I really haven’t wanted to write a Christmas Blog this year. I haven’t wanted to send Christmas cards. I didn’t take a Family Christmas Picture. My basic thoughts have been….just get through it ! Then my friend said he had been checking my blog and noticed there hadn’t been any new posts. I thought about that a while and this is what I came up with….
I recently acquired a new camera. A camera that I can’t seem to work. A camera that is waaayyy beyond my expertise. Then I saw a quote the other day that said, “I wish my eyes could take photos”. If they could...this is what you would see……
It’s late. We’ve been traveling for hours and we’ve finally arrived. We come stumbling in, greeted by mom, no makeup, two pink sponge rollers on either side of her face, nightgown with some sort of big shirt thrown over it. She’s in the kitchen before we barely get in the door. Food adorns the countertops. Snacks, desserts, bags of food are everywhere. She’s immediately asking the boys if they are hungry, ready to whip up a feast at the drop of a hat. Dad comes stumbling in (he’s been in bed since 9:00). We start to visit as if we aren’t going to be there for the next few days. The hours creep on before we all head to bed.
We awake to the smell of whatever mom has on her menu: homemade cinnamon rolls, gravy & biscuits, egg casserole….you never know what but it’s always good. Boys are everywhere...their bodies seem to sprawl across every open space (there are so many of them). The ladies clean up then take over all the bathrooms in the house. Good luck if you take a shower and the water is actually hot.
Everyone heads to the mall to do last minute shopping, it’s Christmas Eve & we’re almost out of time. Hours tick away & we rush home to get dressed and we’re off to our tradition of eating out on Christmas Eve (yes...we get a break from cooking). Christmas Eve Service follows, we sing about the Christ child, we take communion, & we are once again reminded of what this Season is all about.
Family pics are taken after...we are the last ones to leave the church. This seems to be a lifelong thing for our family. We have to be the last ones out. Lol We arrive at home to mom’s homemade eggnog. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing better. Like drinking homemade ice cream. Mom also makes the BEST grilled cheese. I still can’t do it like her.
After everyone invades the kitchen and is filled to the brim we are suppose to head downstairs to the basement. We are a loud, opinionated, loud, hard to carouse, loud, fun, loud, talkative, LOUD family. This adventure to the basement seems to take hours before everyone is on the same page and downstairs. Mom is armed with the camera & is busy snapping any & every memory making moment.
Dad & mom have typically prepared games, or contests, or riddles & rhymes, for this part of the evening which involves gift giving. It’s fun and crazy...oh and did I mention LOUD ? Pictures are taken...memories made. After kisses and hugs and thank you’s we finally make our way to bed.
Christmas Day involves a lot of cooking, cleaning up and washing of the fine china ! The table is beautiful, everyone is dressed better than normal, and the food is worth the wait. This day is typically low key. Guys play pool, throw a football outside, a puzzle is put together (a yearly tradition), ads are read, talking is plentiful, and it’s a great day of family.
I started this blog with, “I wish my eyes could take photo’s”. Apparently, they already have and it’s been engraved on my heart forever. Beautiful memories…..life long treasures !
Wishing You and Your Family The Same...
Merry Christmas from Me to You =)
