Our instruction to the kiddies was "No one gets up before 7:30". I considered us very lucky as I didn't hear stirrings until 7:00. Then, at 7:30 we were greeted by Reveille, as played by Beenie on his cornet!!
Well, if that didn't get us out of bed, albeit doubled over in laughter, I don't know what would. I made my way downstairs while the kids waitedpatiently impatiently at the top of the stairs. See, I have the most important job of the morning - making coffee. I then let the dog out, turned on the Christmas tree, and took a picture of the living room - the "before" shot.
The kids were finally let free, and it was like firing a gun at the starting line of a race! The distant sound of the elephant stampede, as four sets of feet pounded their way down the stairs. There were looks of confusion as the kids didn't see what they expected Santa to bring them, but the big, red-attired guy knew what he was doing as always.
Munchkin got her own Fisher Price dollhouse, complete with people and furniture - including Hillary Clinton on a campaign stop.
Stewie got a real drum set. Candy apple red, just like Neal Peart's! He spent the rest of the day doing his best Ginger Baker impression!
Keke got a real guitar. She strummed away to her heart's content, and started to cop the true "folk singer" attitude with her siblings. Now we need to get her the Jewel songbook!
Beenie had written a letter to Santa that he left with his stocking that had some requests for stuff. Unfortunately, as we had been watching the NORAD coverage of Santa's flight, the big guy had left the pole several hours before Beenie left the note, so instead he got a camera. I think that was okay, because he had been asking for one for about the last two years!
After "opening" our stockings, we settled in for a nice breakfast of Ellen's homemade Tea Ring!! Yum!! Of course, nothing better with that than the "good" orange juice - out of the box rather than the can (boy, do we know how to live!!!). Then it was back to the presents. We spent the rest of the morning opening gifts from the relatives and each other. It was a good time. I think each kid got stuff that they weren't expecting, as well as some things that they had asked for.
Ellen got the fifth Harry Potter movie, which Keke had been dying to give to her. (Of course she was dying to give it to her so that she could watch it, but still it's the thought...) She also got the Jim Shore angel that she had wanted for so long, and the best ever -> tickets to see Richard Thompson!!
A couple of stories go along with those. The Jim Shore angel is something that Ellen has mentioned that she wanted for quite some time. It is a very specific one, as we're not really "Jim Shore people". I had it all planned out that I was going to get it for her, and I even told my mother of my plan when we were visiting her this summer. Well, fall rolled around, and I went to order the angel, but I couldn't remember which one it was. I knew it was a "peace" angel, but it turned out that there was more than one!! Oh, no!! So for a little over a month I was in a panic, not knowing how to bring Jim Shore up in conversation without tipping my hand. Ah, but patience always prevails. We went out to a Christmas party, and after it was over, she wanted to go to the mall. Normally I would bitch and moan about that, but that night she dragged me over to the Jim Shore display and casually mentioned which one she wanted. Yay!! Next day - online - ordered.
Richard Thompson is one of Ellen's most favorite musicians. However, she has never seen him perform live. Through one twist of fate or another, it hasn't happened. One time in Washington, she was offered free tickets but couldn't go because her parents were coming into town that evening. We had tickets to see him with David Wilcox a couple of days before Beenie's due date, but he showed up two weeks early, so we didn't get to see him then either. A couple of time we found out he was playing after the show had already happened. This time, I heard that he was coming to town, and I ordered the tickets. A few days before Christmas (after I already had the tix in hand), Ellen said that tickets to the show would be a great present. Yep. I knew that. And they were. Now, just keep your fingers crossed that we'll get there.
As for my Christmas, the good news is I don't have to update my del.icio.us wishlist. I got some slippers and sleep pants and a shirt and some books. Beenie got me a great lotus seed bracelet. Keke got me a wash mitt that she thought was very silly and would make me laugh. Stewie got me a LED light keyring, that I now have attached to a jump drive.
All in all, it was a good Christmas. Until about 10:00pm. That's when Ellen and I were enjoying some alone time with a movie and a couple glasses of wine. That, too, was good until we heard Stewie calling. Ellen went up and quickly called for me. Stewie was covered head to toe in vomit, as was his bed. I was there for moral support. I don't do vomit. I'm more likely to add to than to help with. We (and by we I mean Ellen) got him cleaned up and set up on the couch, and I went up to bed. A few minutes later Keke came out of her room and downstairs complaining of not feeling well. Yep. More vomit. We got her squared away, then Beenie started. It wasn't exactly the "happy ending" to Christmas we were expecting.
We got everyone nursed back to health by the evening of the 26th, then it was my turn. I was out of commission overnight on the 26th, and into the afternoon of the 27th. I was getting ready for bed when Ellen decided that we all looked like we were having so much fun that she should get in on it, too. So she was out of commission all day yesterday. I think everyone is over it now, but it sure made for a crappy vacation week.
And that, kids, is the story of our Christmas 2007. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Well, if that didn't get us out of bed, albeit doubled over in laughter, I don't know what would. I made my way downstairs while the kids waited
The kids were finally let free, and it was like firing a gun at the starting line of a race! The distant sound of the elephant stampede, as four sets of feet pounded their way down the stairs. There were looks of confusion as the kids didn't see what they expected Santa to bring them, but the big, red-attired guy knew what he was doing as always.
Munchkin got her own Fisher Price dollhouse, complete with people and furniture - including Hillary Clinton on a campaign stop.
Stewie got a real drum set. Candy apple red, just like Neal Peart's! He spent the rest of the day doing his best Ginger Baker impression!
Keke got a real guitar. She strummed away to her heart's content, and started to cop the true "folk singer" attitude with her siblings. Now we need to get her the Jewel songbook!
Beenie had written a letter to Santa that he left with his stocking that had some requests for stuff. Unfortunately, as we had been watching the NORAD coverage of Santa's flight, the big guy had left the pole several hours before Beenie left the note, so instead he got a camera. I think that was okay, because he had been asking for one for about the last two years!
After "opening" our stockings, we settled in for a nice breakfast of Ellen's homemade Tea Ring!! Yum!! Of course, nothing better with that than the "good" orange juice - out of the box rather than the can (boy, do we know how to live!!!). Then it was back to the presents. We spent the rest of the morning opening gifts from the relatives and each other. It was a good time. I think each kid got stuff that they weren't expecting, as well as some things that they had asked for.
Ellen got the fifth Harry Potter movie, which Keke had been dying to give to her. (Of course she was dying to give it to her so that she could watch it, but still it's the thought...) She also got the Jim Shore angel that she had wanted for so long, and the best ever -> tickets to see Richard Thompson!!
A couple of stories go along with those. The Jim Shore angel is something that Ellen has mentioned that she wanted for quite some time. It is a very specific one, as we're not really "Jim Shore people". I had it all planned out that I was going to get it for her, and I even told my mother of my plan when we were visiting her this summer. Well, fall rolled around, and I went to order the angel, but I couldn't remember which one it was. I knew it was a "peace" angel, but it turned out that there was more than one!! Oh, no!! So for a little over a month I was in a panic, not knowing how to bring Jim Shore up in conversation without tipping my hand. Ah, but patience always prevails. We went out to a Christmas party, and after it was over, she wanted to go to the mall. Normally I would bitch and moan about that, but that night she dragged me over to the Jim Shore display and casually mentioned which one she wanted. Yay!! Next day - online - ordered.
Richard Thompson is one of Ellen's most favorite musicians. However, she has never seen him perform live. Through one twist of fate or another, it hasn't happened. One time in Washington, she was offered free tickets but couldn't go because her parents were coming into town that evening. We had tickets to see him with David Wilcox a couple of days before Beenie's due date, but he showed up two weeks early, so we didn't get to see him then either. A couple of time we found out he was playing after the show had already happened. This time, I heard that he was coming to town, and I ordered the tickets. A few days before Christmas (after I already had the tix in hand), Ellen said that tickets to the show would be a great present. Yep. I knew that. And they were. Now, just keep your fingers crossed that we'll get there.
As for my Christmas, the good news is I don't have to update my del.icio.us wishlist. I got some slippers and sleep pants and a shirt and some books. Beenie got me a great lotus seed bracelet. Keke got me a wash mitt that she thought was very silly and would make me laugh. Stewie got me a LED light keyring, that I now have attached to a jump drive.
All in all, it was a good Christmas. Until about 10:00pm. That's when Ellen and I were enjoying some alone time with a movie and a couple glasses of wine. That, too, was good until we heard Stewie calling. Ellen went up and quickly called for me. Stewie was covered head to toe in vomit, as was his bed. I was there for moral support. I don't do vomit. I'm more likely to add to than to help with. We (and by we I mean Ellen) got him cleaned up and set up on the couch, and I went up to bed. A few minutes later Keke came out of her room and downstairs complaining of not feeling well. Yep. More vomit. We got her squared away, then Beenie started. It wasn't exactly the "happy ending" to Christmas we were expecting.
We got everyone nursed back to health by the evening of the 26th, then it was my turn. I was out of commission overnight on the 26th, and into the afternoon of the 27th. I was getting ready for bed when Ellen decided that we all looked like we were having so much fun that she should get in on it, too. So she was out of commission all day yesterday. I think everyone is over it now, but it sure made for a crappy vacation week.
And that, kids, is the story of our Christmas 2007. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
