Christmas Part Deux

On New Year's Day we traveled up to see Jerry's folks for the day.  Jerry's sisters were both there and Lisa had her kids there, including the newest addition, Riley!  We had not met him yet.  Jerry's dad had also had some health issues over Christmas so we were glad he was home as well.  The only sibling missing was Matthew who is in Texas.  Elijah and Grace were once again completely spoiled rotten.  Both received numerous presents both from Grandma and Poppop and from Aunt Lisa.

 

Lisa and her kids.

Little guy!

PART of the set that Grandma and Poppop got for the kids.  Jazzy HAD to stand over there because Libby and Elijah kept making the cars fly off around the curve.

Grace getting mad that no one will give her the remote to make Tigger flip over.

Little bit trying to get in on the action (again!) after some food and visiting and playing with other toys.

We had a very nice day.  I thought that the kids did really well considering that they didn't have a nap.  Elijah threw a fit, not wanting to leave.  I'm glad that the kids feel comfortable with their grandparents. 

If New Year's Day was indicative of how the rest of the year is going to be, we are off to a GREAT start!

A Very Merry Christmas Indeed...

Christmas actually started yesterday for us as my parents insisted on the kids opening their present the day before.  So after a nap, Elijah and Grace tore into their present:

A wooden school bus with 16 little people to go inside from the 10000 Villages Store.  They were very excited to see it, apparently they played with it in the store when we were in Black Mountain.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing and eating pizza and watching The Polar Express (the new holiday favorite... well, tied with Rudolph I think!)  Then we left Oreos for Santa and 9 small carrots for the reindeer (can't forget Rudolph... the carrots help his nose to glow!) and off to bed.  Grace had a hard time going down and kept waking up due to a flair up with her eczema.  I set up the tree house doll house and pulled out the wrapped Santa's gifts, brought Elijah to bed with me and turned in. 
This morning, Elijah woke up earl (6:00) and was quiet but fidgety, so at 6:30 I told him he could go wake up Grace and Jerry.  He did this by throwing open the door and jumping up and down yelling, "SANTA CAME LAST NIGHT!!!!  SANTA CAME LAST NIGHT!!!!"
  I allowed them to come into the living room while Jerry woke up a bit, but insisted they wait to open their presents until he came out.  Since the tree house was unwrapped, they got to see it and spend a minute playing with it... and I do mean a minute...



                                    

After playing a minute, they (quasi-) patiently waited another one for Jerry.  Then it was onto the other presents.  Elijah was excited to see if he got a Fire truck from Santa:


And Grace was excited to see that she got a doll that came with it's own puppy!!!
 
Grace did not unwrap presents to the speed that suited Elijah, so he ended up opening the majority of the combined presents, which were all books.  He gave Grace another doll and Grace gave him a tow truck and tractor.
We opened stockings as well... and by opened I mean turned upside down and shook everything out! 


After Elijah and Grace finished opening their presents, we realized that it was actually light enough outside for the outside present to be revealed.   After pealing the wrapping paper off the window, the kids scurried into their shoes to climb (briefly) on the new climbing dome.

Then, at Elijah's insistence, we came back in to open MORE PRESENTS!  And since his (and Grace's) were already opened... it was on to Jerry and mine.  Jerry started with his BIG gift...

GOLF CLUBS!!!!

And moved on to some video games and golfing accessories.  Jerry came up with the theme of date night for me and gave me a couple Anne Taylor tops and a pair of pants, a calendar, and a gift certificate to Ulta.  My parents gave us some first edition books and Jerry an iTune gift card.  Overall quite a load.

After some clean up, the kids vanished into the toy room to pull out older toys and to play with the beads they got in the stockings (go figure) but later returned to try out some of the new toys too.  I feel like Christmas is always overwhelming to kids and they need the security of the familiar to not overload.  It makes me happy that we set a small budget and stick to it.  The most expensive thing we bought was the climbing dome, and it is something they will play on for years to come!

It was starting to drizzle a little outside, but it was warm, so we put on rain gear and went outside to get some energy out.  Grace was mega interested in the dome and went back again and again, Elijah built his own "treehouse" and both got some energy out.

After the playing it was time for some pizza for lunch.  Both kids wanted to be like Dadu and stand up while they were eating...considering they had candy canes and York Peppermint Patties (along with a nutragrain bar thrown in for good measure) for breakfast... sure why not...

And now, Grace and Jerry are passed out and Elijah has been whispering to me from his room while I watch a movie and type... though, I think he may have passed out... right in time for me to wake him up, poor guy.

All in all a VERY Merry Christmas has been had by all!  I hope the same is true for you and yours!

December so far...

  When we got home from the mountains the kids (and the adults) we excited to get into the Christmas spirit.  We decided, since the weather was nice, to first check out the "Polar Express" train at Mayfaire.  So off we went to dinner and then on to the train ride.

We did have to wait for a few minutes for the train to pull into the "station".

 

 

Once the train pulled in and we paid the "engineer" we were on our way.  I  have to admit I was nervous that the kids wouldn't like it.  But Elijah smiled through the whole thing.  Grace, I'm not sure she understood what was going on, but I think she had fun!

So then the next night, when the MUCH colder weather set in, we were off to find our Christmas Tree.  

Sorry the one is blurry, but I wanted to try to capture the essence...  Grace and Elijah helped us for about and hour to decorate the tree.  The end result was quite nice.  Then it was off to bed and mama and daddy wrapped presents to stick under the tree.

 

 

 

I have been working on one of the kids' presents, a tree house, doll house.  I finally finished it.  While I was in the mountains, I made little people (including our little family) to live and play in it...

I'm pretty proud of myself figuring out how to make the tree house and am completely indebted to Jon Hettirick for cutting the wood for me.  I can't wait until the kids see it on Christmas morning!  Tomorrow (Christmas Eve) Jerry is taking the kids out for the morning and I will assemble the climbing dome and cover the windows with wrapping paper.  I hope that they are super surprised.

And now the Santa story....sigh...  I had finished the kids Christmas shopping.  Elijah had told me he wanted a Christmas tree and toys for Christmas... check and check... then stupid Santa.  Elijah has been scared of Santa forever.  He loves to look at him and talk about him, but no way is this kid going near the big guy.  I'm okay with this.  I don't need or really want pics of him with Santa, I don't feel like this is a right of passage, and seriously, I'm a little relieved.   I'm all about my kids having stranger danger.  ANYWAY, this Santa (as most) had a candy cane.  He was at a festival we were attending in a big room and Elijah wanted a candy cane.  So I told Elijah he would have to go ask for one, I would walk with him, but he had to ask.  I told him it was just like trick or treating.  He thought that was reasonable.  Well, this Santa wanted to talk.  Okay.  So I knelt down and Elijah sat with me and talked to Santa:

Santa: Have you been a good boy?

EJ: Yes.

Santa: What do you want for Christmas?

EJ: A Christmas Tree.

Santa: hahahaha.  What do you want UNDER the Christmas Tree?

EJ: Toys.

in my head, this discussion is SOOOO over, my thoughts from here on out will be in italics...

Santa: What kind of toys?

WHAT?!?!?!  No no no, I'm already DONE with the shopping.

EJ: What?

Santa: What kind of toy do you want Santa to bring you?

SHhhhhhhh, just toys.  Leave it at that....LOOK AT MY FACE... shhhhhhhhhh!

EJ: Trucks?

Santa: You like trucks?

Ok.  Trucks is fine.  Give him the candy cane... life is good...

EJ: Uh-huh.

Santa: What kind of trucks do you like?

WHAT?!?!?!?  NOOOOOO.... this could be REALLY bad.  SHUT UP!
EJ: Fire trucks.

Santa: OHHH, Big fire trucks or little fire trucks?

Seriously, I'm going to hunt you down and burn your house down to ashes.  I don't care if you live in the North Pole, I will deernap Rudolph and fly there....

EJ: BIIIIG Fire Trucks!!!

#$^#%&^%&@#$%#@$^%%$^@#$%!@#$!@#$!@#%^!

Santa: Well, if you're a good little girl, then Santa will bring you a BIG Fire Truck.

OH HELL NO!!!!  We just sat here for 5 minutes in that time I used Elijah's name at LEAST 3 times and you just called him a GIRL?!?!?!?  AND you promises a BIG FIRE TRUCK, that's it Santa you and me in the parking lot in five minutes!  What the hell, I have to buy a fire truck for my kid or he is going to think that he has been a bad boy this year?!?!?!  sigh.... just smile and say thanks Santa...

Me: Tell Santa "thank you."

EJ: Thanks...

and he happily walks away eating his candy cane.  I was really proud of him for talking to Santa and whatnot, but I was IRRATE that the Santa pushed this.  I guess this is what Santa's do. If this were even a year ago I could have brushed it off and gotten Elijah to forget, alas, he has not forgotten.  SO, Jerry went to Kohl's and found a small fire engine with a station to go with it.  Elijah already has a BIG fire engine.  He doesn't need more, but I think this will appease him,  It even has a little fire dog and fire fighters to go with it.  I have calmed down and I am excited for both he and Grace to see what Santa brought on Christmas morning.

Next year, though, we will write letters to Santa and that will be it.... or we will visit ONE Santa early on in the season before I have started the shopping and get it right the first time!

I leave you now with Elijah's rousing rendition of Jingle Bells:

CATCH UP!!!

Sorry, I owe both kids two posts, and I will make them up...eventually...

We went up to the mountains for Thanksgiving and stayed for a couple of weeks.  Here are some pic high lights of our visit:

 

at the parade, Elijah was ready to fight for his candy..., he was quick beat out the stupid high school kids next to us...  good thing cause this mama was about to trip one of them if the deprived her kid....hehehehehe... Gracie had the best seat in the house! (don't worry she got candy too, but she didn't quite understand why she wasn't IN the parade...)

Sailing boats down various streams was a very huge past time.  Many boats were tried and I think the clear winner ended up being the wooden one.  Several rescues had to be made from lines breaking or being abandoned for things, that for the moment, were more exciting.  Gotta love the nature that abounds around us!

 

 

We got to got to a Christmas party thrown by Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. (SVCM) Two kids (and I mean KIDS) played some incredible music.  Elijah and Grace enjoyed dancing around after eating a delicious meal.  

 

Speaking of SVCM, Elijah went with mom and dad to help deliver Meals on Wheels.  He actually helped deliver them to the houses.  He also made the paper!!   http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20091216/BlackMountainNews01/312160016/1117/blackmountainnews  I'm so proud of my parents for working for this amazing organization, and also of my little guy for learning about giving back and helping others

 

We went to church with mom one night to make Christmas ornaments (which we promptly left at Oma's and Opa's...alas) and eat pizza. 

 

In between activities we sang carols, accompanied by musical instruments. 

 

 

 

Decorating the small, but cute Christmas tree was a fun intro to Christmas indeed.

Of course, what would be a visit to Oma and Opa's house without visiting their park.  Scariest motorcycle ever!  No handle bars to steer... alas, no one was harmed!

We also love Lake Tomahawk.  It's a great way to exhaust children while seeing ducks and geese.  Both kids made it all the way around once!

 

 

 

 

 

Some swing time on the BIG swings!

      It seemed to rain a lot while we were there, but that doesn't stop the fun!!!

Then back home for some stories with Opa!

Oma took the kiddos hiking in the woods.  I can't believe that I didn't really go into the woods the whole time I was there except to cut through to the back road.  Alas...

 

Yeah, thes pics are a bit out of order.  This is part of the Thanksgiving Day celebration gang.  My mom's sister came up as did my cousin and his family, but my parents felt this was not enough, so they invited some of their friends as well.  We celebrated Thanksgiving on the Saturday after the actual day.  It was a nice time.

  

Grace and Elijah went to Sunday School with Oma and then I met them at church later.  The thing hanging from Elijah's neck is his "phone" and Grace is wearing Oma's house shoes... but otherwise I think they look very respectable....hehehehehe... At church that day, students from Evergreen Community School (a local charter school) performed with their Marimba Band.  They were amazing and it made me want this kind of opportunity for our kids even more.  Sigh.  We are trying so hard to find a way to move back, alas... someday...

The kiddos got to help make cookies a couple times with Oma and Opa.  Both times Oma very nicely substituted a concoction for the eggs.  Meaning that Grace got to help too!! (and by help I mean lick the beater!

 

Finally, this is another one of our favorite parks to visit.  It is located by many streams and is perfect in all seasons.  The kids LOVE this swing.  There are also hiking trails and a lake to walk around nearby.  Also a 10000 Villages Store which is a BIG bonus!!!

I will break here and post more of what's been going on in another post... But I felt I needed to update!