Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 has come and gone.. We have about three feet of snow outside our house and it's still snowing. In case you feel all googly eyed, envying all our sledding and skiing, let me restore your normal vision by declaring that we do not feel it's safe to venture out in either of our 2WD vehicles and I left all the boys' snow clothes at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas Eve, thinking it would be easier as we planned on returning the following day to snowmobile. Sooooooo.......I've got time. And the inclination to blog. Beware.

Christmas Eve has been long been at the top of my list of favorite days. I love the anticipation. I love the jubilee. I love the songs and the food and the pretty packages still protected from their future harassment.

Certainly, the day's positive image gets a boost from my happy childhood memories. While there were a few too many last minute shopping trips in which my reputation as a bad gift giver was cemented (Jon's giant Hershey kiss still wins the prize, I think. Or maybe Maureen's glass piano. Or Emily's vanity. All were purchased at a drug store for convenience), mostly the day was spent hanging out with my family, driving through the neighborhood where each street and driveway was silhouetted by luminaries, snacking on smoky cheese, summer sausage and crackers, sipping on ginger ale, caroling in the glow of candlelight and listening to my father read the Christmas story.

This year, Christmas Eve felt unbelievably ordinary. Not wanting to repeat my late-night wrapping marathon of last year, I had all gifts wrapped the day before. I had cleaned the day before as well - really wanting to allow Christmas Eve to be as special as I remembered it. Jay worked, the boys were on day three of vacation so much of the home-from-school novelty had worn off. We watched Kung-Fu Panda together (really funny. Jack Black is great) made fudge and played in the snow. I had soup in the crock-pot and we weren't due over at Grandpa and Grandmas until 6:00. Then, all of a sudden, the day became unbearably annoying. My kids weren't listening to me, my patience was thin and it all felt so unfair. This was a magical day! And I had run out of magic.

By 3:30, the four of us sat in the McDonald's play land....me, wishing myself in Montana, my children probably having the best time of the day so far. I looked around at the other sorry souls who occupied the restaurant and wondered if they either didn't celebrate Christmas or had no where else to go. My bleeding heart kicked in and I imagined their stories -- alone on Christmas, passed over and ignored by the merry and bright. I wanted to invite them all to my in-laws until I realized I looked every bit as sorry as them. Maybe they were just killing a few hours too. Maybe they dislike ham...or turkey...and wanted a full stomach before showing up for their own party. In any case, I fully repented of an earlier thought. A few days ago, after seeing images of the thousands of travelers stranded in closed airports and roads, I smugly thought to myself, "Why do all we make this holiday even more busy and expensive than it already is with our desperate need to celebrate Christmas en masse. Just stay home. Simplify. Relax." Now I know why people brave cancelled flights and icy highways. It is so they don't end up in McDonalds on Christmas or Christmas Eve.

Right before heading to McDonalds. I'm still playing around with the idea of sending out Christmas cards and was hoping for a cute shot.

Once we made it to Grandma and Grandpa's house, my adult pity party lifted and it finally felt like a holiday. Grandma had the dining room table covered in dark, forest green table cloth with red candles burning on top. The ham was ready, as were the twice-baked potatoes and we only need to wait until Vaughn and Patty's family and the LDS missionaries showed up. They did, we ate and my spirits continued to rise. Next came the program and I love the program. All the grandkids, except Henry, performed and Jay and I sang our own duet to Baby, It's Cold Outside. It felt a little uncomfortable in front of the missionaries, but because I was at the piano and my back was facing them, I forgot about their possible embarrassment from listening to a song about a man and a woman making out. Its a fun song to sing, anyways.

Delanie rocking out on her guitar.

Derek blowing his horn.

Sam and Henry were pretty mesmerized by the trumpet.

Me accompaning Seth on his solo, "Born To Be Our Savior"

Derek is like a human jungle gym for his adoring younger cousins.

Once one gets a turn, they all want a turn.

Patty brought over their Melody Harp and Seth and Sam absolutely loved it.

They could have played with this all night.

Jay caught me angling the camera his way and, as usual, posed.

Grandpa started reading, "T'was the Night Before Christmas" and when we told Sammy to stop running around and listen...he pouted.

But the magic of the story soon brought him around.

The missionary's curfew was 8:00, and after they left we headed downstairs for the traditional pinata breaking. We haven't been to Jay's parent's home for Christmas since Seth's second Christmas in 2001, so it was fun to watch all of our boys take a whack at the armadillo. Sammy finally broke it open and the next few hours were spent watching PBS play last year's Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert with the King Singers and The Christmas Story on TBS.

Vaughn made his traditional rice pudding and hid an almond in one of the bowls, later discovered by Delanie. Sammy got upset, wanting to find an almond but being unable to stomach the rice pudding so Delanie handed over her prize, a giant chocolate bar, to him. Derek burned off all their excess energy with one round of wrestling after another and I smiled as I enjoyed this family gathering.

Broken and the treasure gathered.

Grandma and Patty

The Christmas Story movie. Pretty funny. Since so many people say that Henry reminds them of Ralphie, it seemed appropriate to watch it.

Eventually, we drove back home, in the blowing snow, and had a truncated version of our own recent Christmas Eve traditions. We had to skip the crackers and cheese and sparkling grape juice (like how I upgraded from ginger ale?) and we had already heard the New Testament scriptures telling of the birth of Christ from the King Singers. After hearing it in their almost regal British accents, it seemed anti-climatic to read it again. That left the opening of pajamas and group timer shot before bedtime.

Everyone's excited to open their first gift.

Jay suffers from chronically cold feet so I ordered him some adult footed pajamas, with a drop-seat flap (which almost gave away our secret identity when I physically couldn't stop laughing after the opening of his drop-seat got caught on the french handle of BOTH boys' bedroom doors as he walked by carrying one of their larger toys). The boys were more pratically outfitted in sweats and tops and I found my own sleepwear the day before at Wal-Mart. We changed, took our photo (it was 11:00 by now), set out the stockings and kissed our excited boys goodnight.

I'm so, so disappointed that the only pictures I am in are blurry. How can a timer shot be blurry? Grrr.

Cuter smiles but blurrier yet.

Jay and his "drop-seat"

We were up for a few more hours, doing what parents do and shut off our own lights shortly after 1:00 am. Seth promptly woke us five hours later and we were finished with all present opening at 7:00 am.

It is a joy to experience Christmas through the eyes of children. We tried out a new tradition that I heard about in a talk last Sacrament meeting and I wrapped up the Christ child from our nativity in as pretty a package as I was able and opened it last. Inside, along with the figure, was the scripture from John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It was a nice moment for me even though it seemed quickly forgotten to the Legos, Hubba Bubba and Fisher Price Little People town. Still...it was a nice moment and I hope to do it every year, giving it the weight and emphasis that a tradition gives.

Seth, Sam and Henry loved everything, even their Sacrament Meeting busy books, and we slothfully enjoyed the rest of the day - shut in, talking on the phone, snacking on crackers and cheese and candy. I read half a novel while taking a hot bath, no one changed out of their pajamas all day (well...Jay changed out of his footed ones into his normal ones) and Jay and I enjoyed watching the first couple of episodes from his new complete collection of Arrested Development after the boys went to bed.

Opening up the first presents

Jay was still blurry eyed.

Looking for more.

Jay opening his gift from me. It was cash for a wood lathe but I disguised it well.

Henry never quite got the knack for opening gifts and his brothers eagerly helped him out but he was still giving it a go here.

Fun for the whole family

Jay got Seth a "Choose Your Own Destiny" Star Wars book. He's showing Seth how it works.

In fact, everyone but Mom and Dad got Star Wars stuff.

Henry loved his toys, but he was equally interested in devouring the candy in his stocking.

Presents from Grandma and Grandpa in Montana

Jay's parent's got us a table-top wood bowling set.

Taking their aim quite seriously

Jay made everyone hashbrowns, eggs and bacon as our main meal at 10:00

The snow at about 4:00 yesterday afternoon. Add even more to that now. My poor kitchen rug got left outside.

The aftermath

Evening bowling with crankier moods.

I'm not sure I can handle another pajama wearing, wii playing, toy cluttered living room kind of day but it looks like that is exactly what is going to happen. The snow has been falling for the three hours I've been awake so far and the sky is heavy and grey. If it does come to that, at least I have the second half of my novel, a treadmill and new fancy shoes to support me, a house full of people I love and blessings so great in abundance to appreciate.

Merry Christmas.