every year the same procedure

following my last post I finally had time to get into the 
"christmast-mood". The week before I took a week off work - so I was free for the last two weeks in 2012!!! Yeah! I had engouh time to scrap my presents in the evening hours, doing laundry not only at the weekend, doing grocery shopping with just one kid and I was quite relaxed as the kids got home - all in all I really hadn´t have this typical christmasstress.

We had my parents and one brother over  - but no stress with THE dinner. Mum cooked it at her home and brought it over - I just had to cook the things around the Tafelspitz  - it was plain and simple but sooo delicioius.
Well -  this year we told the kids that we would like to concentrat more on the purpose of christmas so we decided just to open ONE present and the other ones the next morning. To our surprise they didn´t really complain. So this year we had no fidget, no hurry to come to the "present-part", no moaning "when do we open the presents?" every two seconds - oh how enjoyable!!!

On the contrary - the kids prepared the spiritual part. Laura, our oldest one prepared little sheets whit the programm flow on the computer and copied the lyrics of the christmas songs she choose. And than came Christmas to me: Laura and her brother both played christmas songs on their guitars and the rest of us were singing .
But not enough - our "attending school next September - kid" Julia performed us a poem - she was practising with me the whole day and did a very good job. She was very proud to do that and you could see that she felt very comfortable.
Oh and than came the main part for me. I got to play the piano with Laura four-handed!!! I just looove to play four-handed  - but with my own child it´s even better!! She did so well! (please let me tell you that ;-)  ). As we sang together the other Christmas carols she got up and conducted us (I haven´t seen her before - yap she learned it at her special musicschool)  - WHAT a JOY these moments where for me as a mum  - so my husband and I thought that somethings we are doing good with brining up our children :-)

Mmmmhhh  - with the "present part" we changed our opinion without telling the kids - we wanted to see their joy openinig the presents instead of sleeping in (well sleeping in, happens never - only at christmas time ;-)) )

So there was no precedure as every year at all - THIS year  was different and it felt so good - Thank you Heavenly Father! 
THAT´s Christmas to a 4kids-mum!