In this year's attempt to relive the dreamy Christmas Eve when we went to The Cheesecake Factory during a blizzard in a nearly deserted Plaza, we ended up seeing hordes of people waiting in the warmish courtyard outside the Cheesecake Factory and came up with a Plan B. Again. We went to Red Door Grill in Brookside and sat in their semi-enclosed, semi-heated porch alone and watched Christmas music videos for FHE on the 23rd.
Then we went to Mely's Ice Cream for dessert and to hug Mely goodbye. She is retiring and selling her store at the end of 2019. She has been selling treats in Corinth Square for 30 years. She said she has seen generations of families grow up and bring their kids and grandkids to her store.
Our Christmas Eve was a really happy one. I went to the grocery store as the sun rose, which I decided may be the very best time for me to shop. Willa got a massage from Charity Smith while I finished my book (Indistractible) and Wyatt took Griff and Eve to Frozen 2. We played outside that afternoon and then when Alan got home from work had a small family dinner of Christmas soup and focaccia, a devotional with the Nativity story and hymns, and then listened to the Santaland Diaries together before an early bedtime in new Christmas jammies. Nobody matched and they made Evie cry again, but she got over it.
Christmas came! We did presents and watched Little Women together. The people you'd expect to have liked it did. Mostly it was fun to be together.
Other highlights of the week:
-Teaching a dancing sneakers class on Boxing Day and then helping my friend Kay pack to move.
-Returning an Apple Watch Wyatt didn't want, eating lunch at Panera, and spending some Christmas money! Reports and thank you notes to come.
-An adult party with some really fun couples from our ward who are so very good.
-A funeral for Howard Gray's sister and a baptism for Colby Haughton
-A CRAZY busy call weekend for Alan. 27 patients just for him. Huge numbers everywhere.
-Requiring kids to clean up.
Your photo with Wyatt said, "Can we hold it together? We gotta hold it together. I doubt we can hold it together for long enough." This is a thought process lots of moms would relate to in December. So funny. The photos with each of your kids were glorious, but that was the most funny. Evie has such a cute gap-toothed grin. I love how death and moving and retirement and tough work weekend reports mingle with the Christmas-ing. What a week!
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas jammies making Evie cry was sad and funny all at the same time. I'm so glad she was able to get over that somehow. Certain things are just disturbing :)
ReplyDeleteBeing together is by far the best part of Christmas! I loved all your together pictures. Each child with their own fun selfies with Mom. Delightful!
I also very much appreciated how Griffin looked pleased to be helping to clean up! Love love love it!
I LOVE it! Where are the pictures of the un-matching pajamas? Griff manages to make vacuuming the laundry room look like a leisure activity (who even knew he had the skill of vacuuming in the first place?). I also liked that Wyatt took the little guys to see Frozen by himself. Did you guys see it yet? Glad you liked Little Women though, and I liked it too. So good. Makes me crazy excited to come home next Christmas!
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