We were able to celebrate Christmas this year with Josh's family on Sunday. It was so great. We ate turkey, stuffing, creamed corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, shrimp cocktail and Tami's famous 7 layer bean dip, and munched on some great desserts. We played a few games and just hung out. It was exactly what we needed after a didn't-need-to-take-so-long drive up Saturday night.....
Today was spent running around crazy like getting the house "mom and dad" ready. I needed to have dinner ready before we left for church, so we could just reheat and eat when we got home. Josh and I were greeters and offering "picker uppers" during the service so we needed to church early, which allowed for the PERFECT time to exchange gifts with my dearest friend Lauren. (this is sort of our little tradition--exchanging gifts AT the Christmas Eve service) I gave Lauren some homemade, sentimental gifts and she gave me one the BEST gifts ever. Only topped by her birthday gift to me this year. I got the Scene It--FRIENDS edition. I can't WAIT to find someone who will play it with me.
After their adventure at Cabella's, Mom and Dad met us at church and then we raced home to eat ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, and creamed corn. YUMMO.
We opened presents with the kids. Also great. Tyler opened a box of what he thought was popcorn, but when I was cleaning up, I realized that I didn't get him popcorn. That it was in fact an actual gift inside the box of popcorn. So we joked with him to open it up and share with us, and when he opened it, it was MUCH to his surprise the soundtrack to Transformers. His ALL TIME FAVORITE. Too cute.
Jessica was with me when I had done most of my shopping--even for her gifts--but she hasn't asked for them since we bought them....so when she was opening her gifts she just kept saying "I have been LOOKING for this, Mommy.....THANK YOU." Always our polite little princess.
It sure doesn't feel like Christmas when you have to do all the work, does it? :) I miss sipping coffee, playing Scattergories, watching Elf and staying in my sweatpants all day. I'm so looking forward to our New Years down in Oregon, but I have learned that we need to help out a little more so mom can actually ENJOY her holiday--not let it slip by so fast, like it seemed to go for me this year.
This house is very quiet, except for the sounds of our dishwasher....
I'm off to bed--before you know it the kids will be up looking for MORE presents from Santa.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS.
2 comments:
gosh i too totally felt guilty for all the years that i just sit and watch mom do all the cleaning, prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning, when it was me doing it all this year.
i know i've done the full thanksgiving the last 4 years, but it seemed like a bigger deal "doing" christmas. and that was just for four of us (our couple bailed at the last minute)...i can't imagine a full house of multiple families... so it didn't feel real to me either. but it was nice.
i'll play scene it with you!!
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