We made it through our Christmas (Sunday, December 19). Four out of five of my children, 2 children in-law, 1 boyfriend (he's a keeper, the day before he was cleaning out her gutters, unasked), all ten grandchildren and the old people (I mean us).
As usual I fixed enough food for a small country which allowed us to eat leftovers for the next week. I baked a ham, roasted a roast, casseroled two 9x13 of cheesy potatoes, mixed a huge macaroni salad, sliced and diced raw veggies, baked and decorated precut cookies from Gordon Food Service, crockpoted meatballs and chicken wings and welcomed an Arkansas green bean casserole, a charcuterie board, chicken gnocchi soup and cookie platter from my squad.
We tell the kids not to get us anything, but as usual they did. I did score a win with the grandchildren. It is difficult to remain fair and even when they are aged 2-almost 14, but I wrapped something and told them it was a combination Christmas-Mimi Camp gift. The teens and tweens were apprehensive, but once everyone opened a season pass to Cedar Point (an amusement park and water park located near our home), there were lots of smiles. Here is Gramma Mimi explaining the gift in ambiguous terms while the teenager pretends to be excited.
The adults are supposed to ONLY bring a gag gift with a gift card for an exchange. My daughter and son-in-law live near an Amazon wholesale or something and brought two unmarked Amazon boxes that you can pick up at the loading docks. They are crammed with unnamed interesting items. The winners had quite the time unpacking them. There were some very hilarious items. Lots of Halloween decorations, lots of knick knacks, lots of small stuff. One box had several trays that either fit on a stroller or wheelchair (we weren't sure), children's vitamins and pop-its. The other box had ten times the items which included a $50 microphone set coveted and awarded to the thirteen year old and a large selection of see through underwear. The boyfriend comic said the "L" ones must be for Ladies and the "M" ones must be for men. The kids were so busy with the pop-its that they missed the uncles hanging them out of my reach on my curtain rods. I am pretty sure they have all been removed - the minute they left.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we enjoyed the peace and quiet and each other's company.
We have been hosting sleepovers for working parents and overworked parents and have an unvaccinated two year old in a crib tonight while big sister went bowling.
For New Years Eve we plan to stay home and enjoy each other's company while snacking on a shrimp ring and more marinated chicken wings I picked up at our butcher's while I was there for Christmas.
Our county's covid numbers are through the roof. We have a police scanner and most EMS calls are covid-related. This has been another year to stay home and stay away from people. At this point I am not sure when we will feel safe venturing out.
I so loved reading about your families Christmas celebration. It sounds like so much fun. And, oh my gosh, the look on your oldest grandsons face as you talk is hilarious. Ha! Ha! Ha! The gifts from Amazon made me laugh at loud.
ReplyDeleteYou cooked a feast and I sure wish I lived closer to come and share with you. Our New Years Plan sounds very similar. I think I'm going to get the ingredients for a cheese ball and we'll stay up until 9 or 10 before calling it a night. We're such partiers. :-)
Wishing you a lovely remainder of the year, full of blessings and grandchildren.
Blessings,
Betsy
Glad you had a great family get-together for the holiday. Best we could do was a group Zoom meeting.
ReplyDeleteAdult is double vaccinated and has their booster. All children between 5-13 have had both vaccines and are waiting for booster. That just let the 2 and 3 year old who are here for childcare most days. Most of my children live in my neighborhood and the out of town family of five all took rapid tests before leaving for my house. It's a new world, isn't it?
DeleteGosh, not sure what happened to my grammar and command of the English language. All the adults were double vaccinated and had their booster shots.
DeleteWhat a great Christmas! I loved hearing about your family and all that wonderful FOOD! lol... It makes me want that potato casserole so much. I might just have to have a final? carb blast before we try again. Ugh... I am with you on the depressing Covid numbers. Such a constant pressure on our thoughts. I had to laugh when you said "old people" and you meant you. I have not really enjoyed the realization of that fact yet. I had better or I won't be allowed that privilege of growing old, I guess. Your home looked wonderful and fun and full of love. Have a good New Year.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea with the waterpark passes! We just gave cash, it is easier and the GRands all like to shop or in doubt buy snacks and gas:)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year , my friend!!! I love your posts and I love the stories you share when you comment!! They always bring joy to me and a chuckle or a belly laugh like the last comment about Everybody vomiting all over on Christmas eve! I laughed because I went through the same thing one year...It started a few days before Christmas Eve with my older son getting a GI bug and vomiting as he ran!!Then Christmas Eve came and when we came home from church, my husband turned a lovely shade of green when he smelled the fish cooking and proceeded to vomit in the proper receptacle for about an hour. It is one of the very few times I ever saw him vomit.All while my mother kept saying " what do you mean he is not going to be able to eat?" I went to work that night after taking my Mother home. At 2 am, my husband calls that Jimmy is now throwing up and it is all over the hallway but he is too sick to clean it up.So I came home after working all night and had to clean up caked dried out vomit before we opened presents....By then Joe was good but poor Jim threw up between opening presents. We were still going to Joe's parents for Christmas day dinner back then and my MIL could not understand why we could not make the 40 minute drive each way to their house.I went to bed for a few hours and when I got up, I was sick...So we stayed home , never got out of our PJ's....Played with the kids on the floor between throwing up ....It was the BEST Christmas and the one my sons remember the most!!! I wish you a very Happy New Year!! I appreciate all of your visits and look forward to more stories!!!
ReplyDeleteStay safe, healthy and happy!!
Hugs,
Deb
Your place looks amazing and it sounds like it was a wonderful Christmas. Ours passed with some texts and phone calls. Charlie enjoyed his chew bone.
ReplyDeleteMy Grands...the older ones got $ for their own shopping and the two youngest ones got dinosaurs and unicorns. Can't beat that!
Sounds like a wonderful plan for New Years Eve.
I don't know how you do it! I love your doll house and although I've never had one it looks like a lot of fun. You are making such great memories with your grandchildren and your entire family but it is a lot of work. Glad you could finally sit down and relax. Happy New Year!
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