"I want to do the icing!!"
"NO! Mom said I could do the icing!"
"You're not giving me any candy so I can decorate!"
"You're hogging all the candy!"
"Mom! I saw her eat a piece of candy!"
I was finally feeling a little better and had promised the kids we'd turn on Christmas music, make hot cocoa, and decorate a Gingerbread House. I had visions of how fun and memorable it was going to be.
Instead, one child ended up in their room for half of the decorating, another child was almost in tears, and I wanted to chuck the whole thing and send everyone to bed.
Sigh. Such is life some days.
To all the tired mamas out there, I just want you to know that you are not alone.
There are days when it's not pretty, it's not quiet, and it's certainly not all picture perfect.
But this is the stuff that life is made up of. The good, the bad, the cranky, and the messy.
And in those difficult moments when the kids are acting up, I have a choice. I can choose to be overwhelmed and frustrated (and some days, sadly, that's my first response!). Or, I can choose love, stay calm, and, yes, sometimes declare an early bedtime. 
