Our Christmases

David worked both Christmas Eve and Christmas this year, but if there is one thing years of an unusual work schedule has taught us, the date doesn't really matter and we get to have a wonderful Christmas even if we don't have a typical December 25th. 

the best 'Christmas morning' picture I could get

The 24th and 25th were full, busy, and fun, but the post-Christmas weekend was really nice and relaxing and reminded me more of Christmases of my youth, where little kids bugged the big kids and we played Pictionary even though it's such an exasperating game (you know, like when people draw what looks exactly like a spider and yet they claim it's a hand...not that I'm saying that happened).  Of course the weekend was probably relaxing only because I didn't have to do any of the cooking and because I wasn't one of the big kids being bothered by the babies.  Ha. 

Christian doing the Christmas Hover while visiting the downtown tree

I asked our kids what they loved most about Christmas this year, and Christan told me he loved our tree and the train track that went around it.  Daphne said she loved everything, and Jonas said he loved the constant smothering and love that he got.  I knew he would say that.

Here's a funny story for you:  Daphne had a Shriners appointment the week before Christmas to get her new shoes. (Horse pattern this time; way less obnoxious than the American flags.) The front desk people gave us a box and said, "Have a Gingerbread House!"  We thought it was so fun to be given the stuff for a Gingerbread House!  We got home and opened it...and found a perfectly put together and decorated house.  What?  Is this a thing?  People send each other completed Gingerbread Houses? (Because there was a card enclosed giving instructions for how you could send houses to your friends.)  I thought the fun was putting them together?  Anyway, after getting over our confusion, and once Daphne stopped wailing her disappointment at not getting to make a house, David said they could eat it as long as they used no hands.  So that was definitely second best in terms of Having Some Christmas Fun. 





















Daphne was much happier with getting to make and deliver Christmas cookies.  Christian's cookies were usually left off the plates, seeing as how there were bite marks/lick smears on all of his.  One neighbor in return gave us some tuna he had caught; I say we got the better end of that particular deal. 

(Daph also wanted to carol but I said No.  Maybe next year or maybe not.)

David's chore this season was to get some mistletoe from my grandparent's trees when we were down there after Thanksgiving, but he forgot and then I was mad at him until I made some out of felt scraps.  My kids are experienced mistletoe users; be careful getting yourself caught under some with one of them. 

Christian developed a huge crush on Santa this year.  We went back to our old neighborhood to visit the same Santa we've seen every year.  He rode up in his motorized wheelchair this visit, much to Christian's dismay.  "THAT IS NOT A SLEIGH!!" he yelled.  I bet Santa felt really great about that moment. 

J didn't love it

I wish we would've gotten a family picture, or at least a picture of the kids in their Christmas outfits, but in the busyness we didn't.  We took our Christmas card photo in November, in the front yard with the camera perched on a bench with some bricks.  We'll say that counts and call it good. 

Christmas was wonderful this year (aside from a few "are there more presents for me?" moments...I always said my kids would never say those types of things, so high five on that). 

And I was totally right: our new house makes a perfect Christmas house. 

and also plays host to some unusual holiday dance moves