Christmas Time

On our next to last night of Christmas Break, I asked everyone sitting around the supper table what their favorite part of break was. All four kids said the same thing: our little trip up north over the 1st. I knew they would say that because it really was the best little getaway. Douglas said the food. Well first he said "don't laugh" and then he said the food which in-turn made us all laugh, but we really do know how to treat ourselves. I already knew my answer before I asked them because I had been thinking about it for over two weeks. My favorite part of our Christmas Break this year has been the time.

This Christmas Break (even before our two beloved snow days) promised to be the best because of all the extra time it gave us. Extra time with family and extra time with friends. Extra time to reset and extra time to relax. Extra sleep and cuddles and book pages and laughter and deep conversations and love. 

This Christmas the best gift I received was the time. We spent our time leading up to Christmas doing all the Christmas Time type things. Any drive home was made a little longer because we had to check out Christmas lights. Em and I could be found practicing our annual Christmas duet for Church while the boys fought over who got to wear which Santa hat around the house. And we all agree that we have a new Christmas Time tradition, thanks to Theodore. All he wanted this year for Christmas was a gingerbread house and a candy cane he could eat. Nana found pre-assembled gingerbread houses for the kids which made for a whole evening of fun. Nana....if you are reading this...Doug and I would like one next year too. My six would agree that Christmas Eve is one of our favorite days of the year. We are blessed to get to celebrate the same way every year and by now we all feel very protective of our Christmas Eve time. First thing Christmas Eve morning, our best friends joined us in their finest Christmas pjs and we ate pancakes, drank hot chocolate and mimosas and laughed. This years Pjs and Pancakes was a success minus my anti-climactic champagne popping. I will shake it more next year. After friends, we did our own tiny gift exchange, a little food prepping and got cleaned up for Christmas Eve Mass. Christmas Eve Mass is special already, but I do love playing the piano with Em and seeing so many people we know looking extra nice with their extra cheery smiles. After Mass we hurried home for our Fancy Christmas Eve Supper. Star of the show this year: a "two-point-six-inch-pounder-ribeye" (per Theo). Theo and Doug shopped for meat for the meal and came home with a steak that looked more like a roast if I am being honest. And it was delicious (compliments to my chef). After supper we played a new game and the kids got all ready for Santa. I love our entire Christmas Eve day, but after bed time, when Doug and I finally sit down on the couch to cuddle and share in our anticipation of the morning, that might be my favorite time of all. (This picture is special to me for two reasons. Those are my Grandma's Christmas plates, and I love and miss her so much. And this documents how close Theodore, my baby, sits to me every single time we eat.)

It doesn't get any better than four kids on Christmas morning. The pitter-patter of feet to my room, the the smell of coffee, the sleepy heads. I love it. I especially loved this year because none of the kids asked for much yet somehow (Santa magic) got all the perfect gifts. Emery wanted a ukulele and winked and whispered thank you after she unwrapped it. Auggie was surprised with a Packers jersey that he wore for five consecutive days after. Bennett has been busy unlocking new artist skills with his drawing and tracing lamp. And Theo would quickly tell you that his real basketball is his favorite (and the sound of it bouncing in my house would be all the proof you would need). All of our Christmases, not just our morning festivities, felt like they were full of perfect, thoughtful gifts (which is a gift in and of itself to this mess-free/everything needs a home momma). 

I didn't take many pictures at the rest of our Christmases which must mean they were good, and that I was busy spending my time enjoying my time. I love nothing more than watching my kids play with their cousins. Our kids are blessed with so many people that love them and love them well. The best gift Santa brought us this year was a little time away. I think we would all agree that time is what "he" should always bring us. We spent a rainy day in Chicago checking out the Bean, hanging out in a bar (yes, a bar), and seeing the lights at the zoo. The kids were troopers, cold wet toes and all. The next day was the main event....Great Wolf Lodge! I took one picture the whole time, which again must mean fun was being had. I was mostly Theo's buddy; he went down the Theo-sized slides one million times. Aug, Em and Doug did lots of stairs and lots of slides together. And we didn't see Bennett for hours, but we knew he was in the wave pool. Kid just loves a wave pool. After two full and fun days of swimming, we headed to Uncle Phil and Aunt Tari's house to ring in the New Year with some of our favorite people. Three things I learned from New Years this year: time with these families always leaves me wanting more, I love a New Years kiss (from Douglas and from Theo), and that my kids have the sweetest cousins (extra shout out to Rube). We made it back from our trip with what felt like all the time in the world before school started...and yet the Lord still blessed us with two snow days. Two extra days of time. We filled them with friends, loads of laundry, cold little faces, all the hot chocolate, legos, yummy food and drinks, lots of book pages and believe it or not a boat ride. It was a really sweet way to end our break. 

A good friend and I were just discussing our New Year's Resolutions. Her's were very quantitative. Measurable by numbers and checks. Very her and very good. We both laughed when I shared mine. I shrugged my shoulders and said I just want to spend my time well. I want to spend it doing things that bring growth and wellness and joy and fun into my life. And while I have no real plan in place yet to do this, no check list or tangible way to prove of my progress, I am so excited for this goal. And I guess really the proof is me. My heart and my mind and my life and maybe those around me too.

 So let's see what 2025 brings. 

Christmas Time 2024