Happy Holidays & New Year 2009

Christmas was wonderful this year. Jamie had a really good time. The lights delighted him to no end. I meant to put up a lot more than I did, but it was so cold we didn't. It's probably a really good thing because I already have qualms with he electricity bill.

We went to my mother's house for Christmas the weekend before Christmas. My brothers both brought their families. It was actually fairly pleasant. We had spaghetti and Jamie got a toy guitar, Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho Cherry O, a castle craft set, a singing Eeyore, and some other miscellaneous odds and ends I can't quite recall.

Christmas Eve we went to my Uncle Ed and Aunt Magaline's family's house. Jamie got a Dinosaur game for his smart cycle. He loves his smart cycle. That was a good Christmas purchase from last year that is still in regular use. After we left there we went to Matt's parents and got together with Matthew's side of the family. We budgeted Christmas pretty tight this year, but I made lots of goodies and gave them as presents. I got the girls both necklaces and a CD. They were pretty happy. Matthew got a few pairs of pants and I got a new coffee maker. It is awesome. I love it. Jamie got a car that plays YMCA and he loves it. He also got 2 pairs of pants, a belt, a stuffed dog, and a few small cars. One of the pants has a fire truck that lights up on the leg and Jamie just adores that pair of pants. I think I'll have to go to Walmart and get him some more light up clothing.

When we got home I made more goodies and Jamie went to bed quite late. I prepped food for Christmas dinner. I had to redecorate the Christmas tree since the cats had completely demolished it. I salvaged as many pipe cleaners as I could and put them on Jamie's little tree in his room and decorated it. I got all the presents wrapped and under the tree. We locked the cats in the garage to prevent destruction. I left Jamie's "animal eggs" unwrapped as the gift from Santa and Matthew and I dragged ourselves to bed.

Christmas morning I begrudgingly got up (after only a couple hours of sleep) and began preparing the 22 pound turkey that our dinner was to feature. I forgot to make the pan of cornbread the night before and was delayed a little more than I had wanted to be having to prepare that for the stuffing. I broke in my new coffee maker and went in and tried to drag Jamie out of bed. Unfortunately, at his young age, the fact that Santa came apparently isn't motivation enough to get up. It took a few tries but he finally got out of bed around 9:30am.

The first thing he saw was his animal eggs, of course. He was so excited. It took another hour before we could even coax him to look at his stocking. Once he had those animal eggs he did not care about opening his gifts. I had filled his stocking with a viewmaster and Clifford discs for it, a plastic candy cane filled with candy coated chocolate pieces, a snickers ornament egg, a Christmas pop up book, a a bundle of suckers.

It took most of the day to get his presents opened. As he opened each one he lost any interest in opening any others. He just loved each present so much that he didn't care if he got anything else. It just goes to show how little it really takes to make children happy.

He got plenty of games, which is the only thing he really asked for. We got him a few clothes, some puzzles, blocks, a doctors kit, and a skateboard. He had been pretending to ride a skateboard, after seeing it in a cartoon, for months. When I saw a "my first skateboard" at Walmart I had to get it. He has really enjoyed it.

We had quite an ensemble for Christmas dinner. Mom and her husband, Charlie were the first to arrive. Well, I find Charlie useless for most things, but he saved the day and fixed my main bathroom before our other guests arrived. Jamie had flushed a nail brush down the toilet and it was wedged good. We had attempted to remove it, Matt's dad had attempted to remove it. In the end we thought we were going to have to replace the toilet. Somehow Charlie managed to get it out. The only lasting damage is to our bathtub where we put the toilet when we were trying to flush out the brush. I was glad we didn't have to all share our small back bathroom. Next to arrive was Matthew's parents with Dynisha and Brianna. Last was my brother James, his wife, Rachel, Rachel's aunt, McKalah, and Hayden. We were already beginning to make plates when James' family arrived. I made stuffing, both in the turkey and out, real mashed potatoes, dumplings made in the turkey drippings, gravy, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce. It was lovely. I pulled the table into the living room and set up a folding table in there as well so we could all sit in the same room together.

I think everyone enjoyed dinner, though we don't all get along famously. Everything went off without a hitch and there was no fighting. What more can you ask for?

I cleaned up as we went and by the time the last guests left my house was clean, dishes were done, and leftovers were put away. Matthew and I fell on the couch and had some peace and quiet. It was pretty nice.

With Christmas gone we looked forward to a wonderful new year. 2008 was full of bumps in the road and hard times, but it was also full of wonderful memories and great joys. I look forward to the same in 2009. Matthew and I felt a little twinge of sadness as 2009 came. The years are passing so fast. Our little boy is growing so quickly. The other night as I tucked him into bed I told him that he was getting so big, so fast, and he told me, "I just sleep and grow." I smiled. It's so true.

Dynisha spent the night for New Years. Well, she really spent the whole week. We bought the kids some silly string and noise makers. I let them bake cookies and we waited up for the New Year. Christmas season had also brought us cold bugs and Jamie wasn't quite up to snuff. By the time midnight was upon us he had a bit of a fever and was fussy. When the ball dropped he perked up and played a bit, but then he was quickly off to bed.

Happy New Year!