Christmas Blur

Here's a cliche thought for you:  isn't it funny how quickly Christmas is over after all the preparations?  Weeks of planning, cooking, sewing, shopping and excitement and quick-as-a-wink it's done.  I always start to think that maybe Hanukkah  has it right with spreading the celebration over eights days.  And then I sort of come out of my dreamy trance and remember MY children and realize that there is NO WAY I could take eight whole days of this chaos!  

BEFORE Christmas arrived, I managed to finish up this bag (the last of the handmades for the season, as I gave up on a couple other plans that I had) for my MIL.  I had been working on the embroidery since Thanksgiving and sort of threw everything together last minute.  I think I procrastinated this one the most because after I did the kids' drawings, I wasn't quite sure how I was going to bring the bag together.  Then I found some clearance napkins at Target (used for the outside and inside pocket) and loved how they looked with the rusty floral I chose some time ago.  Inspiration goes a long way for motivating me it seems.

Then, two nights before Christmas, Mike and I looked up to the light fixture above our kitchen table to see this horrible sight.  Water dripping out of your ceiling is NEVER a good thing. Turned out to be a leaky toilet seal upstairs and, thankfully, there was minimal damage to the ceiling and minimal repair to the toilet that Mike and my dad were able to take care of without trouble.  Oh the blessings of a handy man.  You couldn't pay me to be married to a man that wouldn't work with his hands.  

Then the Christmas bomb went off at our place.  Tate managed to lose two rather large toys within an hour of opening them.  I kid you not.  One, in fact, is still missing.  

Then a visit from Santa (AKA Papa Paul:  I STILL can't believe Cal didn't figure it out this year!) at Nana and Papa's and MORE presents.  Let's just say we are now the proud owners of THREE, yup three, cash registers.

And since, a visit from the other set of grandparents that brought more goodies (some vintage fabric and cookie cutters for me from my sis!  Oh THANK YOU dear.  The kids are NOT getting those for their playdoh.  They are mine.  All mine.) and, apparently, I didn't even manage to get any pictures of that madness.  See what happens when I am in the kitchen cooking?  Yummy bread, but I miss out.  Oh Santa, where is my cooking fairy?  I ask every year and you never send her.  ;-)  

Dear Christmas, you are a blur, but a lovely one.  In spite of your blowing in and blowing out rather rudely demanding all sorts of time and attention and not staying to help straighten up afterward, we will miss you and welcome you next year with open arms and great anticipation.  After all, who could dismiss a celebration of God's tangible gift of love to us and a reason to share our own tangible gifts of love with each other?  Not me. 

Maybe next post I'll share some of my favorite things given and received this year with all of you.....