Christmas is Over, Winter is Here

Now four days after Christmas and the clean up begins.  We (I) put all this time in preparing, decorating, shopping and then in one quick day it's over.  It's worth it though.  I actually love all the pre-Christmas day goings ons more than the day itself.  And isn't it funny how once Christmas day is over we (I) want to get rid of all signs of it.  I don't want to get rid of the feelings, just change the look.  Now I want everything to be clean and re-arranged.  I want the New Year feeling now of clean, starting over, fresh, renewal and good things to come.  I would normally take this week off and start the clean up on January 2.  This year I had to move the process up a week.  My oldest son and family found a good house right near his recruiting office so they are moving this weekend.  I am helping my DIL clean the new house and start moving some little things tomorrow and then on Saturday we get the U-Haul and My Bob and son will load it up.  They are only moving an hour away so then they can take their time in getting the old house cleaned up and rent it out for now.  They may decide to sell it later on.  Of course My Bob and I will be on hand to help.  For the last eight years, between college and now the military, we probably have  moved one or both of my sons once a year.  We're pretty good at it now.


Our Christmas was a good one.  Christmas Eve was early church service, a wonderful lasagna dinner prepared by my DIL, opening a few presents at son and DIL's house with two very excited grandsons, then My Bob and I back home early and just relaxing with an egg nog martini. 

Logan and Landen - they just couldn't wait to get these off, put on their new Christmas Eve jammies and open a couple of gifts.  They looked real handsome in their suits for about an hour.

Mmm!  This was delicious!  Tiny bit of alcohol, mostly egg nog and lots of cinnamon and chocolate shavings

Christmas morning was nice and quiet and enjoyable with just Bob and I until about 2:00.  I have Christmas dinner here and this year it was with Mom and Dad, son #1 Austin and his family and DIL's brother.  Mom, Dad and Austin made a trip to the Nursing Home to visit Grandma and Grandpa first and that was the sad part of the day.  Grandma now weighs 59 pounds and is almost vegetative.  I had visited two days earlier. We are now hoping for God to take her soon.  This is no way to live.  We can't even believe it's possible for her to be alive.  The time must still not be right.

My dinner was my traditional ham and scalloped potatoes and then the opening of presents.

My one day a year place setting.

I have to explain this picture a little.  Logan and Landen get so many (too many) toys from their parents and other family members, so I am a little more practical and get them clothes and things that they need.  They aren't always thrilled upon opening my presents.  The boys needed new snow pants, hats, gloves and snow boots.  I made Logan try his on and you can see how thrilled he was.  We were laughing so hard we were crying.  He reminded us of Ralphy from The Christmas Story having to try on the pink bunny suit.  But just wait until they can go out sled riding and then they'll be happy they have all this.

The Day was very nice with lots of laughs, just the right amount of presents (at my house anyway), and a nice prayer of grace and thankfulness at dinner given by Mom.

Then yesterday and today so far has brought winter to us in a big way.  I'm loving it right now.  The small problem is that we will probably have snow on the ground until April.  I love it until February, then I'm ready for a change.  Then it's a good time for a vacation to someplace warm if possible.

 

This is what we woke up to looking out the front door two mornings ago.  My Bob has to shovel a path for the dogs or they won't go out.

Then overnight last night we had quite a bit more snow and this was looking out the back door this morning.

As you can tell, I don't go out, I just enjoy the view.  I bet the boys are enjoying their presents from me today!

Tonight we're supposed to go to an Open House party at my girlfriend's new house.  And Thursday night  we're supposed to go to a New Year's Eve party at another good friend's house.  Honestly we don't feel like going to either, but because they are both good friends we will probably go.  I hate to leave the house.  Isn't that terrible?  The good news is it's because I'm very happy and content here.