: they’re all side-splitting funny!) or tell me a favorite quirky holiday memory of your own. After all, the countdown is on and the holidays are coming!
I just shared a time hop yesterday from 6 years ago where I said I was ready for Christmas and it was going to be a festive one. My oldest son was in the 4th grade and I was pregnant but not due until mid February. For the first time in years I wasn’t working and had all the time to make it a perfect and memorable holiday. Little did I know as I put my thoughts onto Facebook that just days after Thanksgiving I would be put on Bedrest in the hospital making the holiday plans disappear. I missed all the festivities that year. But when I delivered an early but healthy baby boy on Dec 26th I knew we made memories that year just not the ones I intended.
How stressful that must have been! Being on bedrest over the holidays would be SO difficult, especially with other kids to care for. Glad you got an extra special Christmas gift that year 🙂 Mayhem is a Dec. 24 baby, but she was overdue. She’s had a flair for the dramatic since she came into the world … Hope this season is extra excellent for you and your family!
I did the “We got this” last year. The week of Thanksgiving my husband had back surgery. We’re okay I thought, we have 4 grown children everything will work out. Weekend after Thanksgiving the hubby insists that we get our Christmas tree because that is tradition. Oldest daughter is on a cruise, middle daughter is with in-laws out of state and youngest is cramming for senior year college exams; so it’s just he and I going to the tree farm. Did I mention we like our trees big (10-12′)? After a brutal walk through the farm, found the one we wanted, a tree farm employee cut, bound and tied the tree to our car. Once home, had to ask a neighbor for help getting it in the house. Ok we got this. A week post-op he’s still not doing well and get a small cold. I’m busying finishing up the semester and finally come up for air the week of Christmas only to have both he and I land in bed with pneumonia! Our wonderful daughters pulled together decorated, shopped, and even cooked our Christmas day meal. Totally forgot I raised girls who “get it”.
Ahhhhhh! Sounds crazy! But it also sounds like you raised some pretty smart and resourceful girls – kudos on that 🙂 Hope this year is less eventful. And as a side note – YAY for big trees!!! We always had trees too big to fit in the house when I was a kid and I kind of miss it. May have to bring that tradition back this year.
This post brought tears to my eyes! We had a similar situation in 2012 when my second daughter came six weeks early on Dec 16 and was placed in the NICU. We were also in the process of moving in preparation for the new baby which got fast forwarded. There were no trees or decorations that year and as we drove to my parents’ house on Christmas day to drop of our then barely two year old we were stressing about finding her some presents after we visited the baby in the NICU. She didn’t get anything from Santa that year (thank goodness she was too little to remember or completely understand) and only got three things from Mommy and Daddy. I never want to have a Christmas like that again and every year since we try to spend a little time making it super special for both of our girls! And maybe this year is the year to start a #keepsakeit tradition!
Oh goodness! I can’t even imagine how difficult that year must have been for you! Aside from a tabletop tree last year, we were almost decoration free as well (while we were out of town). I was thankful that we’d put up our decorations at home though as it was a little bit of a bright spot for Mayhem to come home to on New Year’s Eve. I have zero shame in the fact that we have decorations out already. After you’ve been through such a difficult time (like you did) I’m all about celebrating as much and as hard as possible 😉 Wishing you and yours a spectacular holiday season!
OMG “he’s looking at his ornament”
The ham one was cute but I started the hysterics with the “Perfect Mom” one!! Not me at all… Seriously, I finally got my own tree a few years ago. My girls usually had good placement but there may have been a few adjustments. 🙂 Now, at ages 13 and 16 (and for the last few years) I end up having to ride them to do their tree. They love looking at their ornaments and then get pooped out! Of course, it would not be allowed to not put “their” tree up!
YES!!!! The Perfect Mom one definitely ties with Vegan Christmas for me too! I fully admit to being that way about how the tree is decorated 😉
Since we first met, my husband has picked out a hallmark ornament for me each year. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes sappy and sentimental but looking back over the 12 ornaments I now have, it’s always so fun to reminisce about each year and what was happening in our lives. One of my favorite parts of all of this though, is the ornament selection process. He literally goes to the store in July to grab the catalog and will pick out which one he wants to get me before they sell out.
Such a special moment we share and I’m thankful he started this tradition.
That’s so amazing! Sounds like you’ve got a keeper 🙂
I have so many “magic” Christmas stories. And they are definitely Hallmark moments. The laughable one would be the time my brother brought his then girlfriend home for Thanksgiving to meet us for the first time. We lived near Chicago and they got off the plane with T-shirts on. The CA girl didn’t know what to do with herself and we had to find coats for them back at the house! My mom also wanted them to “participate” in Christmas so we went and got our tree the day after. It needed some adjusting and I was the smallest so down I went. As I was tightening the screws in the stand. They stepped back to see if it was straight. And the next thing I knew there was a pine tree on top of me. Instead of rushing to get the tree off of me, they all laughed hysterically and went looking for a camera. Meanwhile I was crying out for someone to get the tree off me. My brother ended up marrying that girl a few years later and we still laugh at that story over a decade later. I can at least laugh at it now that I am not being crushed by an evergreen!
Oh my gosh!!!! I’m so sorry that I’m actually laughing while reading this … what a memorable year! 🙂