This was the Christmas that...

• Blizzard 2009 struck. It wasn't a blizzard the way I'd imagined it (and yes, my imagination was helped along with Little House on the Prairie scenes with blinding snow, and people getting lost and freezing to death). The snow just fell quietly and steadily for about 24 hours. It wasn't windy, and it wasn't even as cold as it is now, and the flakes were perfect, just like snow-globe confetti--it even glittered in the glow of the Christmas lights, and the kids played all day in it--snow-ball fights, sledding, tunneling. We had at least 18" but it drifted as high as 3 feet in some places. It took most of the next day to shovel out, church was canceled, and the kids had Monday as a snow-day.



• We went to the Rusch's for Christmas Eve. We had a great time getting to know our neighbors better, and ate good food, and heard great stories.



• The kids let us sleep until 8!

• We may inadvertantly started an epic battle by getting Paul a light saber and Paris a Nerf sword.

• We helped brotherly love along by having the kids exchange gifts. We tried to help them think of gifts that would help eachother develop talents: Paris got Tritan some drawing supplies, Apollo gave Athena scrapbooking supplies, Athena got Paris the sword and a book on Greek mythology, and Tritan gave Apollo some books they could read together and a dinosaur.

• Santa hid Paris' bike in the garage and he didn't find it until after all the presents were opened. To his credit, he was very thankful for all of his stuff, even if he didn't get what he really wanted. When we found the bike, it became the best Christmas ever.



• We ate Sticky Buns, eggs with cream cheese, and o.j.; watched The Christmas Story and stayed in our pajamas all day.


• Tritan won a contest for dubbing on You-Tube. Perhaps all that time on the computer will start paying off....If only he could win cash prizes....


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• I had more fun than the kids putting together their Lego drawbridge.


• We spent Christmas break painting doors and trim. When we tried to paint the entry way, I freaked out about the color, so now it is half-painted and I still am trying to decide what to do.


• We ate at PF Changs at 4pm on New Years Eve to beat the crowd.


• We spent New Years Eve at another neighborhood party, but came home to watch the ball drop. The kids were allowed to stay up as late as they wanted. Tritan claimed not to have gone to bed at all. The rest were up til 4:30am. We are still getting back on schedule.