'Twas the Night Before the Night Before Christmas....

So have you missed me?? My family and I traveled from Kentucky to North Carolina to celebrate Christmas with my mom and her husband, my grandmother, brother, and sister. It has been a year since we saw any of them, so it was a rare treat. We spent 3 days (and some change) together which worked out well. I think that we would like more time together, but it's just pretty tricky with 6 kids to live out of the proverbial suitcases, plus I imagine it's intensely crazy for all the people who are not used to so much noise and action in their lives as 6 young children bring.

So, anyhoo, a good time was had by all. My 21 month old seemed to catch on that it was somehow noteworthy that he was nursing, which got him thinking of a little shtick to pull at just the right time. When I was sitting next to my sister, Squiggy comes along declaring, "I want some milk!" So I put him on my lap and was getting ready to oblige, when he decided that my sister hadn't paid close enough attention to what was going on. He leans over to her and says, "Didja hear that?! I want milk! MILK!" It was hilarious.

I really like it when our Christmas is spread out. We celebrated at Thanksgiving with my husband's side of the family, my side on Sunday, and then just a little shin-dig here at home for our family tomorrow. (My husband has to work on Christmas day.) One year we had all of our gifts at the same time and it was positively insane. I am one of those people that likes for the gifts to be opened one at a time. I hate the big chaotic tear-in that some people do, with the kids going berzerk and not even taking the time to thank people. So, when you take 5 or 6 kids worth of gifts plus the adults, and open them one at a time, it can take a looong time. That year when we had the avalanche, I think we opened before breakfast, after breakfast til lunch, and were still opening after lunch. By the end the kids were like, "Do we have to open more?" It was kind of overwhelming. So, years like this are great. They get three Christmases, and time to enjoy and appreciate what they get.

I loved having all of my Christmas stuff done by the 17th. Next year I am seriously thinking that we might try to go on a trip instead of getting gifts. My kids are very interested in a visit to Disney World, and I was just checking out family-friendly cruises. Our littlest kids might still be a little on the young side for it, but eventually I think we would love to do something like that.

My hubby is off at a 4-alarm fire right now. These are the ones that always cause me to revisit my what-if-I-become-a-widow-tonite plan. I mentally evaluate our life insurance, my contingency plan, and so on. It probably sounds terribly depressing, but this is how I cope with the fact that my husband has a dangerous profession. I know I can't control any of the emotional losses, but at least I can have a basic plan of action. Who knows if I would be able to even remember it if I ever needed it. Maybe I should create a little Word document in my Axim entitled "Death." Hopefully all my planning will amount to nothing and my husband and I will get to love and annoy each other til we're 100 or so.

We watched Dodgeball last night, which was peppered with laugh-inducing jokes, but overall was stupid and by the end we were totally grossed out. My husband commented that it seems that as time goes on, the movies include increasingly bizarre sexual issues. For this one it included jokes about bestiality and a display of bisexuality. Not exactly stuff we appreciate around here.

Soon I'l be tucking the kids into bed and then getting the surprises put under the tree. I always love the night before Christmas when the kids are all asleep and the gifts are all out. Seems rather storybookish to me or something. Turn down the lights. Sit and look at the Christmas tree lights. Have a drink, light a candle or two. Snuggle with the hubby if he's home. Hopefully mine will be.