Christmas Wrap Up 2014

Sometimes life gives you lemons, but with a little creativity and luck, you are able to make lemonade.

On December 18th, our family was dealt a whole truckload, when we learned of the passing of my cousin's sweet baby, Georgia Grace.  Just 7 months old, she was all sugar with just a hint of spice.

Creativity would be of no use...what we needed was a platonium-powered Delorean.

For days afterward, I walked around in a fog, half-listening to my kids as my thoughts and prayers remained focused on my cousin and her family.  I tried to put myself in her shoes, but found I couldn't even wriggle a baby toe's worth of understanding.  There is just no pain to compare with the depth of heartache associated with losing a child...and there really are no words one can say to take away the pain or speed up the healing process.  Bottomline: there will always be a Georgia-shaped hole on our hearts. I will continue to pray for God's healing grace to help her family find a way to carry on without her.

Steve and I didn't finish with our elf duties until nearly 1 a.m. Christmas morning.  My sleep was fitful as I imagined my cousin's family and others like her separated from loved ones...whether by miles, discourse or death -- this holiday season.  Never was I so grateful to receive a courtesy wake up call from my children.  And, while I loved the new perfume from Steve and the scarf and gloves from the kids -- the best gift I received was good health and togetherness with my family.

After all the gifts had been opened, Steve fixed us french toast that would rival any served in a fine hotel.  The recipe calls for frying and then baking the concoction in the oven.  He called it a souffle as the egg-soaked bread more than doubled in height as it baked.  Afterwards we headed over to my parent's house to share the day with extended family.  We noshed on a smorgasbord of family favorites including roast beef, deviled eggs and Steve's famous blackberry cobbler.  Later we opened gifts and played a game of Rob Your Neighbor then listened to Steve entertain us with a bunch of old country songs from Hank Williams, Hank Thompson, and Jimmy Rodgers.

The next day we began packing for our trip to see Steve's family in Scio, (Sigh-O) Ohio -- an inaugural visit for the kids.  The last time I had made the nearly 1,200 mile round trip journey was more than 11 years ago when I was pregnant with Noah.

Needless to say, we were overdue. 

The week we spent in Ohio was both restful and rejuvenating.  My MIL made me my very own cherry pie and encouraged me not to share. My FIL introduced me to "fresh side" - bacon that is covered in flour and fried.  It's good, but a better name for it might be "fresh side of heart attack".  I read decadent books by Alice Hoffman.  I slowed down and days passed with little effort. Every afternoon family dropped in to say hello and join us for lunch or dinner.  Never in my life have I eaten so much red meat or mashed potatoes.  We had meatballs as big as baseballs and spare ribs that would rival those favored by Fred Flintstone.  One morning Steve had the opportunity to reconnect with his nephews with an impromptu rabbit hunting excursion.  Another afternoon, he spent a few hours giving Noah a private tour of the woods and "crick" he used to frequent as a boy. One of my favorite times was spent  perusing old photo albums and listening to stories of his childhood.  His name may be Steve...but there was a time when he answered to "Steven the Heathen".

We're already making plans for another visit because time waits for no one.  The greatest gift I can give my kids is fond memories.

Love at first BEEP.

Natalie wrapped up love.

Don't let that face fool you.  Coal was one of her favorite gifts.

Grandma Mary and Jack

Mom and Alicia compare chocolates.

All around the water tank waiting for a train....

cousins - Ella and Ethan

cousins - Natalie and Jack

1st, 2nd and all around good cousins

Rise n' shine and ready to hit the road

We stayed overnight in Springfield, OH.  The kids were never so happy to be out of the car and in a pool.

Too tired to leave our hotel room, we made due with peanut butter sandwiches...though Steve 'elfed" his up by adding both potato chips and toffee butterscotch popcorn.

Like Father, Like Son.

Two Little Monkeys...

In Scio, Noah learns to shoot...cans.

The view from my in-laws backyard.

My MIL Connie and SIL, Joanne wanted to be sure that Natalie wasn't bored at the house.  They brought home an empty refrigerator box.  She and I spent the week dressing it up with decorations, lights and even a doggie door.

Grandma Connie and Natalie

Sibling Shenanigans

Twins.

Natalie LOVED getting to know grandma's dog - Howie.

New Year's Eve we celebrated Grandma Connie's birthday.

We made homemade ice cream...twice in one week.
Joanne, Matt and Heather

The Whole Gang

He's Some Kinda Wonderful

I pride myself on being honest...but when I became a parent, I traded in some of my honesty cards in favor of developing a sense of wonder and magic with my children.

Today, the house of cards came crashing down after Natalie began grilling me about the Tooth Fairy's responses to the letter she'd left her the night before. She'd lost a molar (3rd tooth in a month) and had set out her Little Critters tiny bed with blanket along with a few Cheerios, a button and a glass bead (because everyone knows fairies love found objects...especially shiny things).  She figured her fairy was tired and hoped she might rest and enjoy a bit of refreshment before leaving our home.  In my desire, to play the role best, I went as far to figure out what my fairy name would be by using the Fairy Name Generator program.  I wrote, erased and rewrote my answers several times...not quite sure if I'd disguised my handwriting well enough...or written small enough.

My fairy name is Bindweed Goldwitch.  I chose elderberries as my favorite food and honeysuckle as my favorite color.

Initially, Natalie was thrilled to find some of the Cheerios she'd left had been eaten, the tiny bed unmade and answers to her questions...but something nagged at her and she continued to fire questions at me.  I did my best to deflect and evade, but something nagged at me, too. She wanted the truth. I found I could no longer lie...because the truth about little white lies is that they always need to be fed by bigger ones. In my head, a battle waged between preserving wonder and maintaining trust with her.When I finally conceded, she stopped, eyes wide and unblinking.

"What?...you mean it was you who left the glitter?...who ate the Cheerios and the berries and ...
TEARS
"So...Isaac was right," she continued.
TEARS
"I have no more wonder.  I'm heartbroken...no Santa either then...wait..."
"So there's no phone number for Santa?"...
Oh, the jig was up.

I held her and cried, too.  I cried for her loss of innocence and wonder.  I mourned over the loss of watching her engage in the fine art of fairy house-building. I had tried to break the news gently by sharing with her The Truth About Santa letter so as to preserve her love of magic. Instead, it only made her wail more

"I guess I'll just have to be an author then!" she cried.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I was hoping to grow up to become one of Santa's elves!...but now I'll just have to be an author," she explained.
Oh boy.  What have I done?...I've ruined my kid. And then another thought struck me -- what if she stops believing in God?...I've asked her to believe in so many things that weren't true...but God, although we've never seen him...He's different...but, what if she doesn't believe in anything I say anymore?...
Between sobs, I interjected, "But, you know God is real, right?"
"Of course I do," she responded indignantly.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I realized my child's sense of wonder was still very much intact.

Dear Lord:
Growing-up is so painful.  Thanks for giving me smart kids to help ease the process along.

I Won't Grow Up

Growing up is painful...more so for the parents.

My kindergarten year I noticed something...Santa wrote just like my mom. I remember feeling both sad and disappointed. I did NOT want to give up on the magic and frankly I was ticked. For years I gave my mom a hard time about how she could have done a better job of disguising her own handwriting.

My poor, Mom.

Fast-forward 37 years (ack. where does the time go?!)...I now find myself with two kids, who at 5th and 2nd grade, still believe in Santa. I'm faced with the opposite problem...

I'm dreading it.

I remember when my friend Kelley shared her experience in explaining Santa to her daughter.  She envisioned that her daughter would think of her as a sort of super hero.  But, in reality, her child's reaction was more like learning her dog had just been run over by a car.

This morning the kids created new Christmas lists.  In Natalie's first draft she listed a large, empty refrigerator box and a whoopie cushion.  Her new list includes 14 pieces of a coal and a sleigh bell.  These lists are glimpses into their sweet, innocent selves.  I'm having a hard time letting go of that.

The kids asked me to take their letters to the special silver North Pole mailbox that arrived in our town a few weeks ago.

I've decided I will wait until they come home from school...so we can mail them out together.

It seems, I'm not ready to grow up just yet.

Christmas 2013 Wrap Up

The day before Christmas Eve, our family was thrown a bit of a curve ball.  Noah began the day vomiting -- something I don't remember him doing since he was 2 years old. In fact, he was so surprised by the occurrence, all he could do was sit on the bed in shock and say, "What is this?...I don't do this." 

With Christmas plans hanging in the balance, I stocked up on 7-Up, Saltines, Jell-O and Lysol and prayed Noah would make a speedy recovery and that no one else would come down...er, up with it. 

Christmas Eve Noah was feeling much better, but wasn't eating much more than dry toast.  Natalie was bouncing off the walls in anticipation for Christmas.  She wanted to go to bed at 6 p.m. in hopes that Santa would stop at our house earlier.

The kids left out cookies, a letter and a box filled with two of their prized possessions - a crystal and a glass bead.

In case you aren't well versed in 1st grade writing - the letter reads "Dear S.C - We are giving you something very good. We hope you enjoy, Love Natalie and Noah."

By 9 p.m. both kids were sound asleep. But, it was more than an hour later before Steve and I had our Christmas morning scene set...
presents under the tree - check
Santa sacks and stockings filled - check
Santa letters written and signed - check
cookies eaten - check
coconut wrapped - check

Yes, a coconut.  For months, Natalie, with her zany humor, has been substituting the word coconut into topics of conversation.  For example, "Natalie, what do you want for breakfast?" - "A coconut." "Natalie, how'd you sleep last night?" - "Like a coconut."  So, Steve and I decided to buy one, wrap it and give it to her for Christmas.

At 2:50 a.m. I awoke to squeals of "Santa came!...He was here!"

I told the kids I wasn't getting up until the first number on the clock was a 6.

At 3:30 a.m. Natalie came into our room to tell me her stomach hurt.

I bolted upright, "What!  Are you going to throw-up? Where's a trashcan?!"

"No.  I'm hungry," replied Natalie.

(Phew!...followed by Grrr)

"Then go pour yourself some cereal," I said.

This was followed by an audible sigh from Natalie.  I think she thought if she could just get me up, then she could convince me to let her open her presents.

4 a.m. Natalie is back with "Noah pinched me!"

"That's it! Everyone back to bed," I barked.

Both kids got in their beds without complaint and it was "Silent Night" for Steve and I til 6:55 a.m.

Reading their letters from Santa. 

Santa sacks - a few years ago the kids received the sacks and a letter from Santa that in an effort to be more green, he wouldn't be wrapping presents.  Instead, they are to put out their sacks for him to fill.

A pink scooter for Natalie and Skylander Wii game for Noah

Coconut -- $3
Look on her face when she opened it  -- Priceless

A Yoda clock it is.



Natalie smirks as Steve opens the gift she bought him with her own money.

Coal?!

Obviously thrilled with Steve's reaction to her gift to him.

We spent the day at my folk's house chowing down on a variety of red meats, deviled eggs, pies and cookies.  Diets be damned til the first of the year.

Mom cuts into one of my sister-in-law's pies -- coconut cream with a chocolate coconut crust and the other a peanut butter and banana pie with vanilla bean custard. 

Natalie was so excited to show everyone her coconut and insisted on having Steve cut it open at Grandma's house.  Having not ever opened a coconut before, Steve sought advice from the Internet.  Turns out 2 or 3 whacks on the "equator" of the nut and voila! It split in two. 



After we had all had our fill of food, we opened gifts from Grandma and Grandpa.  Here -- Jack only mildly affected by receiving a couple of new Skylanders.

Ethan, my teenage nephew, a sweetheart and very happy with receiving an iTunes gift card.

Ella -- very excited about learning to sew.

Dad had her guessing...he added one of his weights to her package.

Cousins!
L-R  Jack, Ethan, Ella, Natalie and Noah
Missing my sister's family in Colorado -- love to John, Renee, Olivia, Hayden and Griffin

Christmas 2012 Wrap-up

In our family we try to keep the reason for the season at the forefront, but I'd be lying if I said all of our holiday activities involve Christ.  We include Santa and gift exchanges, too. Though, as the kids get older, we have been able to do more things together to help teach the importance of compassion.  For instance, this year we collected and sorted canned goods for Kingdom House.  And, Natalie's Daisy troop made and delivered holiday centerpieces and then sang to the residents of a skilled nursing center; while Noah's Cub Scout Den sold Christmas trees to support the Knights of Columbus.

Christmas Pre-party 

Noah's choir group practiced once a week for almost three months in preparation for our
church's Christmas program.   

Natalie and her friend, George enjoy the music together.

The kiddie crowd showed their appreciation for the singing by raising their glowsticks high.

After the service....all hyped up and nowhere to go!

Christmas morning

No words needed. 

I'm not sure what she was expecting, but she has yet to bounce on it.
"You mean you expect me to jump on that without my feet touching the ground?!" she asked

This year the kids bought gifts with their own money.  I took them to  Five Below to do their shopping.  They were so proud of their purchases and wrapped them immediately.  Steve Claus with his new ceramic coffee mug.

Noah bought Steve a $5 gift card to Starbucks.
"Don't tell my Dad I was here," he told the barista waiting on him.

Every year Steve takes the kids shopping for me, I usually get a new pair of p.j's and slippers.
This year Natalie picked out my slippers

Noah selected chihauhua sleep pants for me.

Christmas Day
After we opened presents, we headed to my parent's house for brunch, a gift
exchange and our annual game of BINGO.

Mom tried to get Noah and Natalie to try her

"surprise rolls"...inside a meatball and cheese stick.

Christmas brunch included cinnamon rolls, meatballs, bacon and cheese omelettes, rolls, ham, scalloped potatoes, fresh fruit, cookies and Steve's famous homemade blackberry cobbler...made using the berries he bled and sweat over picking back in July.  He makes it every year.

The gang was a little smaller this year.  My sister and her family remained in CO. to
celebrate with her in-laws.

Ready, Set, Rip!

Jack squealed with delight.

A jewelry box for the girl who likes sparkly things.

Natalie bought Gma "something shiny" for her to hang in her garden.

Noah was a bit shy when he presented Gma with his gift of coffee flavorings.

"What are you going to get Gpa for Christmas?" I asked.
"A piece of steak...cause Gpa is a food person," explained Natalie.
Ultimately she changed her mind and opted for a travel coffee mug instead. 

Every year Steve and I try to out do ourselves for my brother's 12/29 birthday.  One year we gave him a
White Castles-smelling candle, another year a Redneck wine glass.  This time we found a place that sells
bacon in a can called "Tactical Bacon" 

In preparation for BINGO, we decided we needed some snacks.
Mom whipped up a batch of  spicy Velveeta cheese dip.
"Should I add a little wing sauce? asked Gma.
"Gma, wing sauce is like duct tape, it fixes everything," assured Ethan.

Bacon!

Our lovely Vanna/Gma shows off the BINGO prize loot.

More loot. 

This year my brother dug up items from his garage for prizes -- like this
ceramic piece he made in high school.

Natalie and Jack get their game on.

"Jack!  You got BINGO!  What do you say?!" we asked.
"Thank you" he answered quietly.

We didn't see him again after his win.  

BINGO Beauties

Perfect for family movie night!

Alicia doing a happy dance to the prize table.

Toe socks! 

Natalie doing her happy dance with Gma.

Sand art....argh

"Yes!" Ethan knew exactly what he wanted.

Mr. Moose Candy Dispenser - "A flick of the tail brings a treat"

We've decided to make Mr. Moose a new family tradition.
Steve is having a brass plate engraved with Ethan'sname and the year.
We'll bring him out for BINGO every Christmas and one lucky person will earn the right to
enjoy his treats and then have their name engraved on him.

Brian rides the pony to the winner's circle

Nice choice

BINGO!

Alicia and Ella show off their prizes

Nice grill, Nat

My Christmas tree is now complete...with Snooki and DJ Pauly D ornaments.

Noah shows off his moves before collecting his prize.

"I'm done playing now," he said.

Gpa shows off his loot -- a bubble gun and a reindeer candy dispenser.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!