My mom almost always comes to visit us at Christmas time. Usually she shows up a few days after Christmas and stays through the new year. But, this year, she is spending that time in Italy with Clint and Jess, so she won't be here again until Hayden's birthday in February. Calib's also tagging along with them on their Italy trip, so it's going to be a super weird Christmas around here. But, we'll make do.
While my mom was here this go around, we decided to celebrate all our usual holiday traditions. Although, before you get to Christmas and New Years, you have to celebrate Halloween. So we did just that with a trip to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!
And, then we put up our Christmas tree!
Complete with a few presents underneath.
She had gone to Cedar Point to pick up a couple shirts for the boys, plus of course we all got our Amazon gift cards.
Asa got some fireball whiskey, and I got a cute little penguin mug!
And of course, we all got our Disney passes for another year of Disney magic! Thanks mom!
There weren't a lot of nights when my mom was here that everyone was home, so when we were she took us all out to Ford's garage.
Where we got milkshakes, and mom stole the cherry off the top of Hayden's. Peyton did the same thing when we went for Asa's graduation, so it's becoming sort of a thing.
After lunch, the boys went over to the mall to spend some of their money. Calib got a new pair of shoes (shocker), while Hayden went to Pop Cult store and got a model to put together.
Mom and I went off to do a little shopping of our own, and I got all kinds of new plants. The front yard is a bit of work in progress, but I'm hoping with Asa being on call this weekend we can get some things planted and moved around. I have high hopes for a little butterfly/bee garden in the front flower bed.
When we got back we made some strawberry jam. Usually she gives us a basket of homemade canned goods at Christmas but we always run out of strawberry jam first, especially now that I've been making peanut butter and jelly naan bread pizza's with it. Plus it's delicious on toast, and even ice cream. Anyway, she made us a whole batch instead of just getting a couple of jars- so we should be good for awhile, anyway.
On the Ainsworth side of the family, we had a rather unusual family tradition. Or, maybe it's more of a Sattler tradition that started with my family. But, anyway, when I was a kid when we got the Christmas tree at my house we always went out for Chinese. It was like the one time of year we went. But, we also always helped my grandma and grandpa put up their tree, bake cookies, and put up their lights every year, and at the end of the day, in true grandma and grandpa Ainsworth tradition, they would treat us to pizza. But then one year someone suggested Chinese. Of course, their were arguments about both, and so my grandparents remedied the situation by getting us both! This tradition of pizza and Chinese went on for YEARS, even once the Chinese place and the pizza place weren't in the same shopping plaza. Then, when the boys were little in Florida we started getting Chinese food every time we got our tree. It was the one Christmas tradition Asa could get behind (he didn't have any good ones- so it took awhile for him to get into the holiday spirit). But, Hayden doesn't love Chinese all that much. So, when we moved to this house and Chinese and pizza are in the same plaza, we started having Chinese AND pizza in a nod to my grandparents and to appease everyone. So, naturally when my mom suggested pizza and Chinese, everyone was real excited about it. It's a weird combination, but oddly enough it tastes like Christmas to me!
And what's Christmas without some board/card games? We didn't have any new ones to play yet, obviously, but we have plenty oldies but goodies. (For the love of God though, does anyone know what happened to Sheriff of Nottingham?!?)
We might not have had an official Christmas tree around here, but my mom still managed to get her picture taken in front of a Christmas tree with the boys (albeit on different trips to Costco).
Of course, usually between Christmas and New Years we make a trip to Top Golf. Between everyone's work schedules the only time we could really go was early Sunday morning, and I'm telling you that's the time to go- there was no waiting and we even got a couch bay on the third floor!
And of course if you're going earlier in the day, say breakfast time, donut holes are in order!
And mimosas!
Also, Top golf has fun new screens so you can actually follow where your ball is going. It even tells you how far it went and how fast! It also helps for everyone sitting on the couch to see whats going on. Totally fun new addition.
You'll notice Calib missing from the whole thing. He didn't want to get up early, and he also didn't want to miss any football. I told him we could be back in time, but he didn't believe me. After top golf we ended up going to Kohl's (I had a 40% off coupon), and then to Costco to check out computers for mom. (She eventually got a new one and I got her old one- which is so fun. It's an upgrade from my last one for sure. It's a touch screen! And, you guys, get this... you can unplug it without it immediately shutting down! What a feature)
Anyway, all those stops meant we weren't home in time for the start of the 1 o'clock games (the Bucs didn't play until 4), so when we got home it was a mad dash to get out the taco bar and catch the end of the 1 o'clock games. I'm not entirely sure we've had a "normal" football Sunday besides opening weekend. But, Asa is on call this weekend so we can't stray too far from home. I think we'll do a Sunday bike ride and be back in time to put out the taco bar and maybe even see some Fox NFL Sunday.
Also, you guys know how I suddenly enjoy all things pumpkin, right? Well, Costco has a GIGANTIC pumpkin pie for like $5.99! Mom picked one up for Asa, which exclusively eats pumpkin pie right from the pie plate (because nobody else USED to want any- you know, before I knew how amazing pumpkin is). He shared his pie with mom and me, but only if you ate it the Asa way.
And then we watched football. I feel like this was a bad week- you know, because the Bucs have alternated good and bad weeks through the first four games of the season (which means we're due for a bad one this week). Good thing Asa has Etta to snuggle when he's feeling down about football.
Monday we decided to do our annual New Years Eve trip to Sharky's- minus Asa who had to work. My grandma and grandpa Sattler used to live in Venice. They moved down here part time (then later full time) when I was in 5th grade, and we always visited between Christmas and New Years. So, once my grandma Sattler passed away and my grandpa moved back up north, and my dad was gone- we still make the trip to Venice on New Years Eve. It's only about an hour and half from home.
But it turned out Sharky's was closed for cleaning! Booo...
So we ended up at Bogey's instead. That's more Jake and his family tradition, but we've gone there a time or two with my grandpa Sattler.
We did locate the University of Toledo flag my Uncle Grant donated.
I got shrimp, though admittedly it wasn't as good as the Coconut Shrimp I'd been looking forward to at Sharky's, while Peyton got a plate of ribs.
And Calib and Hayden got the nachos.
Which, if you're a Sattler you have to take a picture of the nacho progression throughout the meal.
Which of course ends in a picture like this every time.
Instead of going all the way back to Sharky's to stick our toes in the water, we went down to Venice Beach. I'm pretty sure the last time I was there Peyton was a baby, so it's been a minute.
It's a grandpa Ainsworth thing to always stick your toes in whatever body of water you're near. Peyton, wearing tennis shoes and jeans said he'd just stick his fingers in.
I didn't bring the boys swimsuits but once we put our feet in, they were sad that I hadn't. Even Peyton said he would have swum if I had brought one. The water was the perfect temperature, and it was SO CLEAR. It was probably the clearest I had ever seen the Gulf. I thought maybe it was just Venice Beach, but I saw a Saint Pete Beach post a few days later about how clear the water was there, too because of the east winds. Either way, I will take it!
Even without our swimsuits, we had a lovely time at the beach. It was the first day of fall, and I LOVE fall in Florida. It's basically summer, but the edge has been taken off. Just a little less sun intensity and a little less humid, and it's totally my jam. Plus, I've been outside so much this summer I think I did actually get used to the heat. Now at night it'll be like 88 and I'm like 'Pull out the sweatshirts!'
No trip to Venice is complete without a stop downtown to wander Pleasures and Treasures.
And of course you have to stop to get some ice cream!
I also forgot how not busy it is when you go places on the weekdays. I so miss Asa's weekday 'weekends'. But you know, we make do.
Tuesday was her last full day here, so she took us out for lunch.
And while we still have TONS of groceries, the pumpkin pie did in fact get finished before the 'best by' date. I do have a little freezing to do in the next few days to save some things we haven't made it to yet though.
Of course, since my mom was here, Calib had given up his room- which meant the mess of pillows, matresses and dogs in Peyton and Hayden's room. I think they secretly like the sleepovers though. They watched a different movie each night on Calib's laptop.
Wednesday mom was off, flying back to Ohio. But she offered to take us to PDQ on her way to the airport. I had a coupon for a free pumpkin pie milkshake with a purchase of the Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, so I gave it a go with the sweet potato waffle fries. It was a winner.
The boys drove separately, so Asa could get back to work in time and I took my mom to the airport. I will be seeing her again in a couple weeks, when I meet up with her in Washington D.C. (And I also get to see Layla, Allison, Nate and Beau! Plus, MAYBE if I'm lucky, Brandy!) Calib will see her in Italy, but everyone else will have to wait until February. Unless of course we hit cookie day. I gotta check in cousin chat to see who I can get to make the pilgrimage to Toledo to make cookies. I could be in if they are. Anyway, thanks for everything mom. We always love having her visit!
Asa only had Not So Scary Halloween Party pictures from my moms visit on his phone. But there were some funny pet pictures he shared with me for this blog.
That's it for another catch up blog, only one to go.
Next Up: The CEO Taku is the last of the catch up blogs!
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