Scenes of Christmas

The 23rd.

The school schedule this year was challenging.  With four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break, the stretch was long.  It left barely a weekend to prep for Christmas, and that last two weeks of school, the kids were off the chain.  At my school the staff was feeling the strain with four staff members either visiting the ER or being admitted to the hospital in the last two weeks - all varying reasons, but whew!  We drug ourselves to Christmas break ready to crash.

Surprisingly, I was pretty ready for Christmas.  Andy spent the weekend playing Cajon at church, and by Sunday night we were ready to enjoy a treat.  We visited one of those drive through light shows.  I've never done that before and hope to make that something we revisit every other year or so.

Three of my kiddos are under that ornament which I just loved.  I just needed to pull them closer to the front for a better pic.

Christmas Eve

Per tradition we gathered with my side of the family.  Last year we thought we were having our last Christmas in my parents' home, but turns out we got one more.  The updates took a while, but the house is going on the market in mid January, so this was likely our last.  We did a throwback tradition and ordered pizza for the night.  Our participants were many: Andy, Zach, Savannah, Wyatt, Julia, Tiffany, Austin, Logan, Jonathan, Danielle, Regan, Ira, Isaac, John, Tessa, Kinsley, Kallie, Joshua and me.  18!  Per tradition the adults drew names for a gift exchange, and we all spoiled the children.

It's time to open gifts!

Sisters!

Somebody got a game he wanted!

Kallie with the one and only thing she asks for - a Jack-Jack stuffy

The little girl cousins

After all the eats and gifts, there were the games.

The youngest generation - 11 strong!!

The big cousins are so good with the little cousins

I think everyone had a good time.  Regan was sick, so it was a rough night for her.  Her brothers had been sick, so we tried to protect Wyatt, Andy and me from the germs as Wyatt has a surgery this week. However, I can't help myself when a little one needs comfort.  I was the closest adult when Regan got hit in the eye with a toy, and I comforted her.  

I left very happy with my gifts from the exchange - funny story on that.  Jonathan had my name, and on Cyber Monday, I sent him and Andy a picture of a shopping cart with a crazy good deal on some clothes I wanted.  Andy responded asking which two items I wanted because there was an add running down the side of the page....um, the ones in the cart.  Savannah and I chuckled about that, and you never really know when Andy is kidding.  Danielle took care of me on that one.  I scored with Tessa.  Andy had her name, and she wanted a cologne that was outside the price limit for the exchange...or so she thought.  I worked a great sale and wrapped it creatively to her utter surprise.  It was awesome!

So happy to have them all together

We ended the night with the 11:00 Christmas Eve service.  Even though we had already attended the service on Sunday, it was important to Julia to make the 11:00 service.  It was a nice way to end the night. We had attended a service at another campus where Andy was playing, so it was nice to attend with him.

Christmas Day

I wanted a pic or two before the unwrapping.

This is how Santa visits.  One gift per child and a stuffed stocking.  The gift is always wrapped in Santa paper.

I tried to capture her surprise at the one gift that surprised her.  Julia is so nosy.  She knew every gift this year. She watched Zach go buy a gift when we were supposed to be looking for another store at the outlet mall.  She correctly guessed a gift wrapped under the tree.  She ran around the the van to see what I purchased after she tracked me at the mall.  Andy pulled off one big surprise for her.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be the only gift she received requiring an exchange.

I had the best of intentions to make kissing Santa ornaments for all the little kids in my life.  I failed, but Wyatt got a kick out of one of the two I actually made because the Santa looks Asian.  Wyatt claimed that one.

Someone was salty Christmas morning.  UGH! 

Wyatt chose to donate his entire Christmas to the homeless. He was tired from staying up too late, and even though we did not open gifts until after 9:30a.m., he was in a mood.

Jean and Joshua joined us for Christmas day dinner followed by games.  It's the one day of the year when we sometimes spurge on prime rib.  Andy did an amazing job preparing it.  I don't love prime rib, but I may be a convert after this year.

We wanted Christmas day and the following week to just be a calm time together, so we opted to start a puzzle. 1500 pieces, and it was finished in less than 24 hours mostly because Jean and Savannah were killing it!

I think everyone here had a wonderful Christmas.  I know I did!  I felt spoiled and loved.  The marathon to Christmas left me drained, and today (the 26th), I got one of my Christmas wishes - a quiet day to nap when I felt like it with very few obligations.  

For more than 20 days during the Christmas season, I posted pictures of our Christmas ornaments with their history on Instagram.  I finished those posts with our star, tree topper on Christmas Day.  Savannah helped me with the picture by providing a photoshop background, and this is probably the only picture from those posts that I will keep.  

So thankful for Jesus who put on skin and blood to dwell among us.  The takeaway from this year's Christmas Eve service - the early church chose December 25th to celebrate the birth of Christ because it falls during the winter solstice on the coldest and darkest day of the year.  While we don't really know the correct date, isn't that just like God to send the Light of the World on the coldest and darkest day? - certainly an appropriate day to celebrate.