It is always so exciting to anticipate Christmas! All of the festivities, the lights, the decorations, the presents, the sewing projects, the traditional family recipes . . . . but by January 1st, I am SOOO ready to get my life back to "normal." Whatever that might be any given year. There is just something so therapeutic about putting all of that clutter and chaos in order, throwing out all the trash that accumulates, sorting through last year's clothing and toys for the girls and tidying up their dresser drawers and closet with ONLY the stuff that 1.) fits them, 2.) they will wear, 3.) is the right season, 4.) and isn't all tattered and torn.
Which is quite a trick with Our Drama Diva. She would wear the jeans with the most tears, holes, tatters, and paint spatters that she can find. And looks at me in complete wonderment when I suggest that THOSE particular jeans might not be the best choice for going to visit Grandma. What? Grandma loves me doesn't she, even if I wear tattered jeans? Well, of course she does .. . . but still I think it would make Grandma happy to see the pretty skirt that you got for Christmas. Totally clueless! Or maybe I'm the one who is clueless ;o) So she reluctantly takes off the tattered jeans and puts on the skirt for just as long as she needs to, and then whips out those ratty ol' jeans as soon as she gets home. If I am going to try to replace those little gems (but ONLY when they no longer fit, definitely NOT because I think they are too raggedy!), I have to give her 100 reasons why the NEXT pair of jeans will become just as tattered as the old ones, given enough time.
And then there is Our Little Lady of Constant Stubbornness . .. . . who LOVES to wear dresses. And her "high heel" sandals (which have a tiny heel of about 3/4" but to her, those are "high heels"). In the dead of winter, in the middle of a snowstorm, without socks. Last Sunday she insisted on wearing a lovely little ivory dress with white flowers embroidered on the sheer overskirt. It is sleeveless, has a dainty little sash that ties in the back, and it buttons down the back. She found it herself one day when we were out on one of our thrift shop expeditions. She loves that dress almost as much as she loves her high heels! But that's what you wear to Sunday School in the middle of July! Should we carefully choose our parent / child battles around this kind of thing? Well, right or wrong, we compromised . . . . . a pretty little ivory-colored sweater with pearl buttons and a hoodie took care of the whole sleeveless problem, and ivory-colored tights took care of the high heel sandals. She survived, and was delightful all through church. Well, most of the time!
All of that is to say that it is rather difficult to sort through the clothing that is outgrown, wrong season, worn out, and in general ratty old stuff that needs to GO! But that is one of my favorite things about January! A few other projects on my January "To Do" list: clean the kitchen cupboards, paint the girls' bedroom and the living room, reorganize my sewing studio, and work on my new eBooks. Along with keeping my little online shops stocked and creating new vintage refashioned treasures, that should keep me busy most of January! Then we are planning on going roller skating again very soon, Gracie wants to join Girl Scouts, and Annie is interested in music lessons. ... . and we might even find time to get away for a week-end on a mini-vacation. Probably just to a local motel with a pool, see a movie, and go out for pizza, but that's a pretty special outing for our family. I am definitely looking forward to January, and those are just a few of the reasons why I absolutely LOVE January 1st!
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