We jumped right into the holiday spirit the first weekend by attending our little town's holiday fest and tree lighting. I went early to volunteer for our church's booth and David and the kids came later. Unfortunately the weather was chilly and drizzly, but thankfully the event planners thought it through and put all of the booths in the lower level of the covered parking deck. We helped the kids make reindeer ornaments out of pinecones, rode in a horse-dawn carriage around the downtown area, listened to the orchestra play a few Christmas carols, and watched the tree light up. Most of our small group was able to meet us there for it, so it doubled as our end-of-semester social. The kids and I took the van home and changed into cozy pajamas while David picked up Zaxby's. We lit the fire, turned on the tree and garland, and ate while we watched Frosty. Ahhhhhhhh.
The next morning we went to church and turned in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that the kids helped to shop for and pack. If you haven't heard about Samaritan's Purse and the incredible work they do, be sure to check them out at www.samaritanspurse.org. It is a fantastic, tangible way to involve kids in giving.
That afternoon we headed down to our neighborhood clubhouse for "Cookies and Cocoa with Santa." The kids hesitantly approached him and gave him their letters:
I heard Santa point to the word "Jesus" on Audrey's letter and say, "He takes care of all of us, doesn't He?" So sweet that Santa knows his rightful place. They talked with him for another moment and then I took as many pictures as I could in two minutes before they ran off for the cookies and cocoa portion of the evening. We visited with some neighbors, profusely thanked the organizer (because, boy, do I know), and went home.
Audrey and Luke with Santa 2016
The next week things began to pick up a bit. I had a meeting with Audrey's teacher and my co-room mom about their class's winter party, there was a PTA Board Luncheon, and David had his potluck lunch at work. That Saturday we got all dolled up and attended his company party at Chateau Elan. It was very well done and we had a nice time mingling and catching up with people. I am so very proud of him and how he's advanced over the twelve years he's worked there. I got to meet a lot of his employees that are under him and, aside from feeling really old, I loved getting a glimpse of that side of him.
The next week was Luke's class party and Christmas program, both of which went very well. For his party we made snowman soup, reindeer food, decorated an ornament and a cookie, and played "pass the candy cane" and bell toss. His program was just as precious as it could be and he went after it with the seriousness and focus of a Buckingham Palace guard. He barely cracked a smile the entire time, but he hit every note and motion with precision. We went back to his classroom for "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake and punch. We presented his teachers with their gifts and helped clean up before racing to get Audrey back to school. (Yes, I took her out so she could go because family support matters more than missing two hours of school.)
That Saturday we had our "Alabama Christmas" with David's mom's side of the family. We ate and ate and ate and then unwrapped and unwrapped and unwrapped. The kids played with their new toys while the adults watched and catnapped. As usual, it was delicious and filling on multiple levels. We left there and headed home blaring our Alabama Christmas CD.
That Monday the 19th was when I got the word that my grandfather had passed away. I went over to my mom's that night to be with her. By the next morning, I'd decided I was going to go to Baltimore for the funeral, so I booked all of my travel arrangements and then went to put on Audrey's class party. I thought I was doing fairly well at staying focused on the task at hand until I stepped back to admire the banner I hung and it read "WONDERLAND WINTER." Thank goodness for a co-room mom who handled more than her fair share of the work and watched my back too!
The party went really well. The theme was snow/snowflakes/wonderland winter (apparently). The kids made a snow globe ornament with their pictures I'd taken the week before, put together a tea light snowman ornament, played Plinko with a giant board my co-room mom had left over from one of her kids' birthday parties, and had a make-a-snowman relay where teams raced to wrap each other in toilet paper and put on buttons and a hat. After everyone had cycled through the stations, we let them walk through a popcorn bar where they mixed their bag of popcorn with a bunch of treats like marshmallows, chocolate chips, pretzels, and skittles. The kids had so much fun, but I will say I really miss getting to go around and enjoy it with Audrey because I'm always leading a station. Still, I got to see her when she came to mine and stole glances and pictures the rest of the time.
That evening I finished getting everything in order for our Christmas celebrations and started packing. The next morning I hit the grocery store, took Luke to school (and thanked the Lord I'd already planned on having the pizza delivered directly for his class's special lunch), and went home to finish packing. David's mom was picking up Luke at school, so I got on the road to the airport around 1pm. The details of the trip are all written out here, but in summary: it was a heartbreaking loss of a hero at a really tough time of year, but God was faithful to bring peace and comfort.
I got back late on the 22nd and we went to my brother's house on the 23rd to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family (less my mom of course.) There was an understandable and mostly unspoken sadness that hung in the air. I shared a story or two I'd heard on the trip, but we all wanted the focus to be on giving the kids their cousin Christmas, so we kept the reminiscing to a minimum. Some time around 3 o'clock that day the adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins since Monday wore off and I hit a major wall of bone tiredness. We got in the van, waved goodbye, and snaked our way around 20, 285, 400, and Hwy. 20 to home.
The next morning after the first decent night's sleep in about a week, I got up and put on my running clothes. Even though it was Christmas Eve, my body and my soul desperately needed my Saturday morning run. I didn't go fast or far, but I did get my usual post-run Chick-fil-A biscuit and David's burrito and headed home to my couch and coffee. That thirty minute window of post-run chicken biscuit and coffee is always one of the biggest highlights of my week and it felt especially comforting that morning.
David's parents came over mid-morning and we celebrated Christmas with them. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed a pizza lunch (I had actually planned on cooking this year, but they graciously understood my need to not mess with it.) His mom was nice enough to bring two homemade desserts, which is really the most important part, so we managed just fine. We ate and went back to gifts for a little bit before cleaning up and getting ready for Christmas Eve service at church.
David and I had to be there early to work the greeter team, so the kids gave his parents the grand tour and then we joined them for the service. The music was both salve and salt to my wounds as praise and worship usually is for me. The message was good, but truthfully I still wasn't 100% focused. The kids got to join us in "big church" for the occasion and they truly enjoyed it. We closed with a candlelit "Hard the Herald Angels Sing" and went out to the lobby where David and I worked the first time visitors' table for a few minutes. We said goodbye to his parents and went home to cook our traditional Christmas Eve taco dinner.
After we ate, we let the kids open their ornament gift of the year: a pink bicycle for Audrey to commemorate her learning to ride a bike and a GT football for Luke since he became such a big fan this year. We set out cookies, milk, and carrots and spread reindeer food in the yard before hustling them upstairs for our final Jesse Tree devotional and a reading of "The Night Before Christmas." They were excited, but jumped in bed quickly and stayed very quiet. Santa came and we watched part of a Christmas movie and went to bed.
The next morning, I got up early and went downstairs to enjoy some peace, quiet, and coffee in front of the Christmas tree. I prepped breakfast a little and then finally around 7:15 decided I was tired of waiting on everyone to wake up and went to stir them. The kids did their very own walk down the stairs this year (I've usually carried someone or held a hand) and stared at their gifts with big smiles. As requested, Audrey got a typewriter and a lego set and Luke got a robot costume and a lego set along with some other surprises for both of them. (Don't worry - their stockings had the stuffed kitty and toy tiger.) They dug in and played and we sat back and soaked it all in, loving every minute. We took a break for breakfast and then did stockings. They opened gifts from each other and one from David and I (we only do three for each of them from us) and then David and I opened ours from the kids. This year I'd surprised David with a six-string "banjitar/guitjo" and he was stoked. We don't do gifts every year, but I do love when something cool comes to mind and I get to pull it off. We ate lunch and all took naps/rests...well, David practiced on his new toy, but the rest of us napped.
After we got up, we gave the kids their biggest gifts - new bicycles from us. They were pretty shocked. Audrey wasn't necessarily pumped, but Luke was. She was nervous about how big it was and not being able to touch the ground easily. Reassuring her she'd get the hang of it, we loaded up and took them over to a nearby park to test them out. After some coddling, Audrey gained some confidence. We thought Luke might be able to do it sans training wheels since he'd dabbled on the balance bike, but he wasn't quite ready for that yet, so David put them back on. We let them ride for about 45 minutes and then went home to open the last gift and start prepping dinner. We ate our ham, corn pudding, green beans, mashed potatoes, potato salad, rolls, and macaroni and cheese on our fine china in our pajamas in the dining room and it was as delightful as it always is. We played some more and turned in for the night fat and happy. It had been a truly wonderful day and I was so grateful for it.
The next week involved a lot of core family time and rest, which is exactly what we needed. The days that followed were a mix of chill and a little adventure. Each family member got to pick one thing they wanted to do on the break, so we worked our way through the list. Audrey wanted to go roller skating (the kids did great!), Luke wanted to spend that night at his grandparents' (they did on 1/1), David wanted to go on a hike (we went near our usual lake trails), and I wanted to do some bookstore perusing and eat lunch out (and declutter a little and get a mani/pedi...so Mama got to pick a few things...so what?) It wasn't anything particularly grand, but it was nice. The Taylors came through town towards the end of the week, so we had them over for dinner and caught up a bit, which was wonderful. For my birthday we lounged at home and then ran some errands. Dinner was our usual Provino's Italian restaurant (free + a gluten free option = done.) David and the kids gave me a gorgeous 13.1/triathlon bracelet that I loved and much cake was eaten.
The next day we stayed in, took down Christmas decorations (or started to at least - lawdy, we have a lot), and watched Georgia Tech beat Kentucky in the Taxslayer bowl. That night we cuddled up and watched Fixer Upper, our new family-friendly tv obsession (I've always loved it but got them hooked a few months ago). I discovered a streaming video on YouTube that let you watch New Year's in London, so we turned that on around 6:50pm and rang in their new year early with sparkling cider. The kids went to bed around their usual time because we are mean parents and we settled in for four hours of trying to keep our eyes open. We barely made it, but we made it...not unlike how most people feel about surviving 2016, I imagine.
All in all, it was a really nice Christmas season. Less busy/stressful than years before, which takes a ton of intention and work, but is well worth it. Thank the Lord we were all healthy for the festivities this year because I think an illness would've been enough to do us in. Expectations were kept in check and the schedule of family celebrations was just perfect this time around. Looking back I see all of this as God's grace. He knew what was coming for our family with the loss of my grandfather and He covered us well.
I hope your December/Christmas 2016 was a special one as well & here's to 2017!
David and me at his company Christmas Party at Chateau Elan
The next week was Luke's class party and Christmas program, both of which went very well. For his party we made snowman soup, reindeer food, decorated an ornament and a cookie, and played "pass the candy cane" and bell toss. His program was just as precious as it could be and he went after it with the seriousness and focus of a Buckingham Palace guard. He barely cracked a smile the entire time, but he hit every note and motion with precision. We went back to his classroom for "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake and punch. We presented his teachers with their gifts and helped clean up before racing to get Audrey back to school. (Yes, I took her out so she could go because family support matters more than missing two hours of school.)
Luke (in the blue head wrap) giving it his all at his preschool program
That Monday the 19th was when I got the word that my grandfather had passed away. I went over to my mom's that night to be with her. By the next morning, I'd decided I was going to go to Baltimore for the funeral, so I booked all of my travel arrangements and then went to put on Audrey's class party. I thought I was doing fairly well at staying focused on the task at hand until I stepped back to admire the banner I hung and it read "WONDERLAND WINTER." Thank goodness for a co-room mom who handled more than her fair share of the work and watched my back too!
The party went really well. The theme was snow/snowflakes/wonderland winter (apparently). The kids made a snow globe ornament with their pictures I'd taken the week before, put together a tea light snowman ornament, played Plinko with a giant board my co-room mom had left over from one of her kids' birthday parties, and had a make-a-snowman relay where teams raced to wrap each other in toilet paper and put on buttons and a hat. After everyone had cycled through the stations, we let them walk through a popcorn bar where they mixed their bag of popcorn with a bunch of treats like marshmallows, chocolate chips, pretzels, and skittles. The kids had so much fun, but I will say I really miss getting to go around and enjoy it with Audrey because I'm always leading a station. Still, I got to see her when she came to mine and stole glances and pictures the rest of the time.
That evening I finished getting everything in order for our Christmas celebrations and started packing. The next morning I hit the grocery store, took Luke to school (and thanked the Lord I'd already planned on having the pizza delivered directly for his class's special lunch), and went home to finish packing. David's mom was picking up Luke at school, so I got on the road to the airport around 1pm. The details of the trip are all written out here, but in summary: it was a heartbreaking loss of a hero at a really tough time of year, but God was faithful to bring peace and comfort.
I got back late on the 22nd and we went to my brother's house on the 23rd to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family (less my mom of course.) There was an understandable and mostly unspoken sadness that hung in the air. I shared a story or two I'd heard on the trip, but we all wanted the focus to be on giving the kids their cousin Christmas, so we kept the reminiscing to a minimum. Some time around 3 o'clock that day the adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins since Monday wore off and I hit a major wall of bone tiredness. We got in the van, waved goodbye, and snaked our way around 20, 285, 400, and Hwy. 20 to home.
The five cousins celebrating Christmas 2016
The next morning after the first decent night's sleep in about a week, I got up and put on my running clothes. Even though it was Christmas Eve, my body and my soul desperately needed my Saturday morning run. I didn't go fast or far, but I did get my usual post-run Chick-fil-A biscuit and David's burrito and headed home to my couch and coffee. That thirty minute window of post-run chicken biscuit and coffee is always one of the biggest highlights of my week and it felt especially comforting that morning.
David's parents came over mid-morning and we celebrated Christmas with them. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed a pizza lunch (I had actually planned on cooking this year, but they graciously understood my need to not mess with it.) His mom was nice enough to bring two homemade desserts, which is really the most important part, so we managed just fine. We ate and went back to gifts for a little bit before cleaning up and getting ready for Christmas Eve service at church.
David and I had to be there early to work the greeter team, so the kids gave his parents the grand tour and then we joined them for the service. The music was both salve and salt to my wounds as praise and worship usually is for me. The message was good, but truthfully I still wasn't 100% focused. The kids got to join us in "big church" for the occasion and they truly enjoyed it. We closed with a candlelit "Hard the Herald Angels Sing" and went out to the lobby where David and I worked the first time visitors' table for a few minutes. We said goodbye to his parents and went home to cook our traditional Christmas Eve taco dinner.
Audrey and Luke with their Grandmom and Granddad (David's parents)
before the Christmas Eve service
After we ate, we let the kids open their ornament gift of the year: a pink bicycle for Audrey to commemorate her learning to ride a bike and a GT football for Luke since he became such a big fan this year. We set out cookies, milk, and carrots and spread reindeer food in the yard before hustling them upstairs for our final Jesse Tree devotional and a reading of "The Night Before Christmas." They were excited, but jumped in bed quickly and stayed very quiet. Santa came and we watched part of a Christmas movie and went to bed.
The next morning, I got up early and went downstairs to enjoy some peace, quiet, and coffee in front of the Christmas tree. I prepped breakfast a little and then finally around 7:15 decided I was tired of waiting on everyone to wake up and went to stir them. The kids did their very own walk down the stairs this year (I've usually carried someone or held a hand) and stared at their gifts with big smiles. As requested, Audrey got a typewriter and a lego set and Luke got a robot costume and a lego set along with some other surprises for both of them. (Don't worry - their stockings had the stuffed kitty and toy tiger.) They dug in and played and we sat back and soaked it all in, loving every minute. We took a break for breakfast and then did stockings. They opened gifts from each other and one from David and I (we only do three for each of them from us) and then David and I opened ours from the kids. This year I'd surprised David with a six-string "banjitar/guitjo" and he was stoked. We don't do gifts every year, but I do love when something cool comes to mind and I get to pull it off. We ate lunch and all took naps/rests...well, David practiced on his new toy, but the rest of us napped.
After we got up, we gave the kids their biggest gifts - new bicycles from us. They were pretty shocked. Audrey wasn't necessarily pumped, but Luke was. She was nervous about how big it was and not being able to touch the ground easily. Reassuring her she'd get the hang of it, we loaded up and took them over to a nearby park to test them out. After some coddling, Audrey gained some confidence. We thought Luke might be able to do it sans training wheels since he'd dabbled on the balance bike, but he wasn't quite ready for that yet, so David put them back on. We let them ride for about 45 minutes and then went home to open the last gift and start prepping dinner. We ate our ham, corn pudding, green beans, mashed potatoes, potato salad, rolls, and macaroni and cheese on our fine china in our pajamas in the dining room and it was as delightful as it always is. We played some more and turned in for the night fat and happy. It had been a truly wonderful day and I was so grateful for it.
David playing with his new banjitar in his new pajama pants from the kids
Audrey and Luke on their new bikes
The next week involved a lot of core family time and rest, which is exactly what we needed. The days that followed were a mix of chill and a little adventure. Each family member got to pick one thing they wanted to do on the break, so we worked our way through the list. Audrey wanted to go roller skating (the kids did great!), Luke wanted to spend that night at his grandparents' (they did on 1/1), David wanted to go on a hike (we went near our usual lake trails), and I wanted to do some bookstore perusing and eat lunch out (and declutter a little and get a mani/pedi...so Mama got to pick a few things...so what?) It wasn't anything particularly grand, but it was nice. The Taylors came through town towards the end of the week, so we had them over for dinner and caught up a bit, which was wonderful. For my birthday we lounged at home and then ran some errands. Dinner was our usual Provino's Italian restaurant (free + a gluten free option = done.) David and the kids gave me a gorgeous 13.1/triathlon bracelet that I loved and much cake was eaten.
The next day we stayed in, took down Christmas decorations (or started to at least - lawdy, we have a lot), and watched Georgia Tech beat Kentucky in the Taxslayer bowl. That night we cuddled up and watched Fixer Upper, our new family-friendly tv obsession (I've always loved it but got them hooked a few months ago). I discovered a streaming video on YouTube that let you watch New Year's in London, so we turned that on around 6:50pm and rang in their new year early with sparkling cider. The kids went to bed around their usual time because we are mean parents and we settled in for four hours of trying to keep our eyes open. We barely made it, but we made it...not unlike how most people feel about surviving 2016, I imagine.
All in all, it was a really nice Christmas season. Less busy/stressful than years before, which takes a ton of intention and work, but is well worth it. Thank the Lord we were all healthy for the festivities this year because I think an illness would've been enough to do us in. Expectations were kept in check and the schedule of family celebrations was just perfect this time around. Looking back I see all of this as God's grace. He knew what was coming for our family with the loss of my grandfather and He covered us well.
I hope your December/Christmas 2016 was a special one as well & here's to 2017!
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