Christmas Eve 2009 Part II

Yes, I am well aware it's March. I've been busy! and Krazy. I've named this blog well. Okay, back to the story at hand.

So my family has had a tradition for years. Early in the wee hours of Christmas Eve you must be careful to be the first person to "get someone's Christmas Eve Gift". I think once upon a time if you yelled it at someone before they yelled it at you, you received a gift. Someone thankfully removed the actual gift part from it, I think my Grandfather, and it just became a game of "I got you first".

The Marine and my mother are very serious about this game. To the point of 12:01 phone calls to disoriented sleepy family members. Waking people up just enough to get their Christmas Eve gift as they struggle from slumber. It's just wrong, but my husband has embraced my family's tradition and run with it.

Santa Clause decided to engage Elf #7 many years ago when I was little. I think he felt bad we didn't get a gift for all our hard work to one up one of our family members. So on Santa's way to some unknown part of the world he throws a bag of gifts out to us. Either during or after our Christmas Eve dinner. The kids run out, drag the bag in, and then pass out gifts.

It can be scary running out there in the dark if you're the oldest grandchild. I'm just say'n. Too many old embarrassing stories to tell about my formative years involving "THE DROP".

So my sister and her family, her daughter, son, and husband arrived for dinner. I have 0 pictures of her husband. He will pay for that. And since he doesn't read my blog I can plot openly about his payment....

Here you see Recruit 6 and his cousin. They are 11 weeks apart. Bear, the cuz, is going to be much bigger than Recruit 6, but he is a sweetheart. Recruit 6 evens the playing field by not being a sweetheart.



My sister's oldest. She is a feisty little thing. She will be quite the mover and shaker as she grows up. Recruit 1 will probably be a good advisor for her. They are soul sisters.

My sister. Hard to believe she is younger than me. I know Right? Okay, whatever, she points out my crows feet every time I come home.

Since my sister and her family were spending Christmas day with my bro-in-laws family they did their gift giving with Grandmother before dinner. Bear is quite pleased with his gift and it's not even unwrapped yet!

Grandmother, Big J, and Recruit 3 hanging out. Big J is my mom's boyfriend. Weird I know. He is super fabulous. I am so glad he is around since we aren't. Not sure why he has to hold the mug so close to his face to read it.

Recruit 2 looking bored.

Traditional picture of the table and room prior to us blowing it up with dinner. We had a second table by the tree. We don't all fit.

THE DROP THE DROP!!!! The youngest Grandchild runs out to wrangle Elf 7's bag in. He's been our Elf from the beginning. Very cool little dude.

Recruit 3 steps in to help. Oh what's that family members reading this post are asking? Where am I? WHERE DO YOU THINK I AM??? You scarred me for life. I'm IN THE HOUSE. Yes, I'm talking to you Aunt L and Uncle D. FOR LIFE!!!

Gratuitous picture. I think she's pretty.

Passing out of the booty. Crazy thing is, no matter who has joined us for dinner, there has always been a gift for them. Seriously is Elf 7 rockin' or what?

Scar face. He is in awe of his gift, or wondering if that's all he got. Oh my gosh he's cute!

OH MY GOODNESS. The brother in law is in the background. Yawning, yes, but he's there. We've captured his presence for posterity's sake. I still plan on plotting. It's what I do.

The almost Newlyweds. A ball thrower for the dog. Who ate it 10 minutes after this picture was taken.

The spicy cousin with her loot.

Big J got a magic 8 ball. That didn't work. Next year I'm sure Elf 7 will make up for that. I'll send a note.

The bag is empty. We set it out with the milk and cookies and Santa takes it back to the North Pole. Very big into recycling up at the pole.

Totally into zebra print this one. She's not my child.

Apparently Recruit 2 is digging her zebra stuff too. Or just torturing her. The latter I'm sure given the following wrestling match.

Notice how only a few look on. Sad statement this a normal occurrence.

He's going to gurat her with that scarf if she doesn't move away.

Spicy girl tries on her winter fashion accessories.

Big sis comes into help rescue her ear warmer headband thingymabob.

The three little guys got cute books with the main character stuffed animal. I was happy they were happy.

Gratuitous cute girl picture.

The kids. It was my almost son-in-laws first Christmas with us and I'm happy to report he survived and still married Recruit 1.

Now it's time for the passing out of Christmas pajamas. A more recent tradition I started awhile ago. It's getting expensive.... Recruit 1 is in charge of her new family's pj's. She said her pj's are going to kick our pj's butt's next year. She was born competitive. Good thing she was first.

Recruit 4 is still trying to make the magic 8 ball work. IT'S BROKEN, but go ahead.

Mad elf? Elf's gone bad? What's up with this face?

And more happiness.

I have to tell a funny story here. Sorry Bear, gotta do it. See all the envelopes on the tree? Well those were from my Grandmother. They have money in them. (duh) Anyway, my sis and her family got theirs. Bear must have thought he needed an extra one. My sister found a fifty dollar bill in his pocket, the kids only get twenty. IT WAS MINE!!! Muwahahhahahah. I'll get you in fifteen years my little nephew.... He was so cute. He really was. We'll all be watching you next year little man!

I thought Henery looked cute here.

Dish duty. It's me.

More clean up. blahck.

THE MAGIC 8 BALL IS BROKEN! Oh my gosh, like there's a secret to making it work. No one listens to me.

I love my family!!! See this is why I give out pj's. How cool is our Christmas Eve picture? Check out the one from last year.

And to all a goodnight.

Christmas Eve, 24 December 2009 Part I

Christmas Eve, as always, is my favorite time. When we were able to go home to my Mom and Dad's for Christmas every year, the Marine and some recruits would build us a manger out of old cedar logs. The kids would act out the traditional story of the night Christ was born.

When Mom moved, she brought with her the cedar logs. It's been six years since we spent a Christmas at home. Living so far away and with so many children it is hard to go back every Christmas. This was the first Christmas to be back home since my Dad passed away. It was also going to be Recruit 1's almost husband's first time to spend Christmas with us!

Usually our Christmas story is done on Christmas Eve. The weather was turning colder and unpredictable, so a few nights before we all wrapped up in blankets against the cold air and read the story from the book of Luke while sitting in the manger. Later the horse trampled the trees and knocked down our manger. Next time we're home hopefully the rest of the fencing will be up and the boogers can just stay on their side of the property!

So when Christmas Eve came around, we decided to stay in town at Mom's house and not venture out into the cold. It was a wonderful relaxed day. We puttered around in the kitchen and some of us took naps (The Marine), and I enjoyed having both my mom and The Marine's mom.

Dad was missed.

Everyone helped cook. Sort of. Here is Recruit 5 helping with the fruit. He is such a funny kid. I don't know if I've ever met someone so kind. However, much to my chagrin the world and hard charging brothers are influencing his kindness and I see the steel that I'm sure has always been there. I have been praying the Lord strengthens this dear son of mine and helps him influence some of his tougher siblings. Hmm. more musings about that some other time.

Recruit 1 and 3 and Grammy, who is always working in the kitchen, but doesn't like her picture, is The Marine's mom. It's our first time to ever have her with us for Christmas and we very much enjoyed her being part of our holiday! I hope she does it again! And I love having her in the kitchen!!!

Here you see Recruit 3 chopping strawberries. She is our strawberry expert. For some reason I always have her cut them. I think it's a tradition now. She won't like that, but what can she do? It's been proclaimed a tradition.

I think she is the punch girl here in the picture below. Oh and shhh, it's Grammy in the picture again.

Recruit 1 is almost not mine alone anymore... I have to give her over to her fella in a few days.

Recruit 1 made her first pies. I think the whole married thing has all of sudden made her much more domestic. The pies turned out very nice. We eat pumpkin pie for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack times. It was frightening when we heard the pumpkin might be in short supply. Maybe I'll plant some pumpkins for next year...

Others did other things. The Marine is sleeping upstairs but I didn't include his picture because he looked scruffy. Not very Marine like. When I went up and asked him if he was sleeping, he grunted and said he was " resting his eyes." He was sleeping.

Here are some other activities going on while we cooked and we had a few looky-lou bystanders while we creating the delectable concoctions. Check out his cheek. It's his battle scar from fighting the manger with cedar limbs placed on it. He lost the battle.

Little Red. He has an interesting adventure, but that is a few days down the road from Christmas Eve, so you'll have to wait. I promise I'll get there.

We had four dogs under our feet the whole time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but Mom would probably tell you it WAS as bad as she predicted.

The good thing was we had as many boys as we did dogs. Yes I said good thing, however there were moments... Below you see Recruit 2 working with Prince Henery. That is the newest member of Recruit 1's pack. Recruit 1 was impressed that he learned to sit so quickly. Recruit 2 gave her a disgusted look. It took him about 30 minutes. Now Henery sits and sort of stays. He is only 9 months old. He is part of Little Red's adventure.

Hmm. First picture with Recruit 4 in it. Wonder where he's been. NOT in the kitchen where I could give him repeated orders. They learn to run and hide.

There were other events going on too while we slaved in the kitchen. This is one of those moments. Can I just say sometimes the dogs are better behaved than the boys?!

And the Recruits' cousin joins in to "wrestle" Recruit 2. What monkeys. You can see Recruit 6's head and body on top of Recruit 2 and you can see the cousin on the bottom underneath Recruit 2.

And someone must have de-tangled the bodies. Not sure who or what, but here you see all is well again, if not somewhat subdued. They are probably watching TV.

I just have to say right here what an incredible big brother Recruit 2 is. He gets annoyed, angry, and very bossy, but he loves his little brothers and I often find him sitting with them playing games or watching movies. Usually after he's tied them in a pretzel, but life's not perfect.

No much later my sister and her family joined us. I'll have to stop here because I need to shower and get moving with my day.