Holidays come and go so fast. We just returned from spending the holidays with with family out of town and now I’m like WOW I feel exhausted. I still need to take down all the Christmas decorations. I have family here in town that I still need to deliver gifts to and the kids, well that’s simple THEY ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!! I love the first week of winter break with the kids because we are so busy and excited getting ready to the big night when Santa comes. But the second week of winter break is a killer. Even with all the new toys, gadgets and gizmo’s my kids find irritating me much more entertaining. My teenager is bored and would like money and mom’s taxi service to run her and some friends around. My seven year old refuses to share any of his new toys but is more than willing to play with the younger kids toys at free will, without asking. My youngest hasn’t touch any of her new toys since we got home, she is more interested in driving mom totally nuts. And Jackson contrary to most days, is the easiest right now. He is entertaining himself with the wide varieties of new movies Santa brought.

I watch the clock tick by waiting for it to hit 4:30 when daddy gets home. I feel guilty as I know he has worked all day but I can’t wait the minute when I can hand the kids off to him. I’m looking for just an hour of peace and quite without interruption. It’s crazy because I know that if I just take a deep breathe, relax a little and focus on the kids they would calm down. I hate days like this.  I need to do so much yet I’m just running in circles not accomplishing much of anything. My only hope at this point is that tomorrow will be better. Whoever said motherhood was easy was lying!

To those of you who follow my personal blog you know that I have this incredible 5 year old son that was diagnosed with Autism 2 years ago. When I began MommyMachelle I wasn’t sure what direction I wan going to take at the time. Having an autistic son consumed most of my life and if I was going to blog about my life, then that was what I would share. I spent 3 to 4 days a week taking him from Social Therapy to Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy was also on the schedule. So ya I knew a lot about autism and I could share with other families my knowledge. But things changed quickly, as I started to write my personal blog I realized there was so much more about me that Autism. I had a husband and bills and 3 other children. I needed to find a balanced between it all and that is where I am right now. My personal blog is just about being a wife and a mom and my sons autism is just one small part of that.

But because I do have a lot experiences to share on Autism I have decided to dedicate a section to just that, my son. It’s called Jackson’s Journey and it’s where I can share some of the most amazing moment’s and not so amazing moments of his life, my hopes and dreams for him and the journey him and I take every day in this world together.

As we prepare for the Holidays Jackson’s excitement is exciting. This is the first year he has actually participated in the Holiday. He wrote a letter to Santa, he exchanged gifts in class and he even set out 2 small carrots for the reindeer to eat on Christmas Eve. He watches the calendar daily as he has figured out how to follow the days until that magical day approaches. We remind him daily that Santa is watching and that he has to be nice and he understands. I hear him sing Christmas songs he had learned from school and I have to say this is truly the best Holiday season for me. To Jackson “Merry Christmas buddy, I love you.”

Jackson’s Gingerbread House – He was so proud of this but a ‘bit frustrated that he couldn’t eat the cardboard box that was holding the house up.

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Cheap Family Meals has posted some great last minute gift ideas that are inexpensive and simple to give. I know the Christmas crunch has hit me, I am running around like a chicken trying to create last minute gifts for neighbors, my kids friends and those long lost family members we only get to see once a year.

Cheap Last Minute Gift Ideas | Cheap Family Meals

• Big Hershey’s Candy Bar – Hershey bars only cost $1 and they have many varieties. Wrap some yarn or ribbon around the candy bar, tie in a bow and attach a gift tag. (we gave these to teachers and my teenagers close friends at school)

• Candy Gift Sack – Put 1 Candy Cane and 4 or 5 pieces of candy in a cello bag or sandwich bag add some ribbon or yarn and a gift tag. (I actually couldn’t find any Christmas cello bags but I found these sandwich and craft baggies in the Ziploc section at Wal-Mart. The baggies are made by Hefty and cost me $1.25 for 150 sacks and ties.) (we gave these as a gift to each student in my kids classrooms)

• Hot Cocoa Gift Sack – Put 1 envelope Hot Cocoa, 1 candy cane and 2-3 hot cocoa Hershey Kisses in a cello bag or sandwich bag add some ribbon or yarn and a gift tag. (we gave these to the bus drivers and classroom aides)

• Popcorn Gift Sack – Fill a cello bag or sandwich bag with microwave popcorn add some ribbon or yarn and a gift tag. (we give these out to neighbors and the neighborhood friends my kids play with)

• Cookie Plate – I’m out of time and cannot bake cookies so I purchased a tube of chocolate chip cookie dough for $2.50, baked them and place 5 or 6 cookies on a paper plate, covered it with some Christmas colored Cling wrap and added a Christmas bow to the top. (we give these out to family and friends that stop by)

Hope this helps you all as you search for those last minute gift giving ideas. And if your looking for last minute meal ideas for your Holiday Party, Cheap Family Meals can help with that as well.

Good Luck and God Bless. Happy Holidays from MommyMachelle!!
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