Christmas 2012

Now that my house is void of any trace of Christmas, I feel a hint of depression settle over me (that could be because the kids STILL aren't back at school). January is always a difficult month for me. I normally start a project, but with all the projects I had this year, I'm not sure that's the best thing for me now. Maybe I'll start planning a summer trip. That's a small project in itself. Christmas this year was another good one. We considered going away for Christmas, but I wanted to spend our first Christmas in our new house.

We spent Christmas Eve this year with a friend of Eric's. We did our normal Christmas Eve stuff, just without the shepherd's pie Eric normally makes. Instead, we had Chinese food. We read some Christmas stories and did the nativity. Portia was Mary, with her silky wrapped around her head, and Bianca was the angel. It had snowed all day and the roads weren't great. There was plenty of snow for a white Christmas.

Eric and I started a fire in the fireplace in our bedroom when we returned home Christmas Eve and wrapped presents until about midnight. Bianca and Portia decided to sleep together in the bedroom downstairs by the Christmas tree to await Santa's imminent arrival. Fortunately, they fell asleep really quickly. Every year I think I've got to start the wrapping earlier and every year we end up doing it all on Christmas Eve. The 4-hour-log we used in the fireplace ended up going for nearly 8 hours and I slept fitfully through the night.

Eric got up at 5am, started a fire in the fireplace in the basement, and we got up at seven for presents. Portia's three categories this year were: 1) creativity -- art easel, paper rolls, smock, paint and paintbrushes, more art supplies; 2) exercise -- new skis and ski boots and koala aromatherapy koala for after-skiing sore muscles; 3) creative play -- lego friends stable.

Bianca's three categories were: 1) creativity -- calligraphy quill, ink well, parchment paper and ink; 2) beauty & relaxation -- bathtub caddy, scented bubble bath and soaps, flat/curling iron, and jewelry tree; 3) exercise -- new running outfit and shoes, MP3 player, and stop watch.

Father Christmas, of course, fills the girls' stockings with toys and candy and other little things like jewelry and lip gloss.

One of the highlights of Christmas morning was the present Bianca made for Eric. She had been sewing and cutting and working on this for days before Christmas. I woke up to the sound of Bianca's sewing machine whirring on Christmas Eve morning. She worked so hard and Eric loved the BYU apron she made for him. It's rugged and awesome and she is so sweet and thoughtful. Bianca tagged Portia's name onto the presents she thoughtfully gave. Hopefully Portia will eventually learn from Bianca's gift-giving example.

Bianca also gave presents to the dog and cat. Jillyboo wasn't exactly overjoyed with the dress Bianca put on her. In fact, once it was on her, she would only move to get closer to us. It was amazing how affectionate she became with that dress on. But really, she was trying to get our hands closer to the velcro she we could take the dress off her. Here's Jillyboo feeling very little Christmas joy.

We spent Christmas day at Bruce and Joanie's. We brought our Bread Pudding Quiche, and I got a nap in the afternoon, and the kids did a little talent show. Portia played O Come Little Children on the cello while I accompanied on the piano. And Bianca played a Seitz concerto she's been playing on her viola. Then Josh played his trumpet, and Emily played her clarinet and they all played Christmas songs together and it was a beautiful cacophony of wonderful Christmas music. We even headed over to the swimming pool and went in the hot tub at Saratoga Springs before heading home for the night.