Merry Christmas; Part Two

The Eve before Christmas Eve we braved the cold and went out skating.  Two words:  Poor poor poor poor poor poor Jane.  Everyone else was moving, but she was stuck in her stroller.  We just had to take a break or two inside and bundle her as best we could.  She was actually quite the trooper and I think she may have even enjoyed it??  But just look at her cheeks!  Ellie on the other hand was so sweaty she had to take off her toque after a while!  I was not really on either extreme because Zoe wouldn't let me move fast enough to get warm, yet I was still able to get warm enough by constantly picking her up time after time.  I think the funnest part for me was taking a loop hand in hand with just Ellie.  No stroller.  No picking up crying kids.  Just chatting and skating.  I finally got warm.  You can guess what the boys did the whole time.  After a quick warm up around the loop with Joe they played hockey until dark.  

Usually I am the one to suggest slurpees---yes, even after an icy skate.  But this was all Joe.  It was all Joe because I got hit with a tiny tummy-bug.  Thankfully it was just that---tiny.  No barfing (like Noah the day before), but just queasy.  I knew it was coming.  Everyone around me was getting sick well before Christmas and our family was safe.  I kept thinking, "please, no.  I know our turn must be around the corner, but please not over the holidays!"  Well.  It came.  Right over the holidays.  Jackson and Joe were the only ones unscathed.  The girls and I had rumbly tummies with not a huge appetite, but that was about it.  And everyone was fine for Christmas Day!

Here we are for Christmas Eve dinner!  I was feeling just well enough to eat in time for the girls to not.  Doh!  Joe did it again though---great meal!  Lots of left-overs.

Acting out the Nativity.  I wish the lighting was better because the kids looked so cute.  I'm not sure who thought Jane would make a great baby-Jesus, ...because she stunk.  Constantly running off stage and all that.  We had to fire her.

It's always a little bitter-sweet when Jolly Holly leaves us.  I mean, she leaves us with brand new Christmas PJ's so that's fun.  But gone for a whole 'nother year.  Who's going to keep my kids in line now?  Jolly Holly ordered the kids PJ's a while ago (I know this, because she told me), and then she saw a better deal and decided to get those instead, but thought, "Hmm.  I should hold on to these PJ's just in case the others don't arrive in time."  Good thing she did, because the other PJ's didn't come (even though they were ordered mid-Nov).  A little oversight on Jolly Holly's part.  Apparently they were being shipped from Australia.  Whoops.  So we might get them in time for next year.  Hence, no PJ's for Joe and I.  Jolly Holly apologized to us profusely.  Old jammies for Joe and I?  How dare she.

Getting ready to watch "The Polar Express."  It has become an annual fav around here for Christmas Eve, although I have mixed feelings about this show.  Parts of it are really great---entertaining, almost constant action and a few great shining teaching moments, ....but it's a bit all over the place.  Like they couldn't settle on a point, so they had to make a million.  My two cents of a rant.

Once we all realized it was time to go to bed because Santa was coming we all got a little excited!  Including Mamma!

We played some Boggle with the boys before sending them to bed.  Ellie came out of her room about three separate times in tears, "What if Santa doesn't come to our house because we're not asleep?!"  She was very worried about that because I always make a point that Santa doesn't come if we are all still awake---which is supposed to encourage the kids to fall asleep.  Instead it caused just the opposite.  We were all still awake and what if Santa was flying by just now and skipped our house?  Oh boy.  I had to lay down with her and read with her to calm her down so she would get tired enough.  It worked.

Finally Christmas morning!  

I think everyone was pleased with their gifts.  The kids were so happy and so grateful.  It was a very exciting morning, that's for sure.

Joe has been really pushing for our family to have a Motto, so I had my friend Sarah Champion design this so we could put it up in our home and always remember what kind of people Burnhams are.

Sarah sent me socks that match my pants!  Way nicer than the ugly rooster ornament I got her.

We let Jane sleep till her regular 9am, so she was the centre of Christmas-attention.  She was in heaven with present after present.  She didn't even know what to do with herself.  Can I just say, I think Santa (and Mom) nailed it this year.  Fine.  And Joe.  Kindle for me and lots of dough to spend on a girls day/night out.  Yes please.  Also lined up a double date to do Locked Room.  I guess he enjoyed taking Jackson for his birthday after all!

 SUGAR!  With all of this sugar laying around that is all Jane wants to eat.  Lunch?  Why would she eat that when there is chocolate milk to fill up on and suckers to eat?

One of the highlights for Zoe (and fulfilling for me because I actually found one for a decent price at Costco---otherwise, they are stupid-pricey!  They had been sold out for a while, and I just happened upon one that had just barely been returned.  Yes I am a lucky buns).  Zoe is in heaven with this thing (which she lovingly named, Butterfly).  Jane hates it.

Jackson asked for a bunch of riddles and puzzles and such, so he was ready to get to work on some Sudoku.  My Dad would be proud.

All Noah was looking forward to was getting a Stick-bot set.  They have been making movies all day.

A lovely family photo.

All in all, a great Christmas for the Burnhams!  I even got in a nap!

Spontaneous Montana Trip!

As I mentioned in my last post, much of December has been snowless and hovering around zero.  It has been amazing to be able to send the kids on their scooters or bikes to school and not have to worry about snow-pants, etc.  Usually the reason my parents don't come up at Christmas and vice-versa is because the mountain roads are usually too snowy and risky to drive on.  Well, about a week and a half ago, I was really missing my parents.  We always talk about what we're going to do at my in-laws at Christmas, which is great and I look forward to it.  But then I felt a pang.  It has been a LONG time since I have done anything Christmas-y with my parents.  And then that thought led to, "why not?"  The roads are clear.  I had a few days where I didn't have as much commitment as I have in other weeks.  I had a small window, so maybe I could put my life on pause and just go?  So.  I did.  The only thing that made it a little hard was that Zoe would be missing her very first Kindergarten Christmas Concert.  But then I had to weigh what was more important.  There will be many Christmas concerts to be had and not very many opportunities to visit my parents at Christmas.  I brought it up to Joe that night to see what the likelihood would be for him to be in town during the days I'd like to go, etc.  And he really urged me to take this opportunity to go, even when I woke up the next morning and had second thoughts about driving.  So thank you Joe for the extra push and for arranging your schedule and life so that I could make these memories with my parents!  

The three older kids had no clue I was leaving town until they got home from school and I was gone (along with Jane and Zoe).  Ellie felt a little ripped off because she was the only girl at home.  And then Jackson reminded her that his snake was a girl.  So.  There.

A huge thank you to my parents too for letting me drop in so suddenly and so last minute!  I mentioned the possibility to my Mom the night before, but I was still hesitant and unsure.  I literally called my Mom as we were packing up the car the next morning, then almost five hours later we were there!  Jane was a peach in the car, and I had a great audiobook to listen to which makes that kind of drive so tolerable (Agatha Christie's "Murder On the Orient Express"---movie is good too!).

Mom went straight into Grandma-mode.  She had already had cookie dough made and plans for us to see Santa, pick out a puzzle and for movies to be watched in the club house.  We felt very special and very spoiled.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

Jane was not as pleased with my Mom's idea to see Santa.  From afar she shouted his name and waved and seemed okay to see him.  From afar.  The second she realized I was going to put her on his lap (again---the first time was at our Ward's Christmas party just the week before), she lost it!  Santa was good though and had a good hold.  Probably lots of practice from lots of experience.  Thanks Santa. 

 After the chaos, Zoe got to have a nice chat with Santa (without the screaming).  There were no lines so there was lots of time to talk with Santa.  It was so cute.  I heard Santa ask, "Did you really get all dressed up just to see me?"  "Uh-huh."  Zoe was star-struck.  It was adorable.

 

We picked up a puzzle at Costco and played some Christmas music while putting it together.  Zoe loved it so much, she wanted to do it twice.  So, she did.

Then, like I said.  Mom turned on her Grandma and we cut out ginger bread cookies.  This reminded me of my childhood because we would make these every Christmas.  Sometimes we would put a hole at the top and make them into ornaments and put them on the tree.  They never lasted too long!  Haha!  It must have been the same recipe too.  Tasted like my childhood memories.

 We went to the library to pick out some books to read and the girls fell in love with the massive stuffies there.  Shelves were lined with stuffed snowmen and other Christmas stuffies.  These bears were on the floor, so they got some snuggles.

There was no shortage of colouring at Grandma and Grandpa's!  Each day the girls would spend a good amount of time at the counter colouring.

 

We went to the Club House twice to watch some Christmas movies.  It was so nice because we could let Jane walk around and didn't have to worry about her being too loud.  It was just us!  The downside is we had to clean up all the popcorn she carried around with her.  Haha!  Worth it.

 

I didn't want to make this trip about shopping, but we HAD to check out Hobby Lobby and Target.  Jane was NOT interested in getting close to this Santa.  From afar she would shout, "Santa!  Nice!"  But any closer and she would shout, "Bye-bye Santa!"  

If you can believe it, I have never been to Krispy Kreme.  So, that was on our list of fun things to do while we were out.  I didn't know that you could watch them make their donuts right there.  Very cool.  We missed their donut-making time, but next time we come to visit I will be putting that on my list.  These donuts were the best I have ever had.  And so festive!

 

 

My twin.

I thought Zoe would get a kick out of this so we took her out to the hot tub!  Outside in the WINTER!  She loved it and thought it was so fun that you could be swimming outside in the cold.  It was still below zero (probably minus five) and the hot tub temperature was just right.  After a bit of swimming around, the daring began!  It started with putting our feet in the snow.  Then hands.  Zoe was feeling a little brave so I dared her to put her bum in the snow!  She said she would do it if I did.  And I can't pass up a dare.  

I would have liked to stay another day, but it called for snow and I didn't want to be driving in fresh snow on mountain roads, so we stayed two and a half days!  I bought this little nick-nack to remind me of our quick visit.  And also because of major nostalgia singing with the Ord Family Singers each Christmas as a kid.  Such good (and hilarious and some bad but mostly good) memories.  I'm not really a nick-nack person, but I couldn't say no to this.  Thanks again Mom and Dad for letting us come visit so spontaneously!  I'm so glad we made the trip.  Love you and miss you already!