Wednesday, January 2, 2013

The 2 Days of Christmas

We celebrate Christmas twice each year.  Usually with our children and grandchildren on Christmas Eve and extended family on Christmas Day so that our children and grandchildren can go to the "other side". 
 All of my siblings were at my Mom and Dad's for Christmas Day.  Photo op!  It was a fun photo op.  Lots of laughing and eyes closed and pointing.  And fun.
 We did get to see one of our little grandmunchkins on Christmas Day.  She and Daddy came by my parent's to visit.  She availed herself of all Grandma's toys straight off and had a great time.

Our family Christmas celebration had to be delayed for several days due to our son's work schedule.  Which meant there was time to go back to an old tradition, making Swedish Bread for Christmas.  Learning to make bread is a good skill for children to learn, right?  Only if you're willing to have a kitchen covered in flour and do a load of flour covered laundry.  And have a lot of fun in the process.
 Ahhh, bread making instills such a good homey feeling. 
 And the results!  Fantastic smells and flavors and eye candy.  Not to mention a wonderful addtion to our Christmas feast.  It was worth the work and clean up and I had forgotten  how much fun it was to make bread.  In the new year I'm going to give healthy whole wheat bread another try.  I think Swedish bread is back on the Christmas menu.  My son in law asked for it this year and I'm glad he reminded me.
 Bring on the family!  It turned out it was worth the wait.  Both sets of parents could come and, except for 2 grandchildren, the whole family was in attendance. 
 I love the fact the littles are so willing to help.  They help set the table, make the gravy, unset the table, do the dishes.
 We have a few Christmas traditions:  Prime rib for dinner, the reading of the Christmas story in a fictional format, to name a few.  Our daughter traditionally reads the story.  We geared it this year to the youngest and it was the story of the candy cane, hence the candy canes in the little hands and mouths.

Then it was time for the gifts.  My Christmas shopping was the easiest I've ever done.  One phone call and a few emails and I was done!  This year I gave my dream to the family.  A family trip to Disneyland and Sea World.  It didn't really sink in since it wasn't something tangible but in a few months I'll get to see the excitement.  Until then, I'll be the one excited.  And the adults of the family.  As soon as it was given, out came the cell phones and the googling of Disneyland and what is there to see and do.

In the meantime, there were plenty of other tangibles for them to enjoy. 
 A Duck hat for a Duck fan.
 Princess dolls for the little princesses.
Both sets of great grandparents were there.  Photo op! 

 Have you ever got 8 kids together in a photo, looking the same direction, with smiles, or at least acceptable expressions?   Me either.  These are the better of the bunch because there was no best.




 And when it was all said and done, gifts were opened and enjoyed, and the last of the football game was still playing, there was entertainment value in a plain old fort built from blankets and the dining room table.  Next year, they get a box. 
Happy New Year!  I don't make resolutions per se but there are some changes I'd like to make.  First is lose a bit of weight.  I've already started that and didn't weight for the new year.  I made, what I hope, is the last yarn purchase for awhile.  And pattern purchase.  I'd like to focus on knitting up some of my yarn stash with patterns I already have and have been gifted this year.  I stashed down the fabric to pretty much nothing in 2012 and I'd like to at least make a dent in the yarn.
I don't know what this year holds, but I know Who holds it.  I'd like to focus on a closer walk with Him this year.  It's been a long time coming as these last few years I've floundered in the deep waters by myself.  Walking closer with Him will make my perspective right, even during the hard times.
Here's to a year with the right perspective, His, be there good times or bad.

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