Christmas 2010

My sister in law was telling me about their Christmas morning and how nice it was, they awoke at eight, watched each other open each gift and it extended over a long time, and was just pleasant.  I have to just smile and nod.  That sounds nothing like Christmas morning at this house!  I think holiday arguments start in your childhood.  Someone from that home, marries some one from a home like ours, and you have disaster before the wedding ever took place!  The McAllisters in this house have a general gift free-for-all that begins around 6 a.m. and lasts for about 20 minutes tops, tearing the wrapping off everything in site and yelling to each other to congratulate on each new present. Spontaneous celebrations take place helter skelter and mom dives in and out with a camera, taking bad angles of everything that appears promising.  Wrapping paper piles about our ankles and small children plaintively hold up their gift with the armor-plated packaging for assiatance in vain until all the unwrapping is accomplished.  Here, then, are some of the bad angles we wanted to highlight.

In the beginning, the children check out their stockings and all is still quiet and controlled.

Unwrapping begins in earnest.

Some dancing to music provided by the "Rescue Pack."

General excitement and good will abound.

   

 Seth's new puppy, his name is of course, Rex.

 Party just heating up....

Look at that floor!

 Jacob grinning about getting the Planet Earth series. Ethan trying the heft on his METAL baseball bat.  Last year he wanted a baseball bat and Santa was dense enough to get plastic, so this year his request was very specific. :)

 Nathan with all his long missed, stinky cheeses, olives and salami.

O' Yeah. Nerf fest!

 Super Seth.

All is right with the world.  We had a marvelous Christmas morning. Hope yours was as festive!

Ho, Ho, Ho! Who Wouldn't Go?

Today Seth's preschool class had a special visitor.  I think this is Seth's first experience up close and personal with Santa.  He was a little shy, but not enough to keep him away.  He told Santa he wanted a Batman mask.  Santa told Seth that he was a Batman fan too. :)

It was interesting to me to be in the classroom with the children.  Santa had a gift for each of them and would call them up by name.  "Atticus", he called out (a good, strong-sounding name, I thought).  But where was Atticus?  Clinging to his mother's neck at the back of the room, not willing to get closer than 15 feet from the red suit.  Other children were sweet to watch.  One little girl was so trusting, just like Santa was an old friend, went to the front with awe and belief so prevalent in her face it made me get teary eyed.  What a precious thing!  Such trust and belief are fleeting in childhood, I just wish I could hold on to that for my children a little longer.  Merry Christmas, Seth!  And all of my children, big and small.  I can't wait to spend another holiday with you.  You fill all my days with joy!

Sledding, and Other Happenings

I'm not even sure where the time has gone since Thanksgiving!  I did make it home to Idaho for a visit with my family.  The children and I faced the slick roads alone, and the longest time it has ever taken me to make the trek.  We spent an hour and a half between Fort Hall and Idaho Falls!  But it was worth it!  Good to see family and wonderful to go black Friday shopping with my sisters and Diane!  We left Dubois at 3 am to be at Target in Idaho Falls by 4!  We hit 12 stores and started the drive home at about 1 pm.  Crazy and fun and good deals!  We were able to join Natalie's family for Dallin's baptism and I saw my aunt Vonda there.  She is one of my favorite people. :) Nathan stayed home to work on homework and have Thanksgiving with his family.  We missed him and he missed us, but Rex was glad to not be left entirely marooned.

After Thanksgiving came my birthday.  But Miriam had oral surgery that day and I'm not even sure where my birthday went!  A bit sad, really.  I was remembered by several friends and that was nice.  And I treated myself to Death By Chocolate cake which makes everything alright.  Miriam was swollen for 3 days and we didn't even get any photos!  Poor thing, but now she is back to feeling well and it is all behind us.  (If you are interested, she didn't grow several of her baby teeth and made up for it by forming extra permanent teeth, so now that she has had 6 teeth extracted, she should be left with something our orthodontist can work with. :)

Now I find myself in the midst of Christmas!  Camille's band concert was last week and we have attended two Christmas parties at the church.  I think I am just about finished with the shopping.  Phew!  It is always a big sigh of relief when that part is over.  Now I am still working on a few gifts that I am making, then will come the FOOD!  (Guess which part is my favorite?) 

Last Saturday we took a few minutes to go sledding at the park with the kids.  We had a nice time. I only traversed the hill once and then insisted on staying at the bottom to take pictures. :)

 Jake and Caleb make a train.

 Leslie with her braids flying!

Another train, quite popular this season.

Jake and Seth

 Seth and Nathan

 Ethan was afraid to get on the sled, so he would slide down the hill on his bum. Ouch!

No photos of Miriam and Camille because they went out before us, and were ready to come in before we arrived.  Just imagine them at home making cocoa.

Photographer.  Disheveled, splotchy, but for the record, I was there. :)