Christmas 2012 Bits and Pieces

Sunday (Dec. 23) night I Skyped with Caleb from his bedroom to make sure we were up and running for our Christmas day visit with Cache.  Kinda fun :)  

Christmas Eve started by Tom and I getting up way too early to hit the gym then Harmon's---it is a bit of a drive but they have a nice selection of unusual fruits that the kids wanted to give in the stockings this year.  We stopped at Cabela's on the way home to get a gift for our Christmas Eve visitor (Roger).

During the day, the kids got their stockings ready and finalized their plan for those.  (More details below.) and we tied a few baby quilts as a service project. I love the small sized ones because they fit in my front room where we seem to have more participation from all family members because it is in a better location.  We did a total of 3 this year.

It snowed most of the day on Christmas Eve (fun!) and the kids enjoyed a little time out in it in the afternoon.  I really wanted a snowman, but that didn't end up happening.

We eat a full Chinese feast on Christmas Eve and so everyone has a meal-prep assignment with me.  Caleb helped with the Beef and Broccoli, Chandler did the Tiny Spicy Chicken, Tom helped with the Shrimp Chow Mein and the girls helped with the Spring Rolls (those were purchased to make life a bit easier that day.)  It was a yummy meal and we loved the left overs for a few days after Christmas.

After dinner, we acted out the Nativity.  Roger, Tom's widower friend, who didn't have any plans for the evening was our narrator.  (None of our Nativity pictures ever turn out, and this one is probably the worst, but I want everyone to remember Roger's visit.)  After the Nativity, all the boys went downstairs for a little ping pong tourney.  In his younger years, Roger was pretty good.  Then we gave Roger his gifts and invited him back for the next day (which he declined).

Then we sent the kids to bed....or in other words, they all went to go back to our room to stay until morning.  They have a phone, snacks, TVs, movies, games etc.  They are not to come out and if they need something, they can call us.  It is WONDERFUL because it allows us to get to work much earlier.

Our Christmas day plans weren't too elaborate this year because of our planned service project (more about that farther down) and our Skype with Cache.  The biggest way we changed things up this year was the kids did each other's stockings.  They had a budget and had to buy small gifts, fruit and candy to fill it.  Then they had to hide it and devise some way for that person to find it. . . scavenger hunt, clues etc.  It ended up being so much fun and it was 100% unanimous that we repeat it (it is rare to get unanimity on anything it seems!).

First item of the morning was to follow your yarn trail to get your ornament.  We've done it in the past, but not since the girls have been added to the family so we thought it was time again.  This year, for the boys at least, it not only wound around and around inside the house, but there were multiple trips outside.  Such a thing is very hard to photograph, especially outside in the semi-darkness, but below are a few reminders for the kids.

Look, Mom!  A purple mustache!

Caleb's gear from Nike caused flash problems all morning!

One of our family gifts this year was a Hot Wheels race track.  We've never had one because when the boys were of age, that's not where their interests lied, but this year we decided it would be a great gift for everyone to share.  Right we were.  It was a hit with everyone.  When we told Cache about it, he said, "Aww, that's legit."

One of the activities we had during the day was shooting empty water bottles down with Nerf or rubber band guns.  The bottles were numbered and some yielded a draw from the 'money bag', the 'treat bag' or a 'task bag', other were duds.

Chandler's shot got him a draw from the task bag.  His task was to go down to the storage room blindfolded, and emerge with a can of applesauce, a can of pinto beans, a can of Chicken Noodle soup and a Spice cake mix.  I guess when your bedroom is right next to the storage room, you know exactly where everything is, even when blindfolded!  (Tom watched to make sure no peeking went on.)  The task said it paid $40!  Later though, Chandler unwittingly traded his birthright for a mess of pottage---he opted to take the coveted bottle of Sasparilla in exchange for the $40.  Great trade for me!

Tessa convinced me (more like I finally gave in) to let her wear lipstick.  "I have to look beautiful when we talk to Cache!"  

New hats for a few!

One of the highlights of the day was Skyping with Cache.  It was wonderful to see him, hear his voice and visit with him for a while.  We had problems with the video off and on, and so some of it was spent just talking, but we both loved the times we dared turn our video on (much better the 2nd hour than the first).  He looked good and sounded great and it made my momma heart feel warm and full again of him.

Right after our visit with him we headed out for our annual Christmas day service project.  Because of some recommendations Cache had made regarding my inquiries as to how to better prepare missionaries coming from our home, I was looking for a more 'real' service project than making deliveries to the Senior Citizen trailer court. I had a few things planned, both of which fell through.  The day before Christmas though, I made a phone call and landed us the best project.  A sister I visit teach was moving two days after Christmas and was willing to take my whole family's help for an hour or so on Christmas day.  It was an eye opening experience for my family and we all came home so happy to be of such needed service.  (Which is why it is a toss up as to which was the best thing of the day-- talking to Cache or serving Jesus Christ.  It is just too hard to choose; both were wonderful and satisfying.)

By then it was 4:30 and we decided to finish opening presents!

We probably could not have purchased a better gift for this little girl than a Panda Bear pillow pet.  They have not separated much since that day.  Little Greta is such a nurturer.

Greta also got dress up clothes--another hit (just not as much so as 'Pandy-Bear').  It was a great gift because both girls can play at the same time since they really do share everything.  They have such a great relationship.

This is a terrible picture (captured from a poor video), but it is only to record Tessa's main gift--a mini trampoline.  It was also a perfect gift for the bouncy girl that she is! (She also got jump ropes--Chinese and regular--both much loved by her.)

As the day wore on, Chandler got a bit grumpy---even after opening gifts that he should have loved.  Because none of them were the thing he wanted MOST:  an X-Wing Star Fighter Lego set.  Hope was pretty much lost because not a single package under the tree was the right size or shape for such a gift.  Sad, sad, days.  

(You may wonder how he knew immediately which Lego set he had received. . . well, this is Chandler we're talking about. . . )

A few other notes about Christmas for historical purposes: 

This year Caleb wanted a State Ring (for winning XC state champions) for Christmas so he only got little things like duct tape, a pound of beef jerky, guy shower gel etc.  Tom and I didn't get gifts this year either because our gift was our trip to Portland. Being together was our best Christmas gift ever--better than anything we could have acquired.  We may just repeat it (hopefully not always to Portland!).  

Tom is 100% involved in planning, shopping, wrapping and carrying out traditions on Christmas.  It is one of our favorite things to do together.  We start with a grid as early as October with each child's name on a row and the number of gifts  (or the specific gift, such as the ornament) across the top.  We pencil in gift ideas as we brainstorm what would be best for each child that year.  Along with it, we have the budget so we can stay within that too.  We work on it over the course of a couple of weeks.  We do quite a bit of research and product reviews before making a single purchase.   We make sure everyone has the same number of gifts and that it 'feels fair' (because exact dollar amount of budgeting for each child never works out because younger children's things are much less expensive than gifts for older ones.) We  think (maybe over think?) through every decision to make sure we aren't acquiring too much stuff  or causing confusion as to why we celebrate Christmas and to make sure that what we are spending our money on will be valued by the person receiving it.  Christmas is a very planned, organized event, so I'm not sure how it plays out as a fun, relaxed great day, but it always does!

We spread Christmas out over the whole day.  This year we started about 6:00 am and finished opening the last present about 5:30 pm.  I know that sounds unusual to most, but we love it.  

One last note for myself:  coding words this year:  Greek, limit, jumpy, snows.