Friday, December 30, 2016

That's A Wrap

Christmas was a whirlwind. Just when you think you've got everything done and it is time to relax a wrench is thrown into the plans. 

On the last day of school before Christmas break Grace was in a nativity play. Every year the second grade class presents the play to the school and this was the last time our kids would get to be a part of it. Grace was an angel. She read her lines very well and she definitely looked like an angel.
She had fun directing her choir of angles too. The angels were adorable and the nativity play was precious.

This year I busted my butt so that by the time the kids were out of school I was done with all the Christmas prep.  All the presents had been wrapped, all the treats had been made, all the last minute errands had been run. It was great! I actually felt fairly calm.

Enter the wrench. On Christmas Eve we went over to Todd's mom's house and Ben's godmother got him the exact present that he asked for from Santa (a big Nerf gun).  Panic!!!!  It just would not do to have Ben get such an anticlimactic gift from Santa. This is the last year Ben will have the fun of Santa (I'm sure he is already privy to Santa but didn't want to give up the act before the big day). I had to figure out something, and quick.

Cute part of the story is how my two older boys, Joe and Tommy, (who have been helping me figure out what Santa should get for Grace and Ben) reacted when they saw the Nerf gun Ben had gotten from his godmother. They tried to hide it but they were so upset. They both pulled me aside and told me how upset they were. There were actually worried for me. Tommy told me that he was just sick about it. It was actually kind of sweet, them being so worried about me having to figure something out. I kept telling them it was not a big deal but they were stressed. Made me giggle and definitely helped me to keep my calm over the silly little situation.

I ended up running out to the store on Christmas Eve and getting Ben something that he had asked for last minute (a camera). When we got home I unwrapped the original present and wrapped the replacement present. It was all a little crazy but it did work out in the end.

The stage was set and now we were truly ready for Christmas.
(I swear I did not make the dog sit there. The minute she saw my camera and me focused on the tree she went and sat down in front of it. This crazy dog LOVES the camera!)

Christmas morning was a lot of fun. There were fun surprises all around. I love surprising the kids with things they think they could never have. It worked last year with the Kindles and I actually managed to find some stuff for this year too. Not as exciting as Kindles, but the kids loved it. I even managed a surprise for Todd. He is usually the worst to shop for because all he really wants is hunting stuff or tractor stuff. Nothing I can pick out or get for him. This year I blew up a gorgeous pic (my current header pic) of the kids up north in front of the lake and put it on a canvas for him to hang in his office. Honestly, I think I was more excited to give this gift than anything else. It was a lot of fun. He loved it.
Christmas morning we went to mass, came home to relax a little bit, and then went over to my mom's house for another lovely get together. Overall, Christmas was pretty darn nice.

The day after Christmas we packed everything up and went up north to the cabin. I haven't been there in a couple months and I was really looking forward to getting away. I took 4 books up with me and finished them all. Okay, I was mostly done with the first one and when I began reading the next I figured out that I had already read it. But still. Lots of good reading.

The highlight of the week was our ski trip to Ski Brule. It was so much fun. It was the most relaxed I've ever been skiing since we've had kids. It is really all falling into place now. Grace and I spent the morning on the bunny hill, working on turning and stopping, and Todd and the boys hit the hill. We met for lunch and then all went on the big hill together. Grace was having a little bit of trouble on the bigger hills so after we had some hot chocolate she and Todd went back to the bunny hill and the boys and I skied together. Joe actually asked to ride up the lift with me. Yay! My teenager wants to hang with me! 💗
With some prodding I convinced the boys to run some tougher trails with me. This is the first time in a long time that I've been able to ski something other than a green. I forgot how much fun skiing (actual skiing, not just the bunny hill) can be. Especially with my boys! They did really well. I was so proud of all my kids and how brave they were and how much they pushed themselves. It was a great day.

A couple more days to relax, a little party with our up north neighbors, and before we knew it it was time to come home. When I told Grace it was time to go home she yelled, "WHAT? I thought you said we were gonna stay up here all week?"  I explained that Monday through Friday was a full week. Time flies when you're having fun!

When we got home it was a flurry of unpacking and putting everything in its place, laundry, grocery shopping, and a million errands (library, bank, 4 different stores to return things that weren't working). I was glad that we had decided to just hang at the house for a very laid back New Year's Eve.

Unfortunately for Todd he came down with a peach of a cold. Luckily, we had enough food to temporarily distract him.  Yum!

We all made it to midnight (except for Todd- poor guy) and welcomed the New Year in properly. I am so happy to be able to start another year with these amazing people in my life. I am so grateful.  
It was the perfect way to wrap up a beautiful holiday and a wonderful year.

Hope you all have a blessed, healthy, and happy 2017!

2 comments:

Bijoux said...

A happy new year to you, as well! I only lasted to 11:30. Too much champagne, I guess.

betty said...

I love how you captured all your kids facial expressions as pretty much the same when they were opening their gifts :) Too cute about the Nerf gun, but you came through with the last minute idea with the camera! Well done! Sounded like a fun time except for Todd's cold, but the food looks delicious!

betty

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson