Knock, Knock

Clearly I need to start carrying a piece of wood around with me everywhere I go. For knocking on. Because I've been blabbing all over town at every holiday gathering about how peaceful the kids have been lately; about how they're in this nice phase of harmony and cooperation. And now, suddenly, today, as if to directly refute all of the nice things I've been saying about them, they seem intent on maiming one another. No full moon tonight, so lack of knocking on wood is the only possible explanation.

The last night of Christmas lights

I have the desperate urge to unChristmas the house, so this is my last tree pic of 2010.
Question: If I force Clara to hold the guitar correctly, instead of restringing it upside-down, will it turn her into a stutterer like King George VI?P.S. Still didn't dig out the camera manual to figure out how the heck to take low-light photos. I guess I really don't deserve a new camera, if I can't even dedicate myself to learning how to navigate the point-and-shoot. *slaps self on wrist*

Building stuff

When you refuse to buy a "Battle Arena" for your kid's fake hamster (on the grounds that the whole concept is completely ridiculous and a massive waste of money), they might just build their own arena out of books and blocks. Who's the genius that decided mechanical hamsters should be ninja warriors, anyway? Seriously, people. Can't we do something a bit more constructive with all of the creative energy that's out there?

Blocks, Marbles, and Music

Blocks and Marbles (a very cool building toy) quickly became Blocks, Marbles, and Lego Star Wars guys......with onlooking cats.
After dinner, a show. Strings, percussion, and vocals. Needs more cowbell.

A Detailed, Chronological Account of a Merry Christmas!

7:30 am - Excited kids are waiting for permission to enter the living room.
7:35 am - S. Claus has definitely been here. Full stockings and tree.
7:40 am - Coffee is made and permission is granted for kids to check out the scene.

7:41 am - Discover that video camera doesn't seem to be working. Take still photos of first reactions instead.
7:43 am - Try video camera again. No luck. Put it away.

7:44 - 8:00 am - Stage Lego lightsaber battles and remove packaging from doll bed.
8:00 - 8:15 am - Kid stockings. Trevor hugs his pomegranate.
8:15 - 8:30 am - Grown-up stockings. Chad decorated one especially for me.
8:31 am - Coffee refills.

8:32 -9:00 am - Open all kinds of wonderful stuff and drink coffee.
9:00 am - Christmas morning Skype with Nana and Papa.
9:30 am - Back to presents. Chad pretends a camping frying pan is a Jedi fighter.
9:35 am - My blog in a book!
9:40 am - A fake hamster thing puzzles the cats.
10:00 am - Mocho thinks the doll tent is a perfect fit.
10:02 - 10:05 am - I force everyone to pose for several self-timers.
10:05 am - 5:00 pm - Lego is built, galactic war is waged. Dolls go camping. Food is prepared. Christmas phone calls are made. Children remain in jammies.
5:00 pm - Dinner is ready!
6:00 pm - Full! Back to playing.
7:30 pm - Clara loses a tooth while flossing. Good thing the Tooth Fairy and Santa didn't both have to come on the same night.

8:00 - 11:59 pm - Kids are asleep, parents are tired and happy. We listen to the final four hours of Christmas music until next year. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

I forgot to mention that we scrubbed the heck out of every corner of our house yesterday, because our friends were coming over for dinner (but I didn't take any pictures while they were here - silly me), so now our house is squeaky clean and it smells great. Walls, baseboards, the inside of the microwave. Ahhh. Maybe if we invited people over more often, then we wouldn't live in such a pigsty...

So, here it is, Christmas Eve (in a clean, clean house) and just like every year I shake my head and say, "How did it get to be the 24th already??" and "Where did December go??" and all that, but that's just the nature of the beast.

One of our traditions is to open one present on Christmas Eve, and another tradition is to have new pajamas to wear to bed on Christmas Eve. You can see how these two traditions merge perfectly to form one, pajama-opening tradition. Trev had actually chosen jammies as his gift to Clara. She loved them, which led to this moment:
Trev's jammies (foreshadowing a Lego Star Wars Christmas?) were enthusiastically received as well.
Cute, cute, cute.

We headed to Grammy and Grampy's for a fabulous dinner, light show, and chill time. With all of the hustling and bustling already out of the way, the 24th is the perfect day for relaxing, catching up on everyone's latest, and watching the cousins run around.
Christmas Eve Day whips by 23 times faster than the part of December that leads up to it. Before we knew it, it was time to make our way home to get started on those visions of sugarplums.

We hopped into jammies, set out some cookies, and then tracked Santa on NORAD for a bit.
Every year, once the wrapping is done, I sit, staring at the tree, listening to carols, enjoying the last of that lovely almost-Christmas feeling.