12.29.2008

Post-Christmas stupors

I'm in a major one. I still feel full from days ago. I want to eat soup & cereal for 3 weeks. My children are overtired. Overstimulated. Cranky.

Christmas Eve I headed off to church with Martha (I think that's what I might call my sister, since she calls me Cyberspace. She's not a Martha Stewart wanna-be either -- she's a better Martha than Martha. Because I suspect if you're at MS's house, you feel incredibly nervous you are going to do something to embarrass yourself and don't really enjoy yourself. At my Martha's house, you just settle into the warm coziness and pass the appetizers she just happened to whip up in the double ovens and have a glass of wine, or maybe a frothy chai from the Tassimo. How does she even know to buy Mediterranean cheese? Where was I?) Martha, Big Daddy and Colin and I were all singing at the two earlier services. So we were at church from 2:45 til about 6:45, minus a quick jaunt for a Christmas Caribou. God bless the lovelies like Kayla who sacrificed of their Christmas Eve to spread some Caribou Cheer.

After the second Christmas Eve service, we headed to Martha's for our family Christmas. Where, natch, Martha whipped up a batch of appetizers. Mediterranean cheese, some sort of yummy dip, chilled shrimp, little cheesey spinach filled thingies, fruitcake she made from scratch, lefse, etc, etc. And honestly, she says things like, "I'll just put out a few appetizers," and that's what appears. We followed it with pizzas, to make life easier. We did our gift exchange (in an effort to simplify, we've gone to a name draw, except for kids). And then I threatened my children that Santa would pass us by if they did not get their little bottoms into the car and get home to bed. Merry Christmas.

From Ella after the threat was made: "That's ok. I already got presents." Great.

Christmas morning the girls opened their stockings, and their gifts from each other. After which they were like Christmas professionals. "Oh Natalie, I love it! It's what I've always wanted!" {hug} "Oh Ella, just what I always wanted for Christmas, thank you!" {hug}

Then it was off to my in-laws for more festivities and food and gifts. Highlights included a recorder performance (because Santa was higher than a kite on Christmas spirit, and thought 88¢ recorders from Wal-Mart would be FUN!), cookie frosting and sprinkling, and all of the grandchildren fascinated by someone else's gift.

I knew Natalie was exhausted when the little fashionista opened up a sweater from Aunt Molly and started bawling, "I didn't WANT a sweater...I wanted a TOY." Yes. Well. Lovely. Time to go home now.

2 comments:

An Empty Nest Happens said...

Boy, you bring back such memories of Christmas past. We have a great video of two of my kids "going at it" on Christmas morning over a Santa stocking mix-up....complete with a full view of a very irritated mom! Yikes!! The joys of Mothercraft. :)

Marylisa said...

I don't know what to tell you. It was just sitting there in the cheese bin between colby and sharp cheddar.