Three hundred and sixty five posts in one year.
That's a lot of posts.
I didn't think I had that much to say.
Thanks for sticking with me and for all of the comments throughout the year.
Perhaps I will post tomorrow...
Perhaps I will take a break...
I guess we will find out together.
I can't seem to get over my lazy self to put together a proper blog post about our great Christmas. We had another great day as a family spending most of the day playing with all our new toys. (I've read three and a half books since yesterday! Apparently it goes even faster when you don't have to turn pages...) We went out and did a little shopping this evening and to dinner, and then to get me a new cell phone. Brian was so excited for me to get another new gadget for him to play with, and I think I seriously bummed him out by choosing to go with a basic model instead of a smart phone. I like my new phone though, it's green. :) Anyhow, I don't want to take the time to download all my pictures and do a longer post, because I want to get my children in bed and then snuggle up and watch a movie with my husband.
Brian's parents sent us some money to take the kids out to dinner for Christmas. They were very generous, which put Brian and I in a generous mood also. We told them we were going to go out as a special treat and they could pick anywhere they wanted to go. They choose Chuck-a-Rama. And to my utter shock and amazement, Brian agreed! (This is the first time in over eleven years of my knowing him that we have gone to Chuck-a-Rama together. And the experience was everything I ever dreamed it would be...) The kids thoroughly enjoyed their dinner. Brian didn't complain. I'm pretty sure I burned off most of the calories I ate as I had to wait on everyone in my family except Jacob. And the best part, we still have enough money to go out to eat as a family again... or perhaps Brian and I will sneak off for a date night at some place that has actual waiters and no indoor play lands.
This morning I woke up and began to rush. (Not freaking out, just rushing. To understand the subtle yet important distinction between the two you can read here.) I had to finish the second capelet so that my friend Myra could help me block it, which we were going to do yesterday but couldn't because of an unforeseen knitting emergency. (i.e. I misread the pattern and had to rip the stupid thing halfway back and re-knit it.) Also Caitlin was coming down so we could have a sewing party and slam out the Christmas jammies. The house that I had cleaned spotless on Friday was now a cluttered mess, including two days worth of dishes in the sink. (Because I've been dealing with knitting emergencies, and no one else felt moved to clean up around here I guess...)
Myra arrived shortly after I weaved in the last end, and very kindly pointed out that we would need the sink in order to block my knitting. No problem. I scrambled to unload and load the dishwasher. And just I was rinsing off the last dish and about to scrub the sink out, Evie came upstairs to inform me that there was water leaking out of the laundry room ceiling. "Like, a LOT of water Mom." (I may have started to freak out a little bit at this point.) I mopped off the top of my washer and dryer while I called Brian to demand he fix this problem request his help in finding a solution to this dilemma. Brian called a brother in our ward who is a plumber, and he was able to replace the section of pipe that was completely corroded. (There are not enough Thank You's in the world for Bro. Pease, he has been so kind and helped us so much over the past few months!) In the meantime, Myra blocked my knitting for me, Caitlin looked up information on the rash on Lila's face to see if I needed to take her to the doctor's, and I changed the twenty-seventh diaper of the day.
I could feel the rushing starting to become freaking out, so I made a very important decision. I went to the store and bought Christmas jammies for the kids. I feel good about this decision. I've received a lot of reassurance from my family to back it up. Caitlin (who also gave up the idea of sewing Christmas jammies this year) reminded me that the fabric will keep and we will can have a sewing party after Christmas just as easily. Jacob assured me that his Christmas will not be ruined if his jammies aren't sewn by me, although he did confess that he was hoping for green flannel pants with red holly berries on them this year. (Yeah, they weren't.) And Brian... he calmly agreed that it was a wise decision on my part. But he couldn't quite suppress the glee in his voice that tells me he was singing the Hallelujah Chorus on the inside and thinking, "The crazy Christmas crafting lady is gone!!!"
I just know that the money I spent on the jammies was worth every penny for the peace of mind it gives me. I can spend the next three days calmly and contentedly spending time with my kids, watching Christmas movies, tidying the house for the festivities, baking cookies for Santa, and enjoying the holiday without rushing from project to project. (Except for a couple of skirts for the girls, but I can make those super fast...)
Days like today, when I just sit and stare at my computer screen for 20 minutes with no clue what to write about, make me long for the end of the month and my blog daily commitment to end.
Today Evie and Lila came upstairs, and Evie was crying. I asked her what was wrong.
"The reason I'm crying is because I just really, really miss Grandma Kim."
Ouch. It doesn't happen as often as it used to, but the grief can still sneak up and take my breath away.
I sighed and said, "I know honey, I miss her too."
Lila nodded very mater-of-factly and said, "That is because she is very far away. Way, way up in outer space!"
Laughter after tears, always one of my favorite emotions.
Tonight we went visiting after church. First to Pa Dave's where he graciously shared his dinner with us and we played some Phase 10 and got to see Caite and Patrick too. Then on to Grandma-great's and visiting with a good portion of the extended family. My Aunt Kristen was up visiting and brought my kids a bunch of toys that they are clearing out while getting ready to move. And when I say a bunch, I mean a whole lot! The kids helped me carry the boxes in the house and then went a little crazy digging through them and seeing what treasures they held. Both the girls spent the next hour playing with a toy castle that you can shoot cannon balls at. Jake went crazy when he found the old Game Boy and all the games. Brian laid down the law that the Game Boy has to stay upstairs when Jake goes to bed, so that he won't stay up all night playing with it. (I think it's that, and because Brian wants to play with it while the kids are in bed.) As we started packing up the toys the kids had spread all over the living room Brian said, "I should probably call Santa and tell him that we don't need any more toys for Christmas." Oh the wails of despair and denial that came from our children. Fortunately it was only a few months ago that we did a serious deep cleaning and de-junking of the kid's rooms and toys, so we can probably find homes for some of these new treasures and the odd Christmas present or two. Also fortunately, we had already decided to have a small Christmas this year.
P.S. Thank you Aunt Kristen and family. I guarantee these toys will be loved and played with a lot. You made my kid's night with your generosity.
It's been a very busy day. I got three Christmas projects finished, got presents mailed off, got a much needed haircut, took both of my girls shopping, and got all of that shopping wrapped and under the tree. Whew.
