Christmases Past

Yep, I did New Year's before Christmas, but who's checking anyway, right? When Chris and I got married, we agreed that it is just too darn difficult and stressful at Christmas. Our solution was simple. Refuse to leave the house on Christmas Day. And that is what we have done.

On our first Christmas together, we had all of our kids together for Christmas Day after lunch. We gave them all luggage for our upcoming trip to Disney. The only time we left that day was to pick them up from their other parents houses. Christmas with the rest of our families was later that evening for supper at our house. We served a giant spaghetti feast and opened gifts.

The second Christmas, all of the kids were here to wake up Christmas morning to the gifts from Santa. We had a late lunch for everyone in my family to celebrate. It was a baked potato bar with every imaginable topping available. I adore it when the kiddos are all here to wake up on Christmas morning. Sadly, we also have to share them with the other half of their families, so they left around 4 on Christmas Day.

Last year, we weren't supposed to have them until 4, but we got lucky. It began to snow and sleet, so they were allowed to come at noon. It was a special Christmas, because Lefty got her first car! It was a total surprise. Adding even more to the magic of Christmas 2012, it was the first time that The Boy and Loo were able to be here when it snowed. We had a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey and ham with dressing and a variety of side dishes brought by my extended family.

In 2013, our whole family was together again for Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, we attempted to go for a drive to look at Christmas lights and decor, which is a tradition of ours. Unfortunately, not many people in our area put any out so we came home pretty quickly and very disappointed. It wasn't until after all of the kids had gone to bed that I realized we didn't do something that we have always done...cookies for Santa. O.M.G. I guess my babies aren't so little anymore. By 6:30 Christmas morning, the stockings were stuffed and the gifts prepared...coffee was made, and then WE HAD TO WAKE THEM UP. Another sign that my babies aren't so little anymore. The rest of the story is better told in pictures, with my apologies for the poor photo quality!

   

Waiting to get kicking on the present opening!

I love his pure joy and innocence! He wrapped the gift below for me all by himself and was oh so excited to give it to me. His joy was not just in the getting, but also in the giving...he stood by each person as they opened the gift that was from him and waited until they had seen it and made sure that it was known he had given it!

Passing out the gifts

  

It's not an Arkansas Christmas without some Razorback gifts!

This sweet boy had the best seat and idea in the house! He slept through the entire Christmas shenanigans!

My traditional Christmas jammies!

I do miss the years and Christmases gone by...those where my babies were babies. I would watch, listen, absorb, and memorize every expression and giggle...because they are only little for a little while. And then it is gone. 

As they get older, though, I am enjoying seeing that I raised them right. They are gracious and giving, generous and loving. They buy gifts of their own accord, with their own money. This year they didn't even ask me to take them shopping. They just went. And learned a lot of lessons along the way...like don't wait until Christmas week to shop! I hope that didn't jade them too much!!! Though Christmas has become bittersweet, I look ahead to Christmases to come with joy and contentment.

Merry Christmas past, present, and future.

Shiver Me Timbers!!!

Y'all. It's been cold. Real cold. We've been having horribly cold weather conditions for the last week. You never really know what the weather will be like in Arkansas. It changes drastically by the day, sometimes by the hour. So two weeks ago, we had 79 degrees...in December! Then last week the forecasters began calling for snow and ice. Huh. Wednesday night it was rather misty, but not near cold enough for what they were saying was coming. However, if anyone mentions snow or ice in Arkansas, everyone and their grandpa's uncle goes to the store to buy bread and milk. Seriously. The shelves and refrigerators in ALL stores are bare...

and usually there is no inclement weather.

Such was not the case this time. They were right. The weather got bad. My school (30 minutes away from my home) was cancelled for Thursday, even though it didn't start precipitating until late Thursday afternoon. Once it started though...sheesh.

So in our hometown, Lefty and Boo missed 2 and a half days of school. My school was out for three days. In Northwest Arkansas (about 2 hours away), schools were out for 5 - 7 days! That's just crazy around here. We don't normally get more than an inch or two at a time...this time, totals were from 2 - 10 inches around the state. Our area was mostly ice, with a few inches of snow on top of it. It was just enough to make the world stand still for a few blissful days! And now, they are calling for another "Arctic Blast" a week from today! It hasn't been above 40 degrees in over 10 days, next week is expected to be in the 60s, finishing up the week with temperatures in the teens and single digits. Brrrrr.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane...No, it's...

my Christmas break flying by!

It will be super hard to go back to school on Monday, since my kiddos don't go back until Thursday! I was happy that I got some good reading in though...I read the entire Hunger Games series last week. It was so good! The movie will be fantastic!

Anyway, we have been so busy during our time "at home." I have hit the gym 7 of the last 10 days. Go me! Lefty usually goes with me, but her time available for workouts will be slim when school starts up again because of cheer. Basketball season ends in a month though, so that should free up some time for her. She had a winter semi-formal to go to on our first day home. She went looking like this...

The very next day we hosted our first round of Christmas. It was a giant spaghetti supper with hubby's family. There were a few minor mishaps (spaghetti in the floor...twice, and a broken dish), but it was pretty perfect. As anti-social as I am, I always love hosting get togethers at our house. This was a great pic of all the kids!

On Monday, I got mah hair did. That and a trip to Wal-Mart took pretty much the whole day. Tuesday brought 9 teen-agers to our house for a 'movie night.' They didn't watch a single movie.

After that, the week was spent wrapping gifts and getting ready for the rest of our Christmases. In all, we had four, and they were all terrific! We went to my dad's on Friday, where this little guy and his big gift were the spotlight all night...he kept asking...'open pehsents now? I eat, open pehsents?'

Then there was Christmas with my mom at our house...my nephew 'Little Boy' loves opening presents...no matter whose they are!

And Christmas morning, before kiddos took over, looked like...

After kiddos, it looked like Christmas threw up in our living room!

My precious family gave me some great gifts! 

This was all of our trash after the big day...

And on the day after Christmas, hubs and I had a shopping date! I always treasure the days he and I get to spend out and about (or just home) alone together.We braved the crowds (which were really pretty non-existent), a pouring rain, and had PF Chang's for lunch. Yum! This was the haul for the trip home...

The girlies and hubby worked together to put the new net on the trampoline. They told me to blog it.

 Then, maybe best day of all...perfect hubby built me shelves so that I could finally organize my craft room! He says he will build some more to finish it. I was so excited to get it situated the way I wanted and to have workable work spaces for quilts and other crafts.

 The two newest additions to my wreath stash are these. But I actually sold the last one! Woo hoo!

There are only three days left of my break. I imagine half of one will be spent at school, the rest...who knows!