Christmas Morning

This year was just fun, and nice, and relaxing! I love Christmas more and more as the kids get older, they are so laid back about the whole thing. We got up at 5 ish and opened stockings and Santa stuff. Then we went back to bed and they played with that stuff. We got back up around 7:30 and opened their presents from us and Brian's parents while we opened our presents. Then we made breakfast and ate and after that opened presents from my parents.

It was really nice spreading things out. I think it made the kids feel more grateful for what they got since they weren't bored of opening presents by the last few gifts. Everyone got pretty much what they wanted and I got...wait for it.....tickets to Sarah Mclachlan!!!! My sneaky Brian got the very things I would have wanted the most in the whole world without me even telling him I wanted them!!! (I really don't have enough space for all the exclamation points I would like to add there so three should help you get the drift).

Not leaving out of course my second most wanted/least asked for thing in the whole world, my boy chipped in their spending money(since they had already both chosen a gift for me with their allotted Christmas budget) and bought their mommy an electric blanket. I use this blanket at LEAST once a day, usually twice since I have started to bring it out to the couch for movies and reading. It was the sweetest, most thoughtful gift two little kids could have gotten me, and with their hard earned spending money! I cried over that one.

Brian's gift of the year was a beautiful pair of snowshoes, made by his dad. I think he knew I was giving him a watch, but our given budget wouldn't allow for both and I could tell he was a little disappointed I had chosen the watch instead of a pair of snowshoes. Well my wonderful father-in-law makes snowshoes and when I called to ask for advice on how to pick Brian a pair, he offered to send a pair he had made. I was thrilled! I had a devil of a time hiding them from Brian, but on Christmas morning when he was opening a Thermos and little hand warmer packets, I think he started to suspect. It was a great surprise for him so I felt like we were even on the cool gifts list this year!

Christmas Eve disaster...averted!

It was really a wonderful Christmas. My brother and his kids came and it was just nice. We prepared a really great spread of food and just as the conversation started to get going over dinner my dear sweet Tyler comes over and whispers in my ear those dreaded words..."mom, have you heard of the mom and dad Santa trick?" Well, since I am just a dumb mom I said in a very shocked voice "No?! What in the world is the mom and dad Santa trick?" Yes, you can guess what comes next, the truth. On Christmas Eve. During dinner. I'd like to thank the stars for aligning with such bad timing for this moment to occur. So Tyler and I went for a little walk and had a very big talk.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm actually pretty thrilled to have this chat done with. Honestly the Santa chat was harder than the where do babies come from chat. It meant the death of his little imagination and believe in magic. I asked what he thought. If he though it was real and you know what my little man said? "I'm 50/50 mom, but just for tonight, I'd like to believe in Santa" and I felt a little humbled. For all the hours I spend in meditation, I don't think I've ever been able to be so easy with the idea of just listening to my heart, despite what reality might be and just rolling with it. Tonight, just over a week later he told Brian that it was ok now, he knew Santa wasn't real and that was ok. I asked if he was sad, he said not anymore. I can only imagine what's been running through his head the last week or so.

In hindsight, I'm not sure I would have even brought Santa into Christmas. I've gone back and forth, it's sweet for kids to believe in something so crazy, but it has been a great challenge to remind them, this holiday isn't for their monetary gain but their spiritual gain. I have to admit though, I did threaten Ty with his life if he told his brother. He is actually pretty excited to help Jake believe and I think Jake will go on believing in magic for a long time to come.

So here's my two cuties in their Christmas eve pj's goofing around. Tyler has been wanting a robe for a couple years now and I just didn't see why in the world he would want one so I never got him one. This year I figured, what the heck? I don't want to go down in history as having given my child a complex because he never got a robe. So when I saw this robe I knew it was the year for it. He loved it! He has worn it every minute (literally) of the last few days. I have no doubt it will continue to be worn for the next few years until I make him give it up. Who said big kids don't have security blankies? They obviously never gave their kid a soft robe for Christmas!

Just dang cute

I went in to make sure everyone had a blanket on before I went to bed and Jake just looked so dang cute I couldn't help but take a photo!

That cozy little penguin you see is named ice cap. Brian and the kids love to garage sale in the summer and Jake just fell in love with Ice cap at a yard sale. A Teenage girl that was so cute with Jake, she told him the penguin's name was Ice cap, but he could call him whatever he wanted. So Jake continued to call him Ice cap and now we can't live without him! It has started a love for penguins that even after a year hasn't slowed down at all. If you look close at Jake's Christmas PJ's picture this year, you will see, they are penguin pajamas!

Santa Visit

I've had all these Christmas blogs written, but was too lazy to find the camera and add the pictures!

This years trip to Santa went about like usual, although I didn't make them wear co-ordinating clothes, and I didn't stress about the photos. And of course, Tyler changed what he wanted from Santa when he actually got up to the big guy.

Brian and I went out on Thanksgiving night to the 10pm Toys R Us sale and got everything. Everything. We were done, we were proud, we were relieved. We were stupid. Tyler as par usual tradition hops up on Santa's lap and says "The Lego World racer command base with the red and green cars that come with it." Houston, we have a problem. What is the Lego world racer thingamajingy?! This little scenario dates back to age 3 when all year all we heard about was..well, I can't even remember now. But what Santa got asked for was a rocket. A rocket folks. Before rockets were even in toy stores, they weren't cool yet. And that time, Houston really did have a problem! We took little Ty straight to the toy store and said, "show us a rocket" He couldn't find one but had perfect faith that Santa would. Every year since that moment, this has been Tyler's signature. It just isn't a trip to Santa without completely throwing your parents off track in mid stride.

1987

That was a good year. At least if I could remember it, I'm sure I would think so. I was 7. The car Brian calls his was just coming off the assembly line. Which leads me to this post. That blasted Blazer is the car I love and hate all at once. I love the junky look, the bold and unwavering way it drives, the red fake velvet seats with red leather. I hate that it is now requiring a large sum of money to keep it running safely and legally. We are today replacing the blower so that the heater will work. Next week we will be adding a new muffler and exhaust system then registering it. As this has started to become a burr in my boot I realized something. This car is younger than I am, would I begrudge something the chance to keep on going a few more years? Would I be very happy if someone told me I was too expensive to keep running? I know this is silly comparing my life to a cars, but let's take a moment and think of all the silly things we do in a day.

Did you have a freak out moment today because you were too generous this Christmas? I did. Did you stress out about making a nice dinner for you family even though they would have been just fine with peanut butter and soup? Basically what I'm getting at here is, let's try to have a little more perspective this holiday season and if we can swing it, for the rest of our lives. What do I care that the car we're about to plug $500 into is 23 years old? At least it runs! I wouldn't blink an eye putting that into my explorer. Our families will not only survive, but be very happy to have a casual, very "kid friendly" dinner tonight! So whip out the Lucky Charms baby, mom's taking a night off! Christmas will be here in 10 days, does it matter if you bought the perfect thing for each person you know? NO! Everyone will survive without everything they want, and probably be the better for it. I did not make Christmas cards this year, I figure those of you who know me read my blog. If you don't read my blog, then you didn't need a Christmas card anyways! And frankly, our 2010 sounds a little depressing if you don't personally know us and have the joy of partaking of our sense of humor over the whole thing.

What can you do for you tonight to keep you running? I bet it won't cost $500. I bet it's simpler than a muffler and ever better than a blower. Let go and keep yourself running smoothly. You're worth it even if my 1987 Blazer isn't.

What does chocolate mean to you?

I would really like to know. I knew I liked chocolate, maybe a little more than the average Joe, especially given my family history with amazing chocolate makers. I didn't realize it, or the lack thereof, could leave me completely befuddled, confused, and un-motivated to even go to yoga, which BTW is the only non-human thing I love more than chocolate to give you perspective.

Yesterday I went to the sunflower market to get my supply of grain sweetened chocolate. You read that right, it's raw chocolate made sweeter by malted barely. It's pretty dang good, or was, until I discovered they stopped selling it in that store. I tell you what, I've never felt the urge to throw a tantrum like that moment! I wanted to seriously pick up all those normal, sugar filled chocolate chips and pour them all over the floor and jump up and down on them. Since I'm a grown up, I just left quietly and came home, wrapped myself in a big furry blankey and sat on Brian's lap for an hour.

Then I hopped online and paid $65.47 to have a case of these chocolate chips shipped to me. I changed my clothes and went to yoga, where sweet Abbey provided me with a class that was not only healing, but inspiring and by the end of the class I found myself sending out very positive energy to those I love instead of just trying to receive some positive. So that's how much chocolate means to me. I would pay $65.47 to have some in time for Christmas. Sad isn't it? Oh well, if I can't eat potatoes, cheese, tomatoes, yeast, sugar, fruit, etc. etc. etc. I should get my little indulgence. Next time you stop by the gas station or the grocery store, look at all those little bars and send out some gratitude for the abundance of chocolate!

BABFF

Brothers And Best Friends Forever...The other night we realized that there could possibly be a point in time that Jake and Tyler will go 4 years without seeing each other and that was a really sad thought. For two boys, spaced two years apart means things like college and missions and never seeing your brother. I don't know how they will handle that moment in their lives, but fortunatly it's a while yet to come. For now they are just the perfect pair. They have just enough fights to keep them friends with other people and enough love to keep them more than happy when other friends aren't available.

Good or bad, I love how at the end of the day they are always best friends, co-conspirators, and a loving set of brothers. Only a brother would play games like webkins, Ben 10, and GI Joe that all your friends think you're too old to play. I love the sound of my little Jake saying Tyler's name. I remember when instead of a clear "Tyler" it was "Tyder" and I miss that. Jake doesn't seem to be into using nicknames with other people although he loves his own (bowbow, like bow wow, but not) but the other day he was laughing so hard he could barely talk and he called Tyler Ty. It was adorable, Tyler was a little confused by it for a moment, then they moved on with playing. I just can't imagine a life without the terrific two teaming up together. There's the nights when Jake can't sleep because his brother isn't right next to him, and the fact that Tyler won't go into a dark room or downstairs without Jake. There are too many moments to list, so here are some photos to honor this relationship.