.jpeg)
Winter is the time to go within, remember the year that has passed and make promises for the new year. When the days are short and the nights are long, it is important to get those comfy clothes out, light the fire and hibernate a little bit. Slow down, do what you have to do with intention and live every moment to its fullest potential. Our two little wildings have this mastered!
Not so long ago, they got advent calendars from the little wildlings beautiful godmother from Switzerland (only took 2 months to find its way over here, I mean I love old school, but…). 24 little gifts to open on each day before Christmas. Since it didn’t quite make it for Christmas, we were excited to make January a touch sweeter, joyous and mindful. A sweet little something every day, add a little excitement and make the small moments special. We hung them up, those beautifully packaged advent gifts where they could see them, just a touch out of reach to keep temptation at bay. They opened their first treat that night and with the promise that they would be allowed to open the next one in the morning before school, they seemed content and happy with the nice surprise.
We have one rule in our house, I will sit with the wildlings at night, but only if their room at least pretends to be clean. There has to be a pathway for me to get in and out in the dark without the risk of stepping on toys and old bananas they smuggled out of the kitchen and that haven’t grown legs yet to make their way out and on to better and brighter things. Most days this works quite well, with the odd before bed time hurry because they actually would like mum to put them to bed.
This particular day, the room had been kept fairly clean soI was quite surprised to find it absolutely destroyed half an hour before bedtime and two very happy little wildlings telling me that tonight they would put themselves to bed. Take a win though when you can, it is rare enough that I’m not half asleep by the kids’ bedtime myself. 7.15pm we had read a couple stories on the couch and they got fair warning that they had a few more minutes to play before bed. Without hesitation, no protest they gave us a big good night hug and slammed their door shut. That NEVER happens and I started to have a sneaking suspicion. A few hours later we still heard giggles and laughter out of their bedroom so Scott stuck his head in there. They had opened every single gift. They had smuggled stools into their room to be able to reach and opened every single one! For a good 2 hours they had been stuffing their faces with chocolates, gummibears and other treats. They had rings on their fingers and beautiful skirts, dresses and sweaters on, golden reindeer horns on their heads.This is what the land where milk and honey flow must look like! We left them to it. Carpe diem, we only die once, but we live every day, every moment and we must hold on to the moment, make it special, make it intentional.
6 o’clock the next morning we got a good glimpse at the aftermath. They had fallen asleep with Elsa dresses and bunny sweaters on, they had painted and stamped their entire bodies, including their faces, especially their faces, and had surrounded themselves with chocolates and all sorts of fantastic candy, most of it had ended up in their bellies and the rest was melted into their beds, hair and clothes. It was a glorious disaster and I had 2 sugar hangover wildlings to get out of bed and ready for school. We made it and it still makes me laugh how we got outsmarted by a 3 and a 5-year-old.
The execution of their plan had been absolutely flawless. This was not a spur of the moment, this was intentional. They put their little heads together and had a plan. Make a mess and mum or dad won’t come in, count on mum and dad being happy to spend some time together talking business and gardening without interruption and not checking in on them if they close the door, get the chairs ready beforehand so they could reach, get scissors and then get to work fast! And enjoy it to the fullest! Waking the oldest up out of her sugar coma all I could get out of her was:” this was the BEST night!”
I still have to laugh when I think about it. It has also taught me a few good lessons. Make plans with intention. Have everything ready you need to execute your plans. Hibernate, but make sure you have supplies. Enjoy every second and live to the fullest. Sometimes, forget about the consequences if it is worth it. Eat that candy before you know how bad it is for you, you will enjoy it a lot more now! Don’t ever trust a wildling that goes to bed without complaint and NEVER trust a closed door! We only die once, but we live everyday, so make it count!
