My last post got me caught up through Sunday. Now on to the Main Events of Christmas!
CHRISTMAS EVE
Monday was Christmas Eve. For my ENTIRE life, we have celebrated Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family. Either she or one of my aunts would host it. Occasionally a cousin has hosted it. We hosted it once in the old house. And this year, I volunteered to host it in the new house.
However, it turned out a bit differently than in the past. Two of my aunts have recently moved to Florida. With them gone, Christmas Eve just doesn't seem the same. So, I planned on having Christmas Eve at my house while my cousin planned on having it at her house in Warren. There was a communication break down somewhere, and we each had parties being planned.
So, my immediate family and I continued with the celebration at our house. Another cousin and her family came. Another cousin stopped by. But it just wasn't the same.
And, that's not entirely bad, it was just different.
So, my sister and I planned for our kids to do all of these fun activities. Which is interesting, because when we were kids, my mom and aunts didn't PLAN a bunch of STUFF for us to do, it was just fun to be together, eat, and open gifts.
Among the activities we had planned, and actually accomplished on Christmas Eve were: Christmas cookie decorating, Ginger Bread House (train) building, Nephew Aaron playing Jingle Bell Rock on the violin, eating appetizers, eating dinner, eating dessert, picture taking, and present opening. We had other stuff planned for the kids, but the day got away from us (the party went from 1pm - 8pm). And the kids enjoyed their time together. So did the grown ups.
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After everyone had left and we cleaned up a bit, Kev and I and the kids watched A Christmas Story on TV. You'll shoot your eye out! Good times.
CHRISTMAS MORNING
There really is a Santa Claus because the kids let us sleep in until 8am on Christmas morning.
Their stockings were overflowing and Santa left a pile of items for each kid (unwrapped, of course). The biggest hit for Owen was his big huge train box. The biggest hit for Liam was his DS Lite. And the biggest hit for Jordyn came during breakfast, well after all the gifts had been received.
I wanted there to be a true moment like in A Christmas Story where Ralphy's dad asks him if he got everything he wanted for Christmas and Ralphy said, well, sort-of, then his dad told him that there was another present behind the desk and lo and behold there was another present waiting for him - the official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!
So, we're eating breakfast and I ask Owen if he got everything he wanted. Yes. And then I ask Liam, "Well not really, I wanted a REAL guitar." (he GOT a real guitar, the EXACT real guitar he had been coveting since September). Then I move on to Jordyn. She is such a sweetheart. Of course I got everything I wanted and MORE! And then there was the ring of a cell phone. Not my cell phone. Not Kevin's cell phone. JORDYN'S NEW CELL PHONE. Which is totally cool by the way. She found it stuffed inside an urn.
THAT was her favorite gift of the year and she has been texting non-stop.
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CHRISTMAS DAY
After breakfast we headed over to Grand Rapids to spend the day with Kevin's family. All of the siblings were there and Santa (a.k.a. Uncle Louie) stopped by! There was good food (mmm, pickle rolls), good company, and good presents (the CROP-A-DILE - FINALLY!!)
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We came back home the day after Christmas. I immediately started taking down the decorations and Owen kept telling me "But Christmas Eve isn't over yet!" So, I left the tree up for him. When I finally took it down on 1/2, it still made him sad. But he'll get over it. I told him we'd put it up again next Christmas. And another Christmas, and the flurry of activity that goes along with it, will be here before we know it!!
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