It's time for the obligatory Christmas blog. The one I come back to in order to see what activities should be on the next punch board and what food I made (hi, future me!)
Of course, this year on the punch board were the making of Reindeer cookies. The boys love these, and it's a cookie I can actually bake. It's three ingredients: a cup of peanut butter, a cup of sugar, and one egg. Put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, decorate as shown, and ta-da: the best and easiest cookie out there. (They are best when they are warm, though.)
I also purchased inflatable antlers for a ring toss game. They were like $3 a piece on Amazon, and a fun little game. Plus, with my Christmas Bucks there was always an incentive to do well at the games. I'm going to put the antlers and the Christmas bucks in with the decorations for next year (again, hi future me!)
We did it bracket style, Calib played against Hayden and won.
Then Peyton played Asa, and Asa won.
Then, Calib and Asa faced off in the championship match, and Asa was declared the 2017 Antler Ring Toss Champion. (I do think the taller person might have had an advantage, though).
We also played the saran wrap ball. I wrapped Christmas Bucks and some Peanut Butter Cups up in a ball of Saran Wrap. Basically each kid gets 15 seconds to unwrap as much as they can, and they get to keep whatever they unwrap. Although, I didn't do it this year, I have heard if you get the press and seal stuff you add a level of difficulty.
Another night we did a candy cane hunt, where we hid little candy canes in the kitchen and family room and the boys went on a hunt to find the most, and were paid out in Christmas Bucks accordingly.
One night I let them pay 5 Christmas Bucks to open a present early. Peyton and Calib got some League of Ledgends gift cards, and Hayden got a WWE Action Figure.
New this year: My mom was coming for Christmas Eve. Since this is the first Christmas without my grandma, she's been making new traditions. She spent a week at Corts, where they held cookie day, and saw Clint at his house, on her drive down. We were sure to be all stocked up for her (not pictured: Mango Salsa).
One evening we did Yankee Swap as our activity. I wrapped five 'white elephant' presents and everyone picked one at random. Then we each took three turns at rolling the dice to see how the presents were switched. I've seen better variations of this though, and next year maybe we should take more than three turns.
Peyton ended up with a Freezer Mug, Asa got a new mousepad, and Hayden got some socks.
Calib wanted the fidget spinner I ended up with, and was really disappointed that not only did I have it, but hidden inside the package was a $5 Publix gift card. He begged me for days to switch his Unicorn Popper with my Fidget Spinner. I refused, because I knew I had one for everyone's stockings, and he would end up with one anyway.
Of course, an always asked for activity on the Christmas punch board is the 'Indoor Snowball Fight', where it 'snows' and then we have a snowball fight with the kids. We draw a line down the middle of the room and play a song. When the song stops, you have to stop throwing the snowballs, and you count up how many are on each side. The winner is the side with the least amount.
One night we had our annual Christmas Tree Movie Night with snacks. Usually it comes with a sleepover, but we had just gotten Etta and thought it best not to disrupt everyone more. We picked National Lampoons Christmas Vacation for our movie, and Peyton came dressed accordingly.
In the midst of all the holiday madness, we had to celebrate Ellie's adoption anniversary. On the 22nd, she had been a part of our family for two years. I made a doggie cake for her. I frosted it with peanut butter. Usually I do a cream cheese decoration, but I couldn't get any of that to cooperate.
Ellie did share her cake with Etta, Phenom and Porkchop, and while they can't all exactly be together yet, they did get to eat it together, kind of.
New this year on the punch board was the 'Conjoined Christmas Wrapping'. I bought a big shirt, and everyone paired off. You had to see who could wrap the present the fastest while being joined together in the same shirt.
Calib and Hayden went first.
Then Peyton and Asa were up. (We did not think it was wise to join Peyton and Hayden together- they fight NOT being joined together).
Peyton and Asa were the winners, by about 10 seconds. I think maybe next year how nice you wrap it should be part of the event.
On December 23rd, the punch was a Christmas Bucks Day out with a menu of what their bucks could buy.
Peyton picked the White Elephant gift, which ended up being another fidget spinner. Calib was so mad, and then he announced 'whatever, there are two of them- that means we're all getting them for Christmas' (which was true).
We'd been moving the Elf on the Shelf and voting on the best one for the boys to earn Christmas Bucks. One day I was in the dollar store and found this little 'Peace. Love. Elf' book and decided to pick it up. For weeks I was recording the 'bad' stuff the kids did (included was 'Hayden threatens Calib with a spatula'. On Christmas Eve, the elf showed up with the book and all his findings. The boys were amused by it. Hayden was like 'Oh yea, I remember that'.
We also had our annual Christmas Even Santa Pancakes. (There were issues, they got a little toasty, but what can you do? We went with it).
That afternoon, mom showed up in time for the annual Christmas Eve Spread.
We got a brownie platter, a fruit platter, and a sandwich platter from Publix. I made a Peanut Butter Ball, and Deviled Eggs...
Plus I picked up a cheese and meat platter from Target (it had a peelie on it!), made the crab meat dip, barbecue meatballs and we had fondue (chocolate and caramel), along with a spinach dip and bread. It was a lot of food. We've been having leftovers during lunch for days.
Mom also brought me a cookie platter. We always get a box, but only special people get platters. (They are usually made for at my Aunt Ruthie's for Christmas Eve, and grandma's for Christmas Day).
Mom brought us all kinds of things, including the set of 1960's Encyclopedia's from my grandma's house that Peyton really wanted, a tea kettle, and the blocks.
But, she also brought me the 'Charlie Brown Christmas Tree' that used to be at my grandma's. Last year grandma tried to give it to me, but nobody knew where the box was, and so I never brought it home.
Our neighbor, Teresa was hanging out the supplies to the neighborhood to put out luminaries on Christmas Eve, so we had some added decoration. It was very pretty, and made for a nice evening walk with the dogs.
And then we spent the evening hanging out, eating, relaxing and watching some football. Plus, watching the dogs is like a full time job these days. Etta still isn't integrated in the whole house, so she spends her days mostly in the front room. She is getting better though, she's currently sleeping by my feet. Ellie meanwhile, is the only dog not giving us trouble about the whole thing. Give her a fuzzy blanket, a few snuggles and a place to sleep and she is good to go.
With all the new dog business, we weren't sure where my mom should sleep. Usually she sleeps in the front room, but I thought all of her stuff out here and the added difficulty of pulling out the couch each night and timing that with Etta's crate time could be a problem. Calib offered up his room and said he would sleep in Peyton and Hayden's room on the trundle. I've been turning down his bed every night as a 'thank you' for making my life easier. Also, it looks so cozy in there with the trudle pulled out.
Christmas Eve night we played our usual 'Minute to Win It' games. They had to build and take down their own Christmas Tree. (Peyton won that one).
And see who could throw the most marshmallows through the wreath. (Calib was the winner there).
Finally, I duct taped an empty Kleenex box to a ribbon they could tie around their waist, I filled it with ping-pong balls and they had to shake until all the balls came out. (This one was super fun, I highly recommend.)
Then they got to open their annual Christmas Eve presents. We had one for grandma too.
This year they all got onsies, and in their package, a Santa book that used to belong to my grandma. (She collected everything Santa).
Calib's onesie was probably my favorite of the three.
Note Peyton putting his onesie over his earlier onesie.
Now, we don't do church here (as we've discussed), but grandma was coming to visit, and I promised her if she came to our house on Christmas we'd find somewhere to go to mass. Our best option was midnight mass at Our Lady of the Rosary on Collier. She was impressed all of us got 'dressed up' (note Hayden's flip flops) and went to midnight mass with her. The boys were great sports about it.
When we got home we all worked together to set out all the presents. They had to be a litlte divided up, because our tall skinny tree in the corner doesn't leave much room for gifts (if you want to get through the door to our room and the porch, anyway). But it worked out fine.
Mom brought her own stocking, so we filled that too.
Then everyone put on their new pajamas and headed to bed.
The next morning we tried Etta out with everyone else. But it was too overwhelming and she tried to chase Phenom. To be fair, I am like 90% sure she's trying to play with him, not hurt him. But Phenom is NOT into playing. Even when Ellie tries to do it with him, it just doesn't work. So Etta ended up in her crate after all the presents were dished out. But, she waited patiently like a good girl.
I did decide I wanted to get Calib with the fidget spinner one more time. So I told mom the night before I was taking the one for Calib and putting it in her stocking. The next morning he searched his stocking for it, while mom talked about how awesome her new fidget spinner was. Calib was not pleased.
Then, it was present time.
Look at smug Calib with his fidget spinner.
Peyton got some fun stuff like 'tube city' for Damascus, some clothes (a Dunder Mifflin Fun Run Shirt!) and another onesie from mom. He also was pretty excited about his new keyboard, and a tiny little ocarina.
While Asa and I didn't get each other anything other than a few odds and ends this year (we're saving our pennies), my mom had a few things for us too, so we had some things to open. I got Chihuahua socks (from the sock store we visited in San Francisco), and a raccoon onesie (it is VERY comfy)!
Hayden got lots of wrestling toys, WWE 2K 18, a few new clothes, and lots of new books he had been eyeing.
And Calib got lots of clothes, which he proceeded to put on ALL AT ONCE. Every time he opened something new, he'd add to his ensemble. (Note his 'Make America Smart Again' Shirt is from the AMATYC Conference in San Diego).
Mom also came with bonus gifts for everyone else. Asa got some new cookie supplies, and Hayden got the giraffe from Aunt Bonnie that used to be at gigi's house. He loved those things, so Aunt Bonnie (who had gotten it for my grandma) gifted it to Hayden for Christmas, which was very nice of her. She also gifted us the camel/santa ornament she had gotten for grandma for her 90th birthday, to commemorate grandma's ride on the camel.
Calib was also super exicted about the homemade apple butter mom made for us for Christmas. He LOVES the stuff. He also got a new computer chair, because his was literally falling apart.
Of course, the pets all got something too, in the form of toys or treats.
We did get mom a few things: funny story I got her moose towels, and she got me moose towels. (Also: I got Asa a pair of kitchen sheers, and he got me a pack of scissors- we unknowingly opened them at the same time, and I laughed until I cried. We got each other three gifts, and somehow we BOTH got each other scissors.) We also got mom a photo book from our trip to Hawaii. My brother's sent me their pictures too, and it turned out pretty awesome.
Calib and Hayden also got tickets to the Holiday WWE event at Amalie Arena tomorrow night. They had asked about it, and we told them tickets were too expensive. We ended up getting them, and they were REALLY excited about it. Hayden's been talking about it non-stop. Peyton knew, because I had to ask him when I purchased the tickets if he would like to go, and kept the secret for months.
And finally, we got a fire pit for everyone for the backyard.
After presents, we had our annual Christmas morning breakfast.
Complete with sugar plum jam!
Now, shout out to the kids- who cleaned up all of their gifts and put everything away while Asa and I cooked breakfast, without even being asked. I looked up from making breakfast and the family room was all cleaned up, except for mine and Asa's stuff. That afternoon we played some games (great game hull this year - my brothers each got us a new game too), and Asa put together the things that needed assembled.
I mean, check out the difference. And shout out to Tom and Leo, our trash guys who actually took the old one!
Of course, Christmas Day there was still dog training to be done. Training Etta stops for no holiday!
And, what's Christmas without a drinking buddy?
We had our traditional seafood dinner for Christmas dinner.
And spent the evening playing games. Hayden got 'Battle Sheep' which is a quick, fun strategy game, and we all played Schrodinger's Cat (which is quickly becoming a favorite!)
Of course, figuring what dog should be in what room for what activity is a logic game in and of itself. But we figure it out and make do. Porkchop and Phenom are complicating things by refusing to get along- so we actually swapped out Etta's vet appointment for Porkchop this morning. She basically diagnosed him with being a chihuahua and he's now going on anti-anxiety meds. Hopefully that'll help. But, the boys for real have been awesome and super helpful, especially Calib. Everyone does their part, and helps out and hardly has to be asked to do so. My kids are kind of awesome.
Christmas night we all wore our fuzzy onesies my mom had gotten for us. (Asa excluded, because he runs super hot and even in the coldest temperatures would be sweating in one of these things).
And because we were busy with Asa working and going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, we didn't have our traditional hot chocolate in Santa mugs on Christmas Eve. A day late, but it still counts.
We picked mom up a similar mug at the dollar store so she could partake.
The day after Christmas, Peyton and Calib wore their 'Office' shirts, and mom took us out to see Star Wars, The Last Jedi. Our family has mixed feelings on the movie, and don't get my kids started on it. Yikes.
When we got home, there were packages for everyone. Calib had one from the Kettner's, and Peyton and Hayden each had a gift that didn't arrive in time, so it actually worked out pretty well, because they all had something to open.
We finished up the evening with some more games. It's what we do between Christmas and New Years, what can I say?
On Wednesday the 27th, we headed a little north to meet Jane at the Cracker Barrel. She has her winter home down here, so it's easy to see her down here. Maybe we'll meet up again in February when my mom is back for Hayden's birthday and the Olympics.
On the way back we had to stop by the post office to mail Gwen her piano books she had left in mom's car.
That evening there was more dog-separating (although Porkchop is becoming buddies with my mom).
And more game playing (man, I SMOKED everyone in Ticket to Ride!)
We have been doing lots of walks with Etta and her doggie siblings. She seems to do well out and about with them. And we're all getting lots of exercise, going on multiple walks a day with various dog combinations.
Thursday Asa worked from home and my mom and I went out to do grocery shopping together. We were at Costco, and she had been dragging a bit behind me, so I turned around to wait for her and she was juggling like three samples of things. I was amused.
Later that day a package arrived from Nate and Allison. It was such a welcome treat, especially on a year where Asa and I didn't really give each other gifts. They were very thoughtful and awesome gifts too. We were super excited about it, so thanks Nate and Allison!
Then mom and Asa did math homework together, or something, and we played 'Shifty-Eyed Spies' the game from Cort and Holly. It is hilarious, and I am TERRIBLE at it, so everyone loves it. You have discreetly send signals to your partner, and I just cannot seem to do it.
Today is like the last day of school for Asa. We found out just before Thanksgiving that the help desk would be closing at the end of the year. He'll get a new job, no problem. He's had some interest, but people aren't interviewing between Thanksgiving and New Year. It's also entirely possible he gets a job somewhere else within Verizon and ends up back there. We're not worried. So in the mean time, we'll be hanging out with the very generous severance package, complete with his bonus and our insurance and everything, and treating it a little like a paid vacation until he lands somewhere else. No reason not to embrace the change!
Next Up: We're headed to Venice and Sharky's for New Years Eve.
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