This is one of my favorite things of the year and it rarely, if ever makes it into the DPP project Usually we get this done well before December but our timeline is shifted - but look at those beautiful floors We have been trying to be intentional in having some family fun every Sunday Somewhere, I had figured out we have less than 150 Sundays between now and when E goes to college - now we are less than 140. While it is completely natural for E to be spending more time in her room and focused on her friends, it affects the younger ones. They miss her. When we do something and she isn’t there, someone always comments - we need E here or I miss E. It made me realize that this time as a family was needed by this mama - for sure - but just as much by her three biggest admirers. We have had a photo scavenger hunt, played spoons, giant size family Jenga, family basketball competitions, watched movies and try not to react challenge with strange foods. Naturally - today was trimming the tree. It is tough carving out this time but it is always worth it. Even when it doesn’t go right - someone is mad for losing or someone is out of sorts for having to step away from what they were doing - we always manage to find our way to some goodness. I think we are lucky to have a crazy and fun family, both immediate and extended. As these kids grow and establish their lives beyond our family, I hope they are brought back to each other and us in the fun and memories we create. Tonight - the stars aligned - or their Dad and Uncle Tev prepared them - and it was the most fun and joyful Christmas tree decorating we have ever done. It was loud and silly and perfect. My heart is full - these are the times and the moments that make the hard worth it. Well that and the fact that I love them so stinkin’ much.
There was a special delivery of some Cordial Cherries decorated as the Nativity scene. Yum! They are always so impressively decorated. Mom and Dad had no idea they were stopping in for the chaos that ensued. And while they didn’t stay long, they definitely added to the joy. Here B is sharing some ornaments with Omom and reminding her the stories.
Each ornament has a tale all of its own and prompts a memory or a relationship. As B and each kiddo shared an ornament with my mom, my heart swelled some. They adore her and they are actively engaging with her with memories of their own. They remember so she doesn't have to though she had her own memories to share tonight which is always a joy.
B put his hat on his Penguin, Steve and was dancing around to Christmas carols. I had him stop so I can capture this moment of childhood joy in him. I am keenly aware that he is slowly spending more and more time in his room. That he is making the shift from preteen to teen and soon will be just like his big sis - and we will be missing his presence. So to slow down to snap a shot of his youthful joy before it is gone seemed just the thing to do. To ensure that B was just as festive as Steve, his big sis jumped behind him so it would appear as if he is wearing a hat. Interestingly, it also appears that he has long hair on one side.
Every year there is an ornament casualty during decorating. Every. Single. Year. I have resigned myself to it and made peace with it. It has become part of the tradition and as we see those cracks, we can say remember when? Well - here is how this story will go when we see the cracks in this ornament. Hey remember when mom was reminding B to be careful with the ornaments and make sure they are on the branches well so they don't break - and then she when to pick up an ornament and immediately dropped it so that it broke not once but twice? Yea - that was 2020. Lil b was standing right next to me and in his always so sly way he said, maybe ya shoulda been talking to yourself, mom. He isn't wrong. :)
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