Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Christmas Helpers

I love when the boys help me with fun jobs like vacuuming and watering the garden and helping to stuff Christmas envelopes.   Really, I do enjoy it.  There are other jobs I DON'T really want help with like decorating the cookies or counting the cash after a Watkins open house and Cookie Kitchen sale or actually addressing Christmas envelopes.  Really, I don't enjoy that.  But tonight we had fun.

Timothy, my little computer guru was helping me to get the Christmas letter just right this year.  He fixed the margins, adjusted font styles and sizing, printed the letters on the Christmas paper and then helped me tremendously by folding each letter with the Christmas card and then stuffed them into the envelopes.  We were having such a good time sitting at the kitchen table together, laughing, talking, commenting on the people on our list, etc.  The other boys were watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in the other room, so I thought they really had no interest in this activity in the kitchen. 

Then Stephen came in for a popcorn snack and saw us working.  The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe went off and he plopped himself down at the table and started putting address labels on the stuffed envelopes.  We were all working so cheerfully and peacefully and then "The Question" came up:  "Mommy, are you going to pay us for this work?"  WHAT?!  This is FUN stuff, not work!  Haha!  I had a good laugh at that one as I got up from my chair, walked to each boy, gave them a hug and a kiss and said, "Yep.  You just got paid.  Thanks for helping me!" 

Believe it or not, they smiled back, returned my hugs and went right back to work.  End of discussion.  (Whew!)

Unfortunately we didn't get to finish before bedtime, but I was promised help that would continue as soon as they get up tomorrow morning. If you get a card from us this year, remember that they were all assembled with a lot of love and laughter and dialogue tonight.  I love my Christmas helpers!

2 comments:

heidiannie said...

I remember having those kind of helpers.
Jordan moved into his own place this fall and I am remembering all the years I had helpers to put up decorations and deliver gifts to our neighbours, not to mention sweeping floors and shoveling out the driveway.
These are very full and rich years, Martha- I'm so glad you treasure them.

Martha said...

Oh, I DO treasure them for sure! There are definitely moments when they are not so treasurable, but I'm praying that I make those moments less and less. At my age, I can't afford to waste these years. It just makes it so much easier when they are cooperative as well, though.

Jordan's gone. You have an empty nest. :( I hope he flies in often for little visits with his mommy!