Our Christmas 2013





I love Christmas.  I love spending time with my family.  I love the spirit of Christmas.

I have to admit though that I had a difficult Christmas Eve.  I let the kids spend it with their dad because honestly, they have not spent a Christmas Eve with their dad since our marriage ended and  since I had nothing specific planned, they really needed to be with him.   It was difficult because I realized it was the first Christmas Eve that I had not shared with my babies. 

 

Kids on Christmas Eve.  They sent me a photo because I was whining about how much I missed them.

Lance, Joe, and I went to have an Italian dinner at Buca Di Peppo on Christmas Eve.  I wanted something different because I knew we would be bombarded with turkey and ham and leftovers the next few days.  Dinner was nice.  Lance and I returned home that evening to continue watching our Homeland TV series marathon.  I loved being in bed with him, cuddling, and watching Homeland.  I could not think of a better way to spend Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Card Wall.  I create this every year.  I love Christmas cards.

I woke up Christmas morning and did a 6.25 mile.  As I’m in training for the LA Marathon, the schedule called for a run, and unless I’m too physically sick, I will run.  No exceptions.  This year, Christmas was so warm in California with temperatures in the 80s.  It felt like summer.  It was so beautiful.  After my run, I spent the morning cooking.  Yes, I cooked, and I’m very happy with the end result.  It was delicious with plenty leftovers.  I made a lot of food, and even Lance said it was delicious.  Our Christmas dinner menu....

·         Ham

·         Smoked Turkey (gift from Keith Kosan)

·         Green bean casserole

·         Sweet potato casserole

·         Potato casserole

·         Seven layer salad

·         Bread rolls

·         Baked macaroni and cheese

·         Stuffing

·         Fruit salad

·         Apple pie

·         Peanut butter pie (homemade and it tasted gooooooooood!)

So proud of my dinner

The kids arrived home to celebrate Christmas with us at 2 p.m.  They were very eager to open presents.  I guess I should pick names, but in my family, we buy for everyone.  It is costly, but I actually prefer it this way.  Lance and I made a deal this year that we would only get stockings for each other with a limit of $50, but neither of us kept our end of the bargain.  It is just too hard.  I want to spoil him, and I know he wants to do the same for me.  This is our third Christmas together, and he has not gotten the message.  He orders my gifts online (which is ok), and just wants to shove them unwrapped in my stocking or in their shipping boxes under the tree (which is not ok).  It hurts my feelings a little because it makes me feel unimportant and not worth the effort of wrapping.  He ultimately did wrap the gifts, and I asked him quite frankly, “Are we going to have this discussion again next year?” Because honestly, he does this every year until I complain....

 

Holding our stockings - the entire family

Family Photo before the unwrapping begins

I do appreciate Lance's sweet comments to everyone before we began the day’s festivities.  He spoke about how special I had made this Christmas, and how it was all my doing…the presents, the dinner etc.  He also said that since I put in so much work in for everyone and all I wanted were some pictures of the day, they would do so without one complaint.  I love my family so dearly, and I want them  happy.  I think everyone got what they wanted.   Bella and Buddy were like two-year olds.  They were obnoxious in their excitement. 

So what did Santa bring us?

Mia :                      Barbie Dream House, Barbie RV, money, gift cards, Barbie dolls, hair accessories, sonic care toothbrush

Brandon:          Kindle, Nike basketball shoes, Nike shorts, Hot Wheels race track, skeleton anatomy set, money, heated throw, sonic care toothbrush

Dylan:                   money, speakers, clothes

Joe:                        clothes, money, Sonic Care toothbrush

Lance:                   medals from years of military service, clothes, whiskey, nuts

Liz:                          Iphone 5s, trail running shoes, running shirts, Breaking Bad shirts

the anatomy set for my future doctor

Barbie's RV (notice skipper is taking a poop on the toilet) 

Brandon's new kindle and OKC Westbrook jersey

Mia and her cousin Sienna in pretty dresses from Uncle Leroy and Aunt Masha

 

Mia's Barbie Dream House that poor Joe had to assemble



Everyone holding up their favorite present from Santa.  Yes, every year, we take a photo with our most favorite present.

my Princess made me an adorable ornament.  It was one of my best gifts.



Dylan crashed out very early.  I had to wake him up....Brandon got a cool OKC jacket from Aunt Yvette.

Our cool Ragnar emblem from our good friend, Jorge.

Mia with her new friend, Snoopy.

We had so MUCH trash that Lance had to make a trip to the dump to offload it.  Our trash bins were overflowing.  This will be the last year that Brandon believes in Santa.  He is questioning it and even had the audacity to tell me to put a video camera in the living room and one on me so he could prove his point.  Moreover, Santa sent Brandon and Mia a letter, and when Brandon read it, he said, “Why is Santa calling me ‘little friend’? Doesn’t he know my name?”  Knowing Brandon though, he will be very eager to ruin it for Mia, and my Princess still believes.

 

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I hope everyone’s Christmas was just as special as ours…..