By definition, the word hangover means: a popular term for a group of disagreeable physical effects, including nausea, thirst, fatigue, headache, and irritability, resulting from the heavy consumption of alcohol and/or certain drugs.
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I recently experienced these symptoms...but not from drinking (I know, you're surprised...)... more from the time period of Weekend before Thanksgiving until the day after Christmas. Yes, folks, on December 26 I threw myself on the couch and declared myself unfit to parent for the day. I was also unable to move due to headache, body aches, fatigue and a highly irritable attitude. My children were ordered to seek Daddy on this day so that Mommy could begin the recuperation of the Holidays.
Having 4 children always makes for a certain level of chaos. Having 4 children, a baking business that gets busy during the holidays, extra dance rehearsals due to Nutcracker, winter concerts, babysitting/library job, hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve AND Christmas, being sick, etc tend to make the chaos soar through the roof. Actually, this year, I think it may have been blown up and into space...but that's just my opinion. It was too much for me (mind and body) to handle. Here it is January 16 and I think I might have fully recuperated.
Why, you might ask, did we plan all that we did. I sometimes ask myself that very same question...all the time. Let me explain a bit...
Nutcracker - We have done the Nutcracker for the past 5 years. It has become a bit of a tradition around here. Like last year, DJ, Kyra and myself were involved. Unlike last year, Kyra was also roped into doing an additional dance that was on top of the Nutcracker rehearsals. A dance number that performed at the mall as well as part of the pre-show of the Nutcracker. This also included 1-2 additional rehearsals each week. She will not be doing that again next year. It was great and she looked fabulous and had a new experience of dancing in the mall...but it is just not for us.
My Baking - This is my dream. And as such, my baking does not get started until after the babies go to bed, dinner is cleaned up and my kitchen is spotless. Because that is when I can get it done, I generally don't start this until about 9:00pm. Which also pushes my bedtime way past midnight for a few nights during the holidays. Someone mentioned to me that maybe I should take a break from this... I don't know how I feel about that. I am really starting to make something of my 'talents' and attract more business... It is a slow and steady pace that I'm going at and is only hectic around these already hectic holidays. The rest of the year is much more manageable.. So, I will not be giving this up.
Thanksgiving - I wanted to order Chinese food and veg with my family on that day. But, alas, the in-laws had no where else to go and wound up at our house. I was told 'Don't go through too much trouble'. But, I also know that the traditional meal was expected and it doesn't matter how many people you are making it for, it is always a lot of work. Sure, I could've just ordered up that Chinese food and made them eat it as well...right??? Thank goodness for hubby as this momma wound up in bed for a bit trying to get rid of a migraine.. totally walked out after doing the dishes and made hubby entertain his parents..
Christmas Eve - again, I did not want to host this night either. However, it somehow wound up at our house anyway. This is the Hubby Family gathering. Way back when, this always used to be at my MIL's house. In the past couple years, the boys (hubby and his brothers) have decided that it can't really be there as MIL really can't be cleaning and prepping and cleaning up as much as she used to. No one else was willing to do it this year and so it wound up here. Even though everyone chipped in with food - there is still the cleaning (cleaned out the playroom to avoid certain toys getting broken), baking the frozen appetizers that were brought, cleaning up the mess and washing the dishes when they all left, etc... you know how it goes. And of course, there's all of the presents that still needed to be wrapped b/c we always leave it to the end... oh, and throw in there a useless hubby moment b/c he wound up feeling gross and couldn't help out with those presents that still needed wrapping..
Christmas Day - this holiday was always planned and I had no problems with it.. It's just a little hard to wake up early (or earlier than usual) after being up super late wrapping presents:) This year, Christmas was the final nail in my coffin though .. another day of prepping, cleaning, etc. At least there were extra hands on this day to help with it all...
Day after Christmas = Mommy staring glossy eyed at the TV with no idea what's going on around her (think Goldie Hawn in that movie Overboard...lol...)
New Year's Eve is our 'family' holiday. We buy junk food appetizers, chips/dip, shrimp and sometimes a lobster and eat all night long. We also play games and just hang out with each other. So, this holiday doesn't really get hectic.
And so, this brings us to the middle of January... DJ turned 10 two days ago and I almost didn't get cupcakes/snacks into school for him. His 'birthday' party was just finalized 3 days ago and is just family (half of them can't make it) and I'm trying to throw in a Movie Night with him and a friend..last minute of course. This is where that Mommy guilt creeps in on you but you figure it out and move on, right??
Going forward - I love writing. I love sharing my stories with you all and hearing your feedback. I am still going to write... my goal is to have an entry once a week. I have so many ideas about entries for this year!!
I hope you are all having a great day and New Year so far..
