Christmas

[auntie_m]

I like how after Christmas things are kind of calm--like the lull in the storm. Every year I feel like I'm crazy busy--everybody is--and yet there's really nothing to be done about it. Shopping still needs to get done. Laundry has to get washed (although the folding is optional), we have to eat, etc. This year was no exception. A rundown, if for no other reason that I need to document for my own sanity (insanity?). The week was really a blur. Every day there was some sort of epic activity that I had to accomplish.

• I played in church both the Sunday before Christmas Sunday and also on the Christmas Sunday. The Sunday before I played my harp, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and I had a friend who plays the bamboo pennywhistle play with me and Mat also sang the last verse. It turned out well. It's always a fiasco bringing my harp, however. It always snows, we're always late, etc., etc., etc. Christmas Sunday was a fiasco, of course, complete with us having to be there an hour before church to practice with the choir (which went over really well with the kids getting up early AND being an extra hour early). Christmas Sunday I spent just sitting at the organ (and also the piano, when I played for some soloists). Organ is not my forte, but I managed to at least make it loud enough and have some chimes (which everybody loves, despite the ultimate cheeziness of it), so sometimes that's all I can ask for. With choir and special numbers there always practices, practicing, etc.
• I helped with both kids' school parties. Eli's last day was Thursday and so his party was that day. Eli's teacher is super nice--an older lady who went back to school after raising a family--so things are a little disorganized but it's like you can't be mad at the sweet grandma lady. She didn't really need my help as there were lots of other parents, which is fine considering Bram is always a distracting hooligan. I was actually in charge of Gabe's party, which is something I never would have volunteered for but since I volunteer in Gabe's class she knows me and she didn't really want me to do the party herself. It worked out fine--making reindeer food, treats, two games, and then Santa came, and I was very glad when it was over. I am not good at having tolerance for teaching second graders crafts, apparently. I learned this at the Halloween party and it was reconfirmed to me at this party.
• Last minute shopping. Trying to find the perfect last gifts. Teacher gifts, delivering neighbor treats, etc. You know how that goes.
• I played my harp at a good friend's wedding on Friday night. I added a whole bunch of music to my normal repertoire, so I've been working on it for about six months. It turned out really well, I think, and I think the newly revamped wedding music went well.

Christmas was awesome, magical, a lot of fun. Gabe was, unfortunately, super sick. He's been sick the past couple Christmases and was not only super sick, but super crabby about being super sick. It was as fun as it sounds, believe me. Eli was also a little sick on Christmas Eve, but he got better faster. They're both feeling better now, although Gabe's cold is lingering with a kind of gross sounding cough that I'm sure will go away pretty quickly.

I've eaten too much, haven't worked out, been chilling with fam, seen old friends, had a white Christmas...very nice.