This & That

Falalala....la..........la...........la

It always amazes me how fast Christmas disappears.  In just over two hours, working all together, we managed to dismantle the holiday and pack most of it away.  Since it rained buckets all day, the trees are still up in the house, but they are nekked......and sort of sad looking in their undressed state.   We pulled out the snowmen, though, to take their place and the sloshy rain/snow mix we've gotten today is perfect for putting them up around the house. 

Married DS and DIL made it here through some of the yucky weather and will be here for a nice visit until Tuesday, when the younger kids have to go back to school.  Poor DS #2 is sick, though....congested, coughing, sore throat.  Hope he's feeling better when he wakes up from his long winter's nap. 

Duck, Duck, Goose

I think I have everyone roped into the idea that Christmas needs to be put away today---amidst great weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, but it would take forever for me to do it by myself and it's really time.

I got to scrap yesterday and got layouts done for future challenges so I'm ahead of the game, but it also means I can't post them yet. 

And finally, DH has volunteer to cook dinner......which is a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, it's great that he's willing.  On the other hand, it means twice as much work for me cleaning up the kitchen after he's done in there.  And on that third hand (?), he's cooking duck and I HATE duck.  Loathe it.....the very thought of it gives me a gagging feeling.   It totally tastes like liver, but we have these ducks in the freezer and need to use them up.   He and the family are so looking forward to it.  I will be eating cereal.   

Why Did I Start?

I know better, I really do.  I told myself not to get started on it, but it's this darn organizing bug I typically get this week.  All of a sudden everything has to be put in its place.  So DH takes the boys and is gone all day hunting and I'm left with Elise to do what I want.  Do I spend it scrapping like crazy?  Nooooooooo.......I take the pile of unfiled magazine articles and organize them, I look through all my scrap notebooks, winnow and organize them and then about 30 minutes before the men get home, I start scrapping....just in time to get nothing done.  Sigh....maybe a few minutes tonight.

Loving My New Camera

After an hour-long phone call with Canon's tech support about getting the software installed so I could upload photos, I finally am able to see the results of a few practice photos from yesterday.  I think I'm going to love this camera.....totally.  I almost think it will solve all my inadequecies as a photographer just by existing in my house.  I have a lot to learn, but just the whole auto-focus thing is totally amazing!

On a different note....am I the only one who gets a post-Christmas/pre-New Years burst of energy?  It seems that every year that week between the two holidays I always end up with a huge project.  Last year it was the total overhaul of my scrap space and took me three days to complete.  This year I don't have a cleaning project that big, so yesterday I was printing off pictures like crazy and now have a stack of photos, kits and projects to work on.  Now if DH will just take the boys somewhere for the day so I can actually get something done.

I'm not sure what to do about Christmas.  I'd like to get it down and put away while everyone is here to help, but with married DS and DIL not getting here until this weekend, we may end up leaving it up longer than I'm used to. 

I have a mountain of laudry waiting for me today as well as a round-robin of appointments.....orthodontist for DS, dentist check-ups for all the kids at home, hair cuts.  We managed to get it all scheduled for the same day so we wouldn't mess up anything Scott wanted to do during his week off.   (Translation: Don't mess with my hunting days....).  The really ironic thing is that the weather doesn't look like it's going to cooperate with him at all.  Yesterday it rained all day.  Today, when everything is scheduled looks like the only day all week that's going to have decent weather.  The rest of the week looks rainy as well.   Bad for my scrapping opportunities.  But maybe we can get the garage cleaned out?

Or maybe I'll just play with my camera all day.  Heaven knows, I have plenty to learn.

The Aftermath

Am I the only one who finds "after" Christmas a little strange after the whole, big build-up?  Don't get me wrong, it's all wonderful.....the family gathering, the traditions we do, the togetherness, the music......everything is great.  It's just that there seems to be an abrupt drop-off the day after Christmas.....like you're expected to go on with life as usual when all around you is the aftermath of the big day, when you can't even find the floor for all of the stuff lying around.  In some ways, I'd like things to move a little slower, I guess.

On the very up-side, I got the amazing camera I wished for....and it will probably count for my birthday and anniversary this year as well.  So far, I've managed to get it out of the box, the battery charged and the photo card in the right slot.  I'm feeling really good about myself!  Beyond that, however, I'm going to have to do some pretty serious reading.  Either that or I guess I could let my techo-boy teenager play with it and then come and explain it to me....

But first I probably need to go find the floor.

Believe

Today is all about the traditions--some of those "carved in stone" ones I was talking about earlier.  Every Christmas Eve we follow an outline of activities that hasn't deviated much over the past many years.  We spend the afternoon together in the kitchen making finger foods for dinner.  There is a prescribed menu to that as well.....stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped dates, some kind of dip for chips, shrimp cocktail...those are the basics and we flesh it out from there.  If mom is here the kids have usually bugged her into making chicken wings and some sausage biscuit roll-ups.  There is Weinhard's root beer to drink and eggnog for those who must have it.  After an early dinner, we always watch the George C. Scott version of "The Christmas Carol"  (is there anyone who makes a better Scrooge?) and break in the middle for hot cider and Christmas cookies.  Then we open the Christmas Eve jammies and gather in the living room to sing carols and read stories.....The Night Before Christmas and The Littlest Angel usually.  There's always talk of Santa and whether or not he's on his way.......Believe.  Always coaxing the little ones to hang onto the idea of Santa for another year....that innocence and trust that comes naturally to children.  What happens to that belief and trust as we get older?  The cynicism and skepticism that we think is so grown-up....such evidence that we are adults.   Next comes the reading of the Christmas story from Luke.

...."Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:10, 11

"For unto us a child is born....unto us a Son is given.  And the government shall be upon his shoulders and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

Believe.

All is Calm.....I think

Yeah, I think so.  DH is off for a half-days work.  The kids are going to be rousted soon enough to help me do last minute getting ready for mom's arrival.  We have only sugar cookies on the list to get baked.  I want it to be a fun day.   I want the Christmas spirit to run rampant.  I want to create great memories for my family.  Here's to hoping that all happens...

So glad we took the jump and got the cable receiver so we now get the BYU channel and  can watch the  Joseph Smith broadcast here at home.  Should be really good and we should be able to sometime see the Christmas concert we missed at the first of the month due to bad weather.   

What do I want mostly over the next few days?  One word.......Peace.   All is calm....

Bowl Games=Screaming Lunatics

Someone needs to explain the Bowl Game Observation Mentality to me.  How my usually mild-mannered husband who hardly EVER watches a sports event on TV becomes a raving lunatic watching a BYU bowl game.  And we're totally losing......

Christmas Cheer & Changing

I'm at the stage of life where everything seems to be in constant flux.  Like my baby girl, I seem to have entered a "tween" stage.....half my kids home and half gone.  Traditions that I thought would be carved in stone, seem to ebb and flow at a whim.  OK, so there ARE still things carved in stone, but they seem to be fewer and far between.  The post-Thanksgiving Christmas jigsaw puzzle sits in poor, pathetic disarray....neglected.....a casualty of busy schedules.  The Christmas music that usually floods the house is absent because of a tempermental stereo.  Technology as the double-edged sword I'm thinking as I type a BLOG of all things.  Yet as the evenings wind down, my kids start asking when we're going to read the nightly Christmas story, and Eric will rush to research a Christmas carol online, so he can give a little report when we gather.  Love that.  An extra something to increase the Christmas spirit.  But I was talking of "tweens".  This morning I brushed out Elise's hair and put it into the requested style and when we got ready to head out to do the final grocery trip for the week (I hope!) I looked at her and she had added an ornament to her hair style....all on her own.  Something like 27 big bobby pins holding in this poinsettia that had adorned a fruit basket.  I'm seeing this more often...these glimpses of independence and maturity.  Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about it as I do about traditions coming and going.  The realization is that I can't stop it, so I'll enjoy it.