Christmas 2013

In spite of the fact that Chris and I have been packing up and heading out of town our entire marriage, it is still overwhelming for me to load up this crew for this particular holiday.  The thing is, Christmas means gifts and gifts for young children are large.  And because I am ALL ABOUT the magic of Christmas, I insist that my children not be denied the joy of a room full of new toys on Christmas morning just because we have to travel.  That, of course, is why our car looks like this when we hit the road:

Really, its not bad!  We could see out the back, did not require the car top carrier, and we had a play kitchen in there!  The drive went ok, I think it helped that Annabelle was provided the privilege of facing forward in her carseat for the first time!  There was traffic on the way, rain on the way home.  The kids didn't sleep well on the return trip, but we got home early enough that we were all able to get three hours of sleep in our own beds before the kids decided we were all awake for the day.

Enough about the drive, what about the big day?  Of course, that starts the night before...

We managed to get a decent family picture before Christmas Eve church this year.  So fun to be able to shop for pretty Christmas dresses for my sweet girl.  Maybe one day Sam will agree to wear a pair of dress shoes...

The kids had a bit of a hard time sitting through the service, but they loved the candles at the end.  Annabelle kept looking at hers, wondering why hers wasn't working.  After they were extinguished, she kept dipping it into other candles trying to get it to work.  So cute! 

They did, however, really well waiting for a late dinner after church, which all 8 of us were able to enjoy together!  Of course there were things to keep busy with while we waited.  We had to spread our reindeer food on the front lawn...

This year Sam and I did some real baking for Santa's drivers - what you see there is Oats, red food coloring and sprinkles toasted to a nice crisp in the oven.  It actually smelled pretty good!  I guess its basically a boxed cereal at this point.

We laid out cookies for Santa and some carrots for Rudolph.  We all dawned our Christmas PJs and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and the real Christmas story for Luke.  True Story: combine a boy that TOTALLY believes in Santa and wants him desperately to come with one who can't yet tell time and you have the quickest to bed ever!

And then it was Christmas morning!  We opened stockings from Santa on Mommy and Daddy's bed before heading to the tree to open the mound of gifts with the whole gang.  In contrast to years past, Sam ripped through his stack in record time, or at least it would have been if we hadn't encouraged him to play with his things a bit.  Annabelle was a bit more patient (shocking) and spent time with each of her things.  We did stop for breakfast, but it was noon before we finished the unwrapping!  And then we did presents from my siblings and stockings from my parents via facetime later that day.  Ridiculous!  Fun! 

The kids spent hours and hours playing with their new stuff for the rest of the trip.  They truly enjoyed everything they received, and I think they both seem more grown up now at home as I watch them play with their new things. 

Now to find a home for all those new things - Cue the annual January Toy Organization Project!

"They Don't Have White Christmases In Houston"...or Florida

We listened to Christmas music almost exclusively in December, and that one singing the praises of the warm Texas winters pops up a bunch on our local stations.  So we wouldn't be missing any winter wonderlands here by leaving town, but we certainly weren't gaining any upon arrival in Florida, either.  This is what Festive in Florida looks like:

Trips to the beach to watch the sunset.  Siesta Key Beach, a mere 15 minutes from Dave and Debbie's house, is repeatedly voted one of the best beaches in the US.  Amazing powdery white sand, clear and warm water.  While it was hardly warm enough to swim, the high that day was only about 80 and the sun was setting, I thought the kids would have fun running around in the sand.  Much to our shock, Annabelle would have none of it. I mean none.  When I tried to set her down in the sand she pulled her legs up to her chest, shook her head and repeated, "No!  No!"  The closer I moved her towards the sand, the tighter she clung and the higher she pulled up her legs.  She was only happy sitting on the mat - wouldn't even try.  I forced her to stand on the sand and dip her toes in the water, and then she ceased to trust me and wouldn't even let me hold her.  What on Earth was her deal?!  The girl loved the beach last summer.  Hopefully this is a fluke!

Flip to my son, who did not miss the potential fun that is a beach.  Frisbee with Papa?  Awesome.  Football with Daddy?  Great!  Smashing through sand castle left behind by vacationers?  His personal favorite.  He even attracted a few other kiddos to join in that fun.  A few warnings not to throw sand, this boy couldn't contain his enthusiasm.  The adults watched and sipped our afternoon coffee as we chatted about the cute Northerners that thought mid 70's equated swimming weather.  "Haha, I'd never, too cold!"  And as the words left my mouth, Sam's toes hit the water.  First his legs were wet, and we warned him to keep his clothes dry.  Then the water splashed his shorts, and we told him no deeper.  Then his shorts were wet, his shirt splashed, and we realized what we were facing.  We took the wet shirt off to keep his warmer, and then he went swimming.  All out wave diving.  In his Janie and Jack shorts he was still wearing from church that morning.  We let him swim till the sun was gone, while Annabelle sat on her mat.  We prepared for the ensuing meltdown that would come on the long, wet walk back to the car in the cool post-sunset air.  But the fits never came, he just caked more sand upon his head and chest as he giggled back to the car - where we changed him into the "emergency" underwear left in my glove box from potty training days (size 2T) and Chris's white undershirt (size men's large).  It is a joy to watch him have so much fun.  And I learned a lesson - always bring the boy a swimsuit to the beach!

 

 

 

I was much more prepared for our park trip the next day.  Sarasota has installed a great new playground close to downtown and we took advantage of it.  The kids really enjoyed themselves, and it was fun for me to have so much adult back-up at a busy (did I mentioned the bus full of YMCA campers?) playground.  And after burning off some energy, naturally we headed to Chick Fil A - our first visit to one with an outdoor playplace!

We were back at the same park a few days later, visiting this time with the Best Man from our wedding and his family.  Sam kept calling their 4-year-old (Sam's 2nd cousin twice removed) "Zack Attack" and we had to learn that not everyone prefers nic names.  

Sam had a very big treat later in the week - his first "real" golf trip with the men.  Daddy and Papa had gone earlier in the week, but everyone decided that Sam should join in on the second trip once Benton had arrived.  All reports indicate that he did well - made contact with the ball, used a "driver" and a putter, and of course loved the golf cart as well.  How grown up is he?!  Don't worry, the ladies supervised Annabelle's nap very well over our hummus and cheese snacky lunch while the guys were perfecting their skills.

A quick google search on Sarasota will likely turn up much chatter about the circus.  Traditionally the winter home for the Ringling Brothers Circus, it is still a pretty big deal there.  In years past I have attended the circus museum and the historic Ringling estate and gardens.  This year we attended the largest youth circus in the country.  A much longer show than we expected, but the things these teens were able to accomplish was quite impressive!  And the kids did really well watching the show.  Annabelle discovered cotton candy (Sam wouldn't touch it) and Sam came home with a loud light-up gun.

We always try to visit Chris's grandmother a few times while were there, and it is certainly nice for the kids when it is nice enough for those visits to occur outside.  I think Grandma enjoyed watching him perfect his 2-wheeled scooter skills as well!

I enjoyed the break from layer up with sweats and gloves for my runs and evening walks with my boy and his new head lamp.  Lunches outside by the pool and plenty of outside play. 

My kids do so well when we can spend our time outside.  Maybe we don’t need a white Christmas after all!

'Tis the Season

With less than three weeks between the day we returned home from our Thanksgiving trip and our departure date for our Christmas trip, we were, to say the least, BUSY fitting in all of the Christmas fun and magic that is both joy and requisite for a family with young children.  Of course, peppered in amongst all the events was plenty of Christmas song singing (Sam knows the words to lots of songs now!), Christmas Movie watching (Charlie Brown Christmas and Cat in the Hat Grinch were big hits this year), Christmas light viewing, decorating and shopping.  We read Christmas stories, completed nativities and ate far too many treats.  Annabelle learned the words for “cookie” and “candy” (nini).  Here's a peak into some of this year's Christmas celebrations:

First up was the annual Women's Christmas Dinner at church.  This year I co-hosted some tables with a few friends.  This was "mine" - doesn't it look beautiful!  Wish I could take credit, but someone else did the centerpiece.  I merely provided the dishes and napkins.  Kelly was at my table - so glad they joined our church since we moved neighborhoods and don't get to see them everyday anymore.

We attended the Sewing Seeds Christmas Party at church as a family.  Crafts, cookie decorating, games and a live nativity.  A bit too cold for the petting zoo and bounce houses outside - it was an unusually cold December in Houston, almost like real winter!

 

  

The church that houses Sam's school (Second Baptist - West) sets up an amazing Christmas display between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The kids - especially Annabelle - are really going to miss watching the trains travel through their winter wonderlands in January.  I will not miss convincing them not to climb on the sleigh every day!  That's Reagan, Sam's first bestie from school this year.

We also attended "Kids Crazy Christmas Show" at Second Baptist.  I tell you, its accurately named.  A loud, colorful, busy, fun puppet-based Christmas program aimed at Children.  But I assure you, there are some nods in their for the grown ups.  Without question, my favorite part was the cover of Bohemian Rhapsody retelling the entire Christmas story - Mary's convo with the angel through the young family's departure to Egypt.  I would love to have a copy of it.  Anywho, we got great seats because Reagan's dad (Family Pastor at Second Baptist!) snuck us in. 

I didn't get to go to a fancy party for Chris's work party this year, so it was exceptionally fortunate that MY work had one.  All three of us in the company, and our dates had a lovely dinner together.  Don't we dress up well?

There was Christmas in my kitchen, too.  I’m not entirely sure what the most accurate description for my approach to Christmas cookies would be – Hobby?  Tradition?  Obsession?  Probably a bit of all three.  I added two new kinds this year and was exceptionally pleased with the results.  With cookies complete, I decided on another use for my cookie cutters, thanks to Pinterest.  Stocking, tree and gingerbread shaped pizza anyone?

And of course, sometimes I’m just too busy having fun to take pictures.  This would be the case for Kelly’s annual cookie decorating party, a nice night out just for the mama’s.  We all met in playgroup when our oldest kids were babies only a few months old.  We’re spread out now, but its fun to catch up over bowls of frosting and sprinkles.  Nor are there pictures of the family-friendly Christmas party at some friends’ house – more bouncing, more cookies, more celebrating.  Nor our Community Group Christmas party, complete with Erica’s delicious dinner and an amazing cookie spread provided by everyone else.  Thanks to a White Elephant gift exchange, we also came home heavy one colored glass “Celebrate” plate and one singing picture frame!

Sam learned this year that the last week of school before Christmas break is to be thoroughly enjoyed with little to no work realistically expected.  Wednesday was the Christmas Program, joyfully put on by the 3 and 4 year old classes.  Sam has been practicing his songs since October and really knew them quite well.  I enjoyed listening to them at home and on stage.  Unfortunately he had a horrible cough, aggravated by his attempts to sing loudly, so he spent much of the program with his arm up to cover a cough.  Still the cutest little shepherd up there, in my completely unbiased opinion.  There was much waving and smiling at us between songs.

Thursday was PJ day at school – how else are you supposed to watch The Polar Express (experience complete with popcorn, hot chocolate and a sleigh bell on their shoes when they returned to class)!  As soon as the movie was over, it was party time!  Maria and I planned and executed a fun and festive affair, if I do say so myself.  There was musical chairs, a book exchange, pizza, a craft and decorating Christmas Tree Cones for desert.

 

Post party we headed home to finish the laundry and packing…