Vacation.

I had good intentions, really I did. I fully intended to post during the Christmas holiday. But, as you can see, (even Aaron was surprised that Tuesday was my last post!) I took a vacation. So sue me. I was enjoying time with my family eating lots of good food. I'll do a whirlwind post, just to catch you up.

Christmas Eve -
Finished the two gifts I was making for the kids. Finished wrapping presents (3 per kid really helps cut down on this chore) and actually ran out paper. I had to use my wedding paper stash, which worked fine. Chopped squash for dinner while Aaron bathed the kids, then headed to church for rehearsal. Leah was basically a prop in a skit about the 14 service projects our church has been participating in up 'til Christmas. She and pal Anna represented the free childcare provided last Saturday - too bad their parents forgot to pick them up! (Just in the skit, folks. Hold your horses on calling Social Services.) At the end I ran up and grabbed them, saying, "We thought you were with your fathers!" thereby establishing myself and Anna's mom as both neglectful AND separated from the dads. I think it was pretty clear that it was just fiction. Hopefully!

After the Christmas Eve service, we went home to have dinner with my mom and dad. Mom brought a delicious salad, and my chopped squash was baked and added to risotto, which is delicious, but not necessarily a great dish to make when you are short on time. Something in the crock pot may have been a better choice, seeing as we didn't get home until 6pm.


The kids went through their stocking gifts and probably would have been totally happy with just those - let's just say I tend to go overboard on the stockings. Ben slept with his new Thomas train, and I read Leah her Fancy Nancy book before bed. And to all a good night!

Christmas -
The kids actually woke up at normal times, and I made Cherry Strudels, which the kids didn't like, but my family gobbled up later. We opened presents at our house, and watched Ben fall in love with his first train set. Leah adored her new Princess Leapster game, and her OWN Leapster. (Thanks, Ebay!)

Then we headed up to Mom & Dad's to open even MORE gifts with them and my sister Ruth and BIL Tim. And eat more food - like salmon frittata, for one. That's right, folks, when my mom and I get cooking, there are LOTS of dishes to wash.

Dudes, my mom gave me a rocking chair! Aaron got a very artistic golf doorbell! Ben, all of 2 1/2 years of age, got a remote control Catepiller bulldozer! With it's own soundtrack! Leah got a box of ribbon and buttons, with various art supplies - may not sound impressive, but she was ecstatic. She has already cut and snipped a couple of collages out of them.

Then we watched Shrek the original on Mom's new 40" flat screen TV. It's quite the piece of technology, they tell me. The kids watched the whole thing, and Leah wasn't even scared by Dragon- at least, not after I told her that Dragon ended up being their friend.

Once we got home, Ben took a nap of a entire half an hour. I started prepping for dinner that night, our traditional holiday dinner of appetizers. I made Curried Leek Soup and Tomato Bacon Cups , and had take & bake ciabatta bread with dipping oil. Mom made some amazing marinated shrimp, along with some kind of pita chips with topping, and a variety of her cookies. Yum, yum! Then I whipped everybody's pants at Trivial Pursuit - the 20th anniversary edition, which has some completely random, totally obscure questions, and then some as difficult as "What is your favorite color?", as Tim said. And also, as Ruth said, I only won because brother Aaron wasn't playing. Which gave the rest of us smarty pants a chance to shine! (Aaron & Kate, we really did miss you!)

Day after Christmas -
Shopping! Target was first - lots of pretty Christmas stuff at great prices. But NO wrapping paper, which as I stated earlier, I really needed in order to replenish my supply. All that was left was a few damaged rolls. I zipped over to JoAnn's to get fleece to make a hat for Leah, and found the mother lode. I also got snow pants at another store, and then a Christmas present for myself - an immersion blender! Should have had it for that leek soup I made the day before, darn it.

Aaron took the kids sledding while I shopped, and all had fun. We had a delectable turkey dinner with Tim's mom Joann and stepdad John's house. Ben was exposed to FOUR dogs, all indoors, and at least 3 of them rather eager to say hi. He was quite freaked out for awhile, but by the end of the evening he was doing rather well. Aaaand then he filled his pants with some vile poopy, which I treated like the toxic substance it was. Really, you should have been there.

We had some friends visit this morning with their new baby, and just hung out and cleaned up a bit after all the festivities. After a pancake dinner, we gave the kids baths, and then threw them into their pajamas and then into the warmed-up van for a drive to took at Christmas lights. Then I had a questionable parenting moment, as we ran both the kids into the grocery store - no coats or shoes. You know, sometimes I see parents with kids in their pajamas out shopping, and I wonder about the parents. That was me tonight.

So now you are caught up. Tomorrow, (or Monday!) I'll give you some details about the possible kicking of this baby of mine. Whoo hoo!