We had a fun and relaxing Christmas this year. We are actually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in terms of moving out of babyhood. Christmas Day had very few tears shed by any and fairly good listening by all. Since I've not blogged about anything Christmas-related, I'll recap the whole month in a brief 12-page memorandom.
We started our Christmas celebration the day after we returned from California for Thanksgiving. The first day back we decorated the tree and house (I already had tree and lights ready to go before we left and boxes downstairs). We also did our Jessie Tree coloring and started our Jessie Tree devotionals each night. Ryan was actually able to answer some of the questions asked. She usually answered the questions the same no matter what they asked. Question: "What can you do to honor God?" Answer: "If God tells me to do something then I will do it." That was her favorite answer even when it really didn't fit the question. On December 1st we started our Fisher Price Advent Calendar. We also had our Fisher Price Nativity set (Activity set as Ryan called it). We have two now, which worked out very well because the Angel and Baby Jesus were hot commodities and R & C have not learned that sharing is part of the message Baby Jesus was bringing. A few times we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 while Ryan set up the manger scene and it was just precious!
The first weekend in December we went to Breakfast with Santa and again he is not a favorite unless you consider what he does for you. We have yet another family picture with Santa...maybe one of these days we'll have just the girls with Santa. That night we went to the Carlton's 2nd Annual Cookies and Hot Chocolate and Christmas Parade Viewing Party. It was lots of fun! Charley stayed inside and played with Annaleigh instead of watching the parade. Pat and Ryan had a great time watching the parade and getting candy. Before the party, Ryan danced at the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Municipal Building and sang a little song about Christmas at the Batesville Ballet. It was really cold and the kids wore heavy coats, hats, gloves, and scarves. It was pretty cute. She did great especially considering she hadn't been to dance class the last two times and hadn't practiced!
We had a nice weekend at home the following weekend other than Charley having a stomach virus. Then, a few days later it struck me but without vomiting--hooray! The saddest part was that Charley had to miss her school Christmas party and missed seeing Santa. Sad for us not her...in fact, she may have concocted this illness to avoid seeing him again. By the weekend, all was well except Pat and my dad were in Dallas watching Gonzaga play in a tournament. I wasn't thrilled that he left the weekend before Christmas although I know that I must have given my blessing earlier. I hadn't realized how hectic it would be and how much I would enjoy being home with our Christmas decorations relaxing. Harder to relax when you are the one in charge of R & C all by yourself.
We ended up having a great 36 hours of Pat being gone. We went to Gin Gin & Bubby's at about 4 pm on Friday (my dad invited us but my mother was out and about until bedtime). Even though no one was there to help me it was easier because the list of things at home to be done aren't available to do and they don't loom in your mind forcing you to feel guilty if you don't do them. Ryan accidentally knocked over a pot with greenery that my mother told me that she had had for 40 years and nothing had happened to it until I was left alone with it. She told Ryan that she had it for 40 years and she was surprised it hadn't been broken before. Glad she reframed it for Ry Ry. We spent the night, got up early the next morning and got Daylight Donuts and Hannah Sturch came to babysit for 2 hours while I went to two exercise classes Saturday morning. I had a little guilt about that but in the end I was a happier person and that led to happier children. We had a playdate at the Wardens and then a group lunch at McDonalds. We had late naps and drove around looking at Christmas lights (via Walgreens and an antibiotic for Charley following my swab following Drew's positive test while we were at the Wardens).
Ryan's school didn't have a big Christmas party. They watched Charlie Brown Christmas and then sang a few carols and had a birthday cake for Jesus which was really cute. It was white (white icing is like His righteousness covering us). It was round (His love has no beginning or end). Hmmm....four layers on the inside and I remember brown was for sin and red was for blood. I don't remember the other two layers. The kids sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and it was really sweet.
Christmas week was fairly uneventful. Santa put one toy together each night while Mrs. Ketz-Claus slept. Pat took the girls to Jonesboro on Monday to see Santa while I worked. Charley was so excited and talked about it the whole way down there. But, when they got in the line she started to cover her eyes and look the other way. As they got closer and closer she began to cry. Maybe next year Santa!
Charley got pink eye and Ryan got strep the week of Christmas but we took it in stride. On Christmas Eve, we went to the Barnett Farm for a brunch and that night was our church service. It was so sweet. They sang "Away in a Manger." Ryan had some hand movements that she must have learned elsewhere because the other kids weren't doing them. When they went up for "Go Tell It On The Mountain" Charley decided she would participate. She stood next to Ryan smiling and bouncing. SO SWEET. We didn't realize Pat was ushering until we got there. I was in the pew with the girls, books, cracker crumbs, wiggling, and frustration while Father John was talking about Jesus being born in filthy conditions and that He can save us from our own "filthy hearts." OK, God, I get the message. Eventually, like the soccer games, Ryan and Charley assisted Pat in ushering and Kirk asked me if I could not control my own children for 5 minutes. No, I cannot thankyouverymuch. And, by the way, those five minutes were the most peaceful of the day.
At bedtime we heard Santa's bells. We went to the front porch to look for him but didn't see him. Charley was scared and layed on the floor covering her eyes. Ryan was cuddling with Pat at bedtime and I came in the room and she said "Oh, I thought you were Santa Claus." She really meant it! When Pat had to go get "something" at Mr. Tim's she told him to look for a bright light because that would be Rudolph's nose. It was really cute because she was really into the Santa-thing this year.
On Christmas morning, Gin Gin and Bubby were here waiting for us to come down the stairs and A & A came soon after. Ryan started asking for a rocking horse soon after Santa had procured one for Charley. She says now it is her favorite gift, even though it's pretty small and really for a toddler and she rarely gets on it. If anyone asks what Santa brought her, she always says the rocking horse. Santa also brought a plasma car, grocery store, and easel. We had lunch at GG and Bubby's and opened gifts that night. Everyone passed out thoughtful and beautifully wrapped gifts and I told them that they would be receiving a card soon telling them that money had been given in their names to help vaccinate children in third world countries. Merry Christmas! Then, we celebrated Nana's 95th birthday on the 26 with everyone except Cousin Susan, whom was missed!
This is an abrubt ending, I know. But, I'm done.
KK
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