here we go a caroling...

Today was a weird day.

It started out with me, my mom and my aunt meeting at my grandparents' house to go through my grandma's Christmas decorations and pick out what we each wanted.  Originally I asked my grandpa a few weeks ago if I could have one decoration that my grandma had for as long as I can remember: a set of carolers that she painted.

My grandma was very artistic; she painted wonderfully, and she also wrote poetry.  For a person who never went to school beyond 8th grade, she was very well-read and was a great writer.  However, painting is what I think most people would remember about my grandma's artistic side (well, and her cake decorating).  She worked at a ceramics shop for awhile, and she had a lot of different figurines in her home that she painted; we all had been given gifts that she painted for us.  Every grandkid has a piggy bank hand-painted by grandma among other various knick knacks.  She tried on several occasions to teach me how to paint, but I just don't have that creative gene.

But the carolers... I loved them, especially!  

I asked to borrow them this year because it made me sad that my grandma's cherished Christmas decorations wouldn't see the sparkle of the Christmas lights again this year.  My grandpa decided that he would have me, my mom and my aunt go through and divide among ourselves the Christmas decorations.  

I told my mom and my aunt that all I wanted were the carolers.  

Now the carolers are residing on my fireplace mantle.  I was also allowed to take home some very vintage angels that are probably from the late 1950s or early 1960s.  They are also on my mantle.  I love seeing these decorations in my home; it's so much better than having them packed up in boxes for another year.  

My grandma marked all of her figurines with the year and her name (it's usually carved in the bottom because she would pour the mold, then put her name on the bottom, I guess).  The carolers were made in 1971--the year I was born and the year of my first Christmas.  

The angels. 

The carolers.

ich habe keine idee

But I have many, many wonderful and witty ideas all day long.
Then I open my blogger dashboard and ....whoosh.... all my wonderful wit dissolves into dur, dur, dur.

Today we got our ginormous tree, which would not fit where I wanted to put it.  I have to say, our tree looks really freaking awesome with our new floors and our painted walls.

It was bizarro to pick a tree with only one of our kids instead of two (like every year from 1996-1999 and last year) or three (like every year from 2000-2009).  Maya missed her sisters and once again I was sad that we didn't have just one more kid for Maya to chum around with.

Speaking of bizarro, my oldest daughter moved into her 2nd apartment.  Townhome, really.  She's all mature and responsible; I'm glad I didn't strangle her during her teen years, as I almost did time and time again, because she has turned into a well-adjusted adult.  Those teen years were hell, though.  No joke.

I skipped both of my boot camp classes this week because I was so tired all week long.  It sucked.  Also, as of today it has been 84 days since my last menstrual period.  No, I am not pregnant.  I just had a pap a week or two after that period, and the pap came back normal, so I also do not have cancer.  Therefore, I must be menopausal even though my dumbass condescending doctor claims that I am too young to be menopausal.

What does she know.

Tomorrow I visit Brazil for the third time.
Pray for me.

36 in a 25

Last week I got my first pullover and subsequent ticket in, oh, 14 years.  Ugh. I was so annoyed with myself!

It was in an area where I never speed (can't say that anymore), and I was cited for 11 over the speed limit (36 in a 25), which I guess means it will effect my insurance.

I was driving from a friend's house, was in a good mood, had my Christmas music blaring (it was 4 days before Christmas) while I sang along loudly; I wasn't paying any attention to my speed, but I quickly realized I was going too fast (it looked like 40mph on my speedometer).  I immediately slowed down, and that was when I saw the police car.  Too late.  I had literally gone 2 blocks.

He pulled out into the road, flipped on his lights, so I pulled over and hoped he was getting the guy behind me instead. If only I were so fortunate. Instead, he stopped behind me, and I reached down for my purse.  It wasn't on my floorboard where I usually keep it.  I looked in the back.  Nope.

Ugh.  It was at my friend's house.

I figured that I was going to really get a huge ticket for not having a license on me.  Luckily I had just put our new insurance card in my car (our policy renews the beginning of every December and June).  He gave me a pass on the no license thing, but I did get a $154 ticket.  Did I mention that was 4 days before Christmas?  Who sets up a speedtrap 4 days before Christmas in a tough economy?  No mercy, I tell ya.  Well, I guess there was a little mercy.

I vacillated between laughing and nearly crying over the whole thing.

I plan to ask for a deferment, and I hope the judge will agree to that.

The annual hunt

Well, my December attempt at NaBloPoMo is already a total BUST, but I am okay with that.  Who the hell tried to do daily blogging (while not getting paid) during the holidays?  Crrrazzzy. 

Today we got our Christmas tree.  Every year (with a couple exceptions) we go to the same place: Cox Christmas Trees in Eatonville.  We've been going there since, I swear, 1992.  My parents moved to Eatonville in 1992, and I think that's the only place we've ever gone for a tree.  The people who own it are so cool. 

The weather held out for us today: it was warm (50*) and sunny, which never happens for us on a tree hunt day.  We got it home, stood, lit and decorated in record time.  By 6:15pm, we were sitting down to eat dinner, and the tree was all done. 

This was the first year that Paige wasn't with us to get the tree and help decorate it.  It was a little bit of a bummer, but it's okay.  I'm prepared to only take Maya with us next year to get a tree.

Paige and Harrison have leased and apartment and will be moving in January; next Christmas Paige will be finding and decorating her own Christmas tree!  I'm proud of my kid; she's taking good care of herself.  I just wish she would get her ass back to school. 

Wednesday is the day when I go visit my grandpa.  It's our standing date, and he looks forward to it every week--as do I.  The holidays are hard for anyone who has lost a loved one; today was three months since my grandma died.  While people all around him are putting up their Christmas decor, my grandpa has chosen to not do any of that.  No tree, no lights, nothing.  I know my grandma would be very sad to know that he's checked out of Christmas this year, but I get it.

He's trying to figure out what to do for Christmas this year.  My grandparents' usual Christmas eve was spent at their church's candlelight service, then they would go home and exchange gifts and then just chill out around the house until we all arrived Christmas day.

This Christmas looks to be a very lonely holiday for my grandpa. 

My mom invited my grandpa over for Christmas eve dinner, which is always spectacular.  He's of course welcome to come over as early as he'd like on Christmas day, too.  I'm kicking around the idea of having my family attend the church service with him on Christmas eve, too. 

My grandma dying has changed everything holiday in my family. 

holidays

All the kids were home for dinner tonight, just by chance.
It was nice.

I feel serious empty nester syndrome lately, which is weird because I still have a kid living at home, but we're used to lots of kids at our house.

This year people seem ready to jump into Christmas.  Last year was so blech, so I'm happy that so many more people seem festive this year.  

Paige asked me tonight how we were going to do Christmas this year.  Same as ever, I replied.  She says, "Oh, so we're staying the night with grandma and grandpa and heading to great-grandma and great-grandpa's on Christmas day?"  Hm.  I hadn't thought of that.

I visited my grandpa today; I try to visit him every Wednesday, but I didn't see him at all last week.  he was happy to see me.  He says Wayne and I are the only people who stop by to visit him.  He seemed especially melancholy today.  We had a bad windstorm Monday night; he lost power around 9pm and didn't get it back until 2:30pm on Tuesday.  I should have called and checked in on him, but I didn't think about it.  Sometimes when the wind blows, it can sound like a person moaning.  That can be disconcerting for one who has recently lost a spouse.

So I'm not quite sure how we're doing Christmas this year.
But I do know that my grandpa is supplying the wine for Thanksgiving. We'll tackle this first holiday before we start contemplating the logistics of Christmas, I guess.

It was a jolly hollyday

I love Christmas....
every other year.
Even numbered years are always weird for us at Christmastime because we only get the older two girls on odd numbered years.

This year, being an even numbered year, we were supposed to only have Maya on Christmas day. Paige ended up staying with us Christmas eve and Christmas day because her dad was in eastern WA with his parents, and the pass was a mess. She didn't feel comfortable driving over the pass in such poor conditions, and I don't blame her. Normally we would get Brittani the day after Christmas, but we actually got to pick her up at like 11am on Christmas day.

We stayed Christmas eve at my mom and dad's, like we always do. It was, as always, wonderful. We had the usual: prime rib, twice baked potatoes, veggies, salad, rolls... it's so yummy. We rocked hard at Rockband 2. Can I tell you, I think my brother, my sister and I missed our Partridge Family calling. We so rock hard. We could easily add Wayne to the mix, but there's only one guitar. He fills in, as does my mom. I guess they can take up the slack when we have to take potty breaks.

Maya, Sofia and Ben (my niece and nephew) were so excited, of course. My sister said Sofia and Maya woke her up at 2am to see if it was time to open gifts yet. Ha! They never went back to sleep. We all woke up at 6am; I can only imagine how long those 4 hours were for the girls. Torture.

Wayne and I really tried to keep Christmas low-key this year. We had less money to spend, and we cut out a few people we would normally buy gifts for. It sucked to have to do that, but I think a lot of people were having to tighten the purse strings this year. When we were shopping this year, I overheard more than a few people say that they had little or no money for the holidays this year. I am grateful that we were still able to provide our kids with a memorable holiday, even if it wasn't a holiday with endless gift-giving.

Maya's big gift this year was a Nintendo DS. She got several games to go with it. She also got a Barbie, and I told Wayne that I guess that may be the last Barbie we buy for her. She'll be 9 in October, and I think by next birthday and Christmas, she may be done with her Barbie phase. It makes me kind of sad, but also, I am ready to be RID of Barbies.

Maya left, Sofia right.

Paige's big gift was a pair of black paisley Uggs. They are too small, though, so I have to exchange them. I got them through www.zappos.com, so I need to send them back. Sending back is so much more difficult than just running it back to a store.

Brittani was the fun one to shop for this year. She has a goal of opening her own cookie shop one day, so we bought her a bunch of tools and accessories for baking. My favorite was the apron I bought for her on Etsy. Etsy is my new favorite place to window shop online.

You can find really cute aprons at the Boojiboo shop at Etsy. We put all of Brittani's cookie stuff in the footlocker-looking thing, and Wayne decorated it himself. he's very crafty, my husband. In fact, his dream right now is to own a Cricut. With a Cricut, oh the ways he could have decorated the footlocker...

One of my favorite gifts was a new camera strap that my mom and dad gave me:

Isn't it so cool?
They got it from www.myfunkycamera.com, which is where I got my last camera strap. The woman who makes the straps has improved them so much since I last bought one; she has:

• lengthened the strap
• lined the piece that is in direct contact with the neck with a microfiber fleece or something like that. It is so soft. I can wear the camera for hours now without my neck getting irritated or my neck hairs getting all knotted. Very nice.
  
• She has included a quick release option for an additional $5. Nice. Now I can get several different camera straps and change them quickly and easily.
  

I didn't actually get the quick release yet, but I will soon. Her store will open again on Dec. 29th, and I'm hoping she has some new and cute inventory.

Oh, but the day was not without drama. Paige has been very difficult lately; she is really difficult to live with. But I think that may be another post for another day. When I'm less angry. Though I have to admit that right now I'm just worried. She is working at Snoqualmie Summit this year, and while she was working tonight, chains became required on the pass. She wanted me to come get her, but I don't have chains either (and even if I had, I wouldn't have gone to get her, honestly). Who knows if we can even find chains now after this run of snow. Anyway, she headed to her grandparents' house, which is in Mattawa (E. Wa). That was easily two hours ago, and I haven't heard from her. I did call her dad and let him know to have her call me because she was really angry with me, and I have a feeling she won't call just to spite me. That's the way shes been lately. Hostile would be a very accurate description.

It really sucks.

snow

We are on day 2 of no school due to snow.
This week is an essential Get Shit Done week for me, and I haven't been able to do anything, really. I was able to go out on Tuesday and get some stuff done, and thank god we decided to do the girls' Santa picture that evening.
I still have a bunch of shopping to do, and I have no idea when I will be able to get it done.
I am crossing fingers and toes that there will be school tomorrow.

If there is school tomorrow, we'll have girl scouts right afterward, and Maya will be leaving early to attend a friend's winter recital. She goes every year to his winter and spring recital (he plays the violin), and they dress to the nines, which is funny because they are only 8. It's her fun night out. And she gets treated to ice cream. Bonus!

I have a cookie exchange tomorrow, and I am stressed out. Luckily I only have to make 7 dozen cookies instead of the original 13 dozen (Yikes!). If you need some performance anxiety in your life, participate in a cookie exchange. What if the cookie I make is the one sucky cookie that no one likes? What if it's UGLY? I have a vision in my mind's eye of how I want the cookies to look-- normally I just dust them with powdered sugar, but this time I am melting white and dark chocolate to drizzle over the top for a more artistic effect. However, I am not artistic, so we'll see how this works out for me.

Wayne had to go to 2 stores to get my main ingredient-- candy cane kisses. Apparently candy cane kisses are all the rage this holiday season.

And then...how do I present the cookies? Box? Plate? Do I have to make it pretty and decorative? Can I just put them on a regular old plate?

Because I have a feeling that this isn't just a Cookie Exchange; I fear that this is really one of those suburban mom competitions that I don't know exist until I am in the throes of it. Then it's too late. My lameness is obvious to everyone.

I did find this site, which I will be reading over quite thoroughly today.

lots o' photos

We spent Christmas eve and morning at my parents' house, as usual.

My mom's table. It was all very lovely.


Wayne, Grandpa, Brittani and Maya wait for dinner.


My dad.


Brittani.


Maya and Heather--blurry, but I like it.


The companion to my white elf. This one is on my mom's tree.


One of the homemade ornaments from when we were kids.

Christmas Day!!!
The loot:


Dad looking groggy...


Aaron (my brother) isn't ready for the light.


Paige.


Brittani.


Chaos ensues...


Maya really likes the American Girl doll that Nana sent her:


Wayne. Electronic Battleship.


Using my new toy (a tripod!).


Sofia, Heather and Ben (taken with my other new toy. speedlight)


My sister and nephew.


Brittani.


Paige.


Maya.


Paige and Ben.


Wayne and Aaron...Battleship is way high tech now.


It snowed (but didn't stick)


At my grandparents' house.

Paige. Eyes open. Talking.


Sofia and Maya with their new loot-- iPod shuffle for Sofia and
American Girl Doll (Nicki) for Maya.


Heather, Ben and Dad. Leapster.


Paige


Brittani.


Maya and Grandpa. Maya loves her animal books.


All in all, it was a great holiday!

Brittani got a new camera, and Paige got the 80GB iPod Classic. They were happy, though Paige got a Nano the night before from her dad. She's got a lot of iPods. I wish I had a picture of Brittani's face when she opened her camera. Priceless.
.
I got a tripod, speedlight, lenspen, two Rachael Ray cookbooks and The Kite Runner and a whole bunch of soaps from Bath and Body Works. From my parents I got jammies, a laptop case (so needed). Wayne and I also got $200 in Home Depot gift cards from his mom and my parents. Nice. My grandparents gave me a nice little angel statue for the garden.

We got Wayne Electronic Battleship, cologne, jammie pants and a new espresso machine. He's using the machine like crazy; I'm glad we got it for him. We got it the Sunday before Xmas; Maya and I left early to get to the mall by 7, but it wasn't open until 8. We were home by 9, and Wayne never knew we left. We got back in our jammies, and he didn't get up until 10:30. We felt so sneaky.

Merry Christmas from my elves

My little elves

Holiday traditions

This week has been crazy, as I'm sure it has been for everyone.
We are, what?, 3 days before Christmas. Yea!
I was done with my shopping--and wrapping--last week. I feel very on top of it this year. We had the money to start shopping the day after Thanksgiving, which is earlier than usual.

We started off the month with the Santa Parade through downtown, which Maya's Brownie troop participated in. It was FREEZING fricking cold. 32 degrees and snowing off and on. Luckily there was no precipitation during the parade.





My parents with Ben and Sofia...shivering.



I love this picture of Maya. She looks so...rosy. She loves that scarf; one of the moms from the troop made them for the girls.




We have several traditions that the kids really look forward to every year:

Tree Hunting

We got our tree from the tree farm we've gone to for, wow, 13 years. We didn't go for three years because they had weird hours and only were open a few days for short hours. They oversold for a few years, so they had to cut back hours to make up for it. Well, we went back this year, and it felt like being home again. It's called Cox Christmas Trees, and it's in Eatonville. This article pretty much describes our experience at Cox, too.

Though, this year I didn't pick the tree. My older kids and Wayne actually over-ruled me and persisted until I caved in to their choice. It feels weird to be screaming, "THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY" in the middle of Norway Spruces. Apparently it was a coup.


See how sweet they look before they take over the world?












Paige is adamant that this is the one (it isn't).



I am adamant that this is the one (it isn't).
Brittani stands by it, so we don't lose it.



The saw is the weapon of the fierce Christmas Tree Coup.



Maya has the map...



THIS is the one. See how pleased they look?



And the best part?
Cider

and candy canes...yum!


Tree Decorating all together:
Blurry, I know...

I love my girls...


Ornaments
This ornament is older than me (I am circa 1971) and hung on our tree when I was a kid; my grandma had some, too. They were either red, white or green. I love this elf.

Every year Nana, who lives in Louisiana, sends each of the girls an ornament. This was Maya's ornament this year; she LOVES it(I'll get pics of the other two later):



Santa Pictures

Almost every year, our kids have had their picture taken with Santa. I have pictures of Paige sitting on Santa's lap from 4 months until age three, at which time she began to scream and cry at the idea. I picked it back up again when she was 6, and we were with Wayne and Brittani. Brittani had never had her picture taken with Santa, and that first year--1996--Brittani melted down and didn't get her picture done. That picture is Paige all alone. But in 1997, we started to force it. We may have skipped one year due to finances. I have the pictures--most of them--framed and scattered around the house for the holidays. I get so sad when I think of the day when I won't get a Santa picture with all my girls. I dread the day that Maya may have to do the picture on her own; I hope that never happens.

Anyway, here is this year's Santa picture:

This is the one I really wanted to get prints of, though. You should have seen the scene that Paige made when I told the guy I wanted prints of this one:



Christmas Baking
This is our fifth year of doing a marathon baking session at our house. My mom brings her Kitchen Aid over, and we have dueling Kitchen Aids. This year we cranked out:
sugar cookies
applesauce cookies
pumpkin cookies
bon bons
magical kiss cookies
rocky ledge bars
macaroons


Hm. It seems like we made more. Mom is making linzer cookies at her house today, and I am making some cookies with a cookie press. I've never used a cookie press, so we'll see how it goes. Paige says the press is hard to use (she makes them with her stepmom every year).
Paige and Heather picked up Brittani and Maya from school early, so they could all help make cookies.


Busy, busy, busy



Bon bons-- a recipe my mom has grudgingly made since around 1980 (off and on). They are tedious to make, but it helps to have Paige and Heather do the dipping.



Sugar cookies (this was a recipe from my Southern Living cookbook, and Brittani said it was really hard to work with).


Christmas eve, we will head to my mom and dad's and celebrate our holiday there, as we have every year. I have never spent a Christmas morning away from my mommy and daddy. I swear, I'm not overly attached.

However you spend your holiday, may it be festive, fun and joyful...