Merry Sickmas

Alright, I can't take credit for the phrase Sickmas, my sister Laura actually coined that one.
But, that is certainly what it felt like we were celebrating this year!
And it still managed to be wonderful.

Before I get into our Christmas, I have to tell you a story. Sometimes, JC will call me on my dramatics when he feels like something I wrote on here portrays a situation in a more exaggerated light than necessary. But, I promise you that this exact exchange took place just minutes ago...

Me: (slowly trudging down the stairs) "My life is over."

JC: (standing at the bottom of the stairs with an expectant look on his face) "We got married five years ago. It's been over for a while."

I then poured out a story to him about how, while uploading pictures to my blog (I do that sometimes), blogger stopped me in my tracks and told me that it relies on my google account's picture storage via picasa and that I was now (finally) trying to exceed my limit. And that I could no longer upload photos. Ever. Unless I wanted to delete old photos which would mean they would no longer be included in the backlog on my blog and...does blogger not understand that I do not have the time to publish my blog into a family journal-type book yet and therefore cannot delete anything from the past? Does blogger not understand that I don't have the willpower to include just SOME pictures of any given event? Does blogger not understand that THIS IS MY ONLY OUTLET????
Ahem.
Anyway, funny story. Ends up that I just have to pay five bucks to get like, twenty times the amount of storage I've used in the past three years. So, sign me up.
And...you really didn't need to hear that story. But I though you might like to know that my world almost got turned upside down tonight.
And now you know how tipsy my world really is. In my own mind.
And that I have nothing better to talk about.
Oh wait, I do. CHRISTMAS! Yay.

So, as I alluded to, we were quite sick in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It feels like we've kind of had everything since about August but it's been more intense this last month. First it was a cold we all passed around, then a stomach bug, then another more intense cold. Knocked me out big time. Which was okay (sort of). But then, it knocked the kids out in the days leading up to Christmas. And on Christmas Eve. And on Christmas Day. Not cool, cold bug, not cool.
But Christmas happened anyway. :) And I'm glad. Here's a glimpse...(since I upgraded my google account...)

JC didn't have to work on Christmas Eve, so we had lots of good plans. We had stuff to do and a holiday to enjoy. Since James was super sick, Bethany was just starting to get that way, and Ben was just getting over it, we canceled pretty much everything we thought we were going to do and spent the day l..a..y..i..n..g around. Which is exactly what we needed. BUT, we did open a present. Which is kind of like cheating but not really because it was always tradition in my family to open a present on Christmas Eve. We kind of did it on Christmas Eve morning this year but what's a few hours? We had the kids choose from their gifts to each other.

Here, JC helps them sort through the gifts and pick one.
The kids had taken turns baking with Grandma Teri earlier in the week and on the day they were in and out of the house doing that, we took turns wrapping sibling presents for each other. So they were all nice and wrapped and ready.

Ben opened his present from James. A Toy Story book/sketch pad...thing.
Oh boy!

James opened his gift from Ben...

and although he was super feverish, he was still pretty excited to find the same thing he had gotten Ben...only Spiderman themed, of course.

When Bethany opened her gift from James, she found a princess piano and song book...

which she loved.

Like I said, we spent the day kind of lazying around. I tried to keep the kids as comfortable and rested as possible. I tried to comfort James in his feverish state and we had a conversation that went something like this:

Me: "James, you want Mama to hold you?"
James: "No."
Me: "You want Mama to get you a blanket?"
James: "No."
Me: "You want Mama to get you some more water?"
James: "No."
Me: "You want Mama to read you a story?"
James: "No."
Me: (pause) "...what can Mama do to help you feel better?"
James: (pause) "...Get Daddy."

And that's all he wanted all day. Daddy. If it wasn't so darn sweet I might have been sad. :) Once Bethany started feeling badly too all she wanted to do was sleep and she did just that. Ben got rather restless. Poor guy.
Since he was feeling pretty well and by the time late afternoon rolled around we were doing nothing but sitting around watching the other three sleep, we went and joined my parents and sisters for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner at The Olive Garden. Yum. I don't remember when we started doing this and it's been touch and go the last few years for us, but really for as long as I can remember, we have gone out to eat on Christmas Eve as a family. Ben enjoyed getting out of the house, even if he was a bit of a pill at dinner. Okay, he wasn't a pill, he was just...three. (three years old, not three pills...but...you already knew what I meant.)
It was a lot of fun to visit and laugh with everyone, watch Ben eat a lemon, and play Fiddler on the Roof trivia with my Dad on his phone. It made me REALLY want to watch it soon. JC will be thrilled to hear that. :)
When we got home, everyone was pretty chipper though still tired. We got in pajamas, played just a little, and snuggled in for what has always been my favorite part of Christmas.
Growing up, my mom had this book (fabric covered binder, if you will) that held the Christmas story from the scriptures, with songs intermixed. I always loved doing that on Christmas Eve. Again, I don't know when we started doing it or if we even did it every year. But it stands out as something we did while I was growing up and I always wanted to spend Christmas Eve that way. Christmas Day, the excitement takes over and it's fun and joyful and wonderful. I love Christmas Day. Especially with little kids. But, for me personally, Christmas Eve has always felt a little different and a little more special. It is where the sacredness kind of sinks in. The late nights, the reading from the scriptures, the stillness that settles in...that has always been where I was really able to feel Christmas.
So, we decided that this year we would start giving our kids that kind of experience so that they could have that pause before the big day, that real holiday moment.
SO, I stole my mom's fabric-covered Christmas binder from her, gathered up a few Christmas books and went at creating my own compilation of the Christmas story to read to the kids on Christmas Eve. The original plan was to let them act it out...I remember doing that as a kid and it was always so fun...I was the oldest so I always had to be the donkey so my younger sister could ride on my back...but I always loved it.
Since the kids were sick, I knew we wouldn't be getting that involved, so I just read to them and showed them pictures. Sang songs...by myself...(they'll learn them someday!) and enjoyed the spirit that it brought to our home. The kids were so attentive. James just stared right in my eyes the whole time I was talking and singing and then halfway through the story, he just nodded off. It was so sweet. The other two snuggled with JC on the big beanbag and listened.
Except, at one point, Ben requested that I stop singing songs. I told him I could skip some songs if he was getting tired. JC vetoed his request. That made me feel good. :)

When it was time to go to bed, they all went down without a fuss and slipped right into sleepy land! Sick and sleepy outweighs excited and anxious!
JC and I took some time to relax together in the quiet house before wrapping our presents for the kids. We knew it was going to be a late night!

Before going to bed we were sure to set our some cookies and milk for Santa, along with a note Bethany had written to him (about next Christmas...way to be on the ball!), a little piece of paper that James had written Santa's name on and cut out just for him, and...a CTR ring.
Bethany came to me a few days before Christmas and, just kind of in passing, said, "I know exactly what to give Santa for Christmas. He needs a CTR ring."
So, of course, we left one for him.
I love that little girl.
We took this picture for the kids so they could see the 'before' when they discovered the empty plate in the morning. Maybe next year we will actually be able to get them in on the action of leaving it out!

Our Christmas tree.
Lights, ornaments, gifts.
Check, check, check.

We snuck out after Santa came and got a picture.
Dollhouse for Bethany, bikes for the boys.
Good man, Santa.
Especially assembling that dollhouse. That was probably pretty obnoxious.

And, downstairs, at the little Christmas tree, their stockings.
(So they would wake up in the morning and find those and not come running upstairs and find all their presents without us knowing. The stockings would at least stop them in their tracks long enough for us to hear them and get downstairs to escort them up! Smart move, Santa.)

And, that is exactly what happened. The kids woke up fever-free and lively enough to get excited. Yay! As you can see, Scout was in on the action too.

When we went upstairs, they discovered the goods. James took it upon himself to get Ben excited about his new bike. We're still working on that one. The child does not like change any more than his mama does. :)

Bethany was pretty excited about her dollhouse. Just the right size for all her princesses and Barbies to take up residence.

JC's mom gave us the liberty to choose a family gift from her. We chose a new picnic table for the balcony! The old one is...gross. And...falling apart. This one will get us through many-an-outdoor-meal! They loved it.
(This was part of our family gift. The rest shall be our first garden box! When the season is right! We will love that just as much!)

Something I love about kids, James especially...you don't ever have to prompt for a silly picture. They just...happen.
If you will notice, Bethany is coughing. Without covering her mouth. It is hard to remember to do so every time when you are little. And THIS is why we are always sick. :)

When it was time to open the rest of the presents, James could hardly contain himself. Ben, in the background, had promptly followed directions to find a spot so we could start handing out the presents.

Then we did.

After all was over, we all took a breather.

And noticed that Santa had eaten his cookies and taken his notes and gifts.

And that Scout had set out to remind us all that he, as the family pet, is a gift to us as well.

The damage. Not too bad.

Ben figured that, with how our household is going, Spiderman and the Toy Story characters have got to join up together at some point in time.
Might as well be introduced on Christmas.

Here's Bethany sporting the "How to Train Your Dragon" viking get-up.
They all got these.

We got dressed and headed out front to try out the new bikes! The first thing the kids wanted to do was go show Reggie their new stuff.
Reggie is our neighbor.
Well...our neighbor's dog.
And they love him.
And he...tolerates...them.
I told them that Reggie was probably still sleeping and we would see him another time. But, as it turns out, the Jones' heard us outside playing and wanted to come see the kids and their excited faces. They are so nice. Even Reggie came out to see what all the fuss was about!
(You can see in the picture that although I am still on our driveway, taking pictures of James on his new bike, Bethany and Ben are already clear across the cul-de-sac in front of Reggie's house.)
James did GREAT on his new bike! (Ben has yet to try his!)

We spent the rest of the morning taking it easy and enjoying our new toys together. JC and I took turns falling asleep on the couch and taking showers (both luxuries to do in the middle of the day!) and we got a nice rest time in. Then we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's to spend some time with the fam and have a yummy soup dinner! My whole family was there and JC's mom came and it was really nice to be together.

The kids had even more presents to open!
They all got robes and slippers, plus each of them got a new game. So fun!

My siblings and I do an exchange every year, we each get for one sibling. This year I had Katie (And no matter what anyone says I did not rig the system to make myself get for her because I had an awesome idea. It honestly just worked out that way. Cross my heart.)
Do any of you skip reading my blog posts and just go check the comments to see if Katie has left a comment because she is ridiculously witty and clever? As in, she not only comments on my post but takes the verification word blogger makes you type in and defines it in a creative and hilarious way? WELL, you know you do.
I traveled back through the archives of my blog, found all her comments, and made her a dictionary. Of her own made up words. Complete with pictures.
I wish I could have kept it.
(Did I say that out loud?)
I include this picture for two reasons. One, you can kind of see Katie's face and she is happy and excited and I want to remember that she felt this way about my gift.
And two, because she had just gotten back from running 7 miles on Christmas Day and I want to remember that people do that. And that doing so sculpts awesome legs.
You know Katie loves that I included this picture.

As the evening went on, after a delicious dinner contributed to by all, the kids started winding back down into their feverish state. James curled up on the living room couch and asked for a blanket. Someone gave him one.
Then he proceeded to lure Aunt Laura in.
He no longer wanted Daddy to sit with him. He wanted "a girl" to sit with him, he says to Laura.
Then he just casually throws out, "If somebody sits with me, then that means they are my best friend."
Laura was the only one within hearing distance.
James knows what he's doing.
I can just see him in thirteen years...strategically walking down a certain hallway when he knows a certain girl will be present..."If somebody goes to prom with me..."
Laura indulged his request. Just to please a little boy on Christmas. :)

A while later, when it was time to get pajamas on and get ready to go home, Ben made the announcement that he wanted to go for a walk to see Christmas lights first. In his robe. And his slippers.
Grandmas are just made to oblige such requests.

And, as the evening wound down, along with Bethany's energy, she found the perfect place to snuggle up. Look at her, all wrapped around Bonnie's arm! It's funny how compact these kids can get when they want to. Bonnie spent time hanging out with Bethany and showing her pictures. Just to indulge a little girl on Christmas.
We have a nice family.

So, that's about what our Christmas was! Very laid back, very low key. And it wasn't bad. I did feel badly about all the stuff we didn't do that I think the kids would have enjoyed but for whatever reason, it just wasn't meant to be this year! It was still a great Christmas. Because we spent it together. And we enjoyed each other. Even at elevated temperatures, in between sporadic naps, and all around germs of all kinds. We still enjoyed each other at Christmastime and I think we always will. Because when there is, at the heart of it all, that conscious connection between all we are celebrating and the eternal nature of it, we will always have the merriest, most loving Christmases possible!
I hope all of yours was just as wonderful...if a little less sickly. :)