Christmas Day

GG visiting Santa

Santa at the Villa (GG's apartment)

New Leapfrog Book

We spent Christmas Eve making the Jesus cake and watching Christmas movies and finishing up last minute stuff. Dad went to help the SRDA hand out presents and baskets. At night we went to Chris' s house. We had dinner and then opened up the presents from Pat and Jim and the kid's gifts to everybody. Carmen's (Rachel's mom) boyfriend Kurt dressed up like Santa and visited the kids. Brandon almost blew it because he kept saying he knew it was Kurt but I had a little talk with him about playing along and he got better. He still believes in Santa but he doesn't believe he will actually meet the real one so everyone else is fake. I think deep down he is realizing that there isn't really one and he isn't ready to bring up the subject yet. They were on overdrive they were so excited and I didn't get them to bed until 10 pm. Then I still had to do my stuff. I thought they might sleep in but they were up by 6:30. I heard them whispering in the dark living room so I got up before they started opening everything up. Brandon got a new bike and a toy ATV from Santa and Jessie got a sparkly toy horse and a little porceline angel doll and a purple sparkly dreamcatcher. The kids got pretty much everything they wanted so they were very happy. I think we all got what we needed this year too. Everything went smoothly, no tantrums from grownups or kids, so all was good. We managed to stretch Christmas out for most of the day and then Chris and Rachel went to her mom's for dinner and we spent the rest of the evening looking at the gifts and playing with the kids. I couldn't have asked for a better day. Of course the kids had trouble going to sleep that night because they didn't want it to end. I don't blame them, the let down can be intense. You plan so long and then it's over. But they are still having fun playing with their toys and Jessie is already talking about her birthday.

Christmases to remember

They were having a thing in the newspaper where you write in about your most memorable Christmas and it made me think about mine. I have had a lot of memorable Christmases in the past and hopefully many more in the future. Here are some of my more cherished Christmas memories. Brandon and Jessie’s first Christmases are a few of the top choices for obvious reasons. The Christmas I was pregnant with Jessie is one of my favorites because she was so excited even inside me. I remember she was active all day which wasn’t unusual but when Scott gave me the white tiger as a gift for her and I held it to my stomach she settled down like she knew it was for her and was happy to be included. She still loves Christmas with a passion even at her early age. It’s not even the gifts she looks forward to but just the season itself.
Another Christmas close to my heart is when grandpa died. Since we knew it was his last, the season took on new meaning. Everything seemed more special that year. The lights were brighter, and it all just had a special quality. I spent days looking for the right present to give him and finally found it, the music box, I still put it up every year in honor of him. I can still remember the church service only in that it meant so much to grandpa.. My only regret is he didn’t get to see the presents we all got for him. Later that day, Grandma opened Grandpa’s gifts and handed them out to us, giving us back the ones we gave and splitting up the others among us. I am not sure of the right description of emotion for that but even though it would seem morbid, there was a kind of tranquility, maybe it was knowing that he was knowing he was no longer in pain. He even left us the final gift of family since the Cooks came in and we spent the rest of Christmas together.
He loved Christmas so much and it was only fitting that he left us on that day. Grandpa instilled that love of Christmas to mom who in turn passed it on to us kids. Every year Mom tries to make Christmas special. She gets into it and wants everyone to get lots of gifts because she loves giving and never asks for a lot. Every year she is surprised by how much she has because she doesn’t expect anything in return. Even when we were little, we never went without no matter what the circumstances were. We have lots of traditions and some are the same as when I was a kid, some have changed slightly and some are just getting going. I only hope that I can carry on that passion for the true meaning of Christmas to my kids and teach them what I have learned. No matter how much you receive, it means nothing if you don’t have close family to share it with. I hope I can instill that same Christmas passion that Grandpa and Mom have.

addendum to pre christmas

I forgot a few things when I posted earlier. We also went to see Santa at the mall and had dinner there. Brandon told him what he wanted and also told him what Jessie wanted because she couldn't remember. I think she got nervous. Then Brandon told Santa that he knew he was only an assistant to Santa so he wouldn't be seeing him on Christmas Eve. This Santa even has a real beard but we told the kids some Santas are only helpers because he couldn't be everywhere so Brandon figures that they all are the helpers. When Santa said he would see them Christmas Eve, Brandon told him they would be asleep so he wouldn't see them. I think Santa was very glad to move them on. Jessie has been the one questioning Santa more than Brandon so we will be lucky if we get a few more years out of either one of them. At Brandon's Christmas party, there is a boy that is in kindergarten named Daniel whose brother is in Brandon's class, they ride the bus together, and Jessie has a crush on him. She got all giggly when she was talking to him and Scott freaked out because he got a preview of what is coming and wasn't expecting to have to deal with boys already. It was funny. The kids also made gifts for Aunt Pat and Uncle Jim because they felt bad that they were going to be home by themselves for Christmas and wanted to remember them. They also made gifts for some friends of ours that have given the kids stuff over the years. The kids overheard Mom telling me that they weren't giving themselves gifts this year because they are also having financial problems and the kids didn't think that was right for them not to have something to open. Yesterday we went to GG's apartment where they had a Santa, and we made sure they didn't tell anyone they thought he was a helper. Brandon was going to ask if he came by car or sleigh but decided against it. I got a picture of them and I also got a pic of GG sitting next to Santa that I will post later, I haven't downloaded it yet. Then they went up to her apartment and we hung out there for awhile. GG introduced the kids to her friends that hear all about their antics so they were glad to finally get to meet them. I think that is finally all so far.

Christmas so far

I kept meaning to do this earlier and time keeps getting away from me especially now with the kids home. I am trying to stay positive in the face of Christmas so I refuse to write about all the problems and stick with the good so here goes. We went to see the Electricritters at the zoo. That's where the put up a bunch of lights and animated lighted up animal figures. The kids love it including my light freak brother. We dress up like eskimos and drink hot chocolate and walk around the zoo in the dark with all the lights. It's beautiful and fun and when it snows it has a magical quality. Another weekend we walked the riverwalk at night and looked at the lights. They have the boat going with Santa on it, which we did one year, but we waited so long for the boat ride to start we froze and then it is even colder on the water, it is not worth the price, so now we just walk it. We saw the new veteren's bridge and the indian statue. The statue was beautiful and so intricately detailed. The blanket looked real. So we walked the whole riverwalk and drank hot chocolate. It was great. Then last weekend Chris and Rachel had a party at their house for friends and family. They wanted to show off their decorations. You may all remember that Chris is a Christmas decoration freak. I mean that in a loving way. Every room except the bathrooms have decorations. Three big trees and two small, two villages, and lights and lighted figurines everywhere. It could have looked junky but he has a flair for decorating and it looks beautiful. I will try to get some pics of it on Christmas Eve. The kids have had their parties at school, Jessie's in the morning and Brandon's in the afternoon. Oh and the kids did the secret Santa shop at their school which I helped out at. The get to go in and buy their own inexpensive gifts for everyone. The kids all have a good time doing that and it gives them some independence. Since we don't have a lot of money this year, I have been making our gifts to everyone so I have been busy doing that in my spare time. Also making the Christmas cookies, every weekend is a different kind. Today I am making banana bread for gifts and Christmas Eve we make the Jesus birthday cake which has been a tradition since Chris and I were kids to make sure we don't forget who we are really celebrating. I think I got the kids too involved in giving. They donated to the Thanksgiving food drive, money to the school Christmas drive, toys for the toy drive and now they decided they need to make gifts for everyone along with the ones they bought. Which is great except guess who gets to come up with the ideas for the gifts? They are so caught up in the Christmas spirit it is like a constant sugar high. It really makes me grateful to have these loving generous kids to spend Christmas with. And now I have to go because they are trying to make the banana bread without me.