So, Merry Christmas! From Bill and Jenn, as we drive around at 2am from 7-11 to 7-11 to Wal-mart, looking for one more blister-pack of Harry Potter Silly Bandz, because Santa would NEVER forget one child when filling the stockings!
From Jenn, fighting the crowds at Best Buy, because the gift I had finally decided to buy for my impossible-to-shop-for husband suddenly appeared in a pile of last-minute bargains he HAD to get while he was shopping yesterday. Time for a new plan!
From Bill, working hard at CVS to help fill last-minute prescriptions for people who will be unable to get it done tomorrow while they are closed. Seniors and Tourists are cranky people when they can't get their meds immediately, so he will be working hard to maintain holiday cheer, as well. Hopefully, he will be home soon.
From Alex, on his 6th lap around the neighborhood with Fynnlie. We've put out some of the gifts already, and she's having a hard time keeping out of them. Walks in the stroller provide a good 45 minutes of freedom from constant monitoring of the tree and baby at the same time.
From Bethanie, working hard to beat her 7 year old sister at making the longest paper chain. Recreating moments from your childhood in order to give those experiences to your younger siblings is refreshing!
From Casadie, utterly thrilled to find that she's superior at making paper chains, besting her 16 year old sister. Constant calls to come "hold it up and see how tall it is" reveal that it would take about two Moms, laying head to toe to match the length. Much more to do, though!
From Delanie, 6 links in the paper chains and over it. Just. Done. Specifically moved the project table in front of the couch for her, so that she could sit and relax, and fool the siblings and subsequent photographs into thinking she was actively participating.
From Emmalie, obsessed with eggnog. Endless clamoring for more. Repeatedly. We feel indulgent, since this is the only time we ever have it, but also don't want her on the cover of the tabloids as the "Preschooler who gained 85 pounds from drinking eggnog!! Photos inside!"
From Fynnlie, so very fascinated with the lights, the bows, the wrapping, the strange activities...but bewildered at all the times she gets strapped into the stroller and taken for a walk. Highly unusual. Also battling a small bug, but we're hopeful her eyes won't be glassy and feverish in the photos.
From Sadie, our dog. Nothing special to say..it's a pretty normal day for her, she just wanted to say hi.
From all of us, up to our elbows and eyebrows with sugar cookie baking and decorating...this activity will be the messiest and most delicious project we'll take on all year. This is what will cause us to be up too late, find that Santa has already passed Florida on the Norad Tracker and make me have to scramble for a story. "Umm..well, Santa realizes that not everyone puts their kids to bed at 7, so he just checks to see, and if we're still awake, he puts on the list to come back after he does other states. It's no problem, he's so magical!" It's still working, but I have no idea how many more years I can pull this off. Thank goodness I can think fast. I make up all sorts of nonsense that they remind me of the next year.
From all of us, as the kids open one gift from Grandma tonight, and put on new, semi-matching pajamas before crawling into their beds.
From all of us, as Bill and I wake the to shrieking joy that is little girls discovering their stockings and their one, bigger un-wrapped gift from Santa. Us grown-ups will groan and stretch, wishing that just for once, children slept until noon on Christmas Day, but also loving the sound of their laughter, and look in their eyes as they show us all the treasures. For us, we are grateful for our children's health, their intelligence, and their exuberant personalities as we go through this life together, and Christmas morning is a time to just revel in the luck we have experienced in having them.
Merry Christmas from the Kimballs, our Spilt Milk and our Sticky Kisses!
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