And just like that....

I'm an Evil Mom.

(I knowingly post this...even after my last post - of how wonderful it is to have children around to see Christmas again in a whole new light...)

Last night my boys reached their peak of "antics" with Daddy out of town. 

I tried to channel their excess energy by doing fun Christmas activities...icing sugar cookies...wrapping a present we got for Daddy, you know...that kinda stuff.

Instead I found my patience pushed to its limits and I think I have a permanent dent in my tongue from biting it - rather than yelling - as they broke the icing and its dish.  Practiced writing their name with frosting on the table, tried to "ice" the cat, threw shoes at the Christmas tree, and got into the stash of unwrapped gifts and started running around the house with them...

So, last night, a friend of the family called - hereafter referred to as "JN".  He heard the boys' yelling and carrying on....Matthew was being willfully disobedient...you know...its prefaced with that "crazy" look in their eyes they get...when they know they're doing something...and they're gonna do it too...just to show you they can...

Anyways...

JN said, "I do a really good Santa...you want me to talk to him?"  And out of desperation....

I said Yes.

I put Joshua on the phone...who was rattling off how much he looooovvved Santa, all the things he wanted for Christmas this year....and Matt was scared stiff.  Eyes huge.  Had that "Oh. Crap." look on his face....I handed the phone over to him...and JN gave him the worst scare of his life.  Telling him, he was watching...and if he didn't obey his Mommy, he'd find a big lump of coal in his stocking.  Matt started tearing up...told Santa he was sorry and then just sat in my lap. 

After I got off the phone...I heard over and over..."I'm sorry Mommy.  I'm sorry." 

NOT that the remainder of the night was without incident. 

But it improved. 

So, now I wonder....will I be getting coal in my stocking for scaring the ever-livin' tar outta my kids?!  Or is this an acceptable form of discipline around the holidays?  I have to think on that for a while....