Christmas 2013 (backdated)
Preface
I tend to save my time off (PTO) for emergencies, such as when I'm in the hospital for weeks at a time as I have been for the last couple of years. For the other, less sickly years, my company has allowed 7 days to "roll over" to the next year, then paid out for the remaining PTO.
2012 was a healthy year for me, overall, and I somehow missed the policy change; my company no longer pays out for the excess time beyond 7 days. In mid-December, my boss reminded me of the update, so I went to check... only to find out I had *18* days of PTO available. Oops.
I promptly took the rest of December off, while my boss negotiated with HR to allow me to roll over more of my PTO. We flew down to NC on 12/16.
On the bright side, this allowed Tim to have a birthday party! We arranged to have friends meet us at Lily's Pizza. It was a loud, tasty, fun time.
On our way home, though, we got a frantic call from Mom - David was sick. Over the next few days, the stomach bug hit each of us. Not fun. Thankfully, we managed to keep it from re-infecting anyone, and it sounds like no one from Tim's party came down with it. *whew*
Christmas Eve
Mom worked Christmas Eve, so Tim and I had the boys to ourselves. We left a little early to go shopping at Southern Season and poke around University Mall, but then met her at the church for a 5pm children's service.
I'm not sure we'll be doing this again. The service consisted of the Cherub Choir (up to 1st grade) singing several songs, which was cute*. David was super excited and wanted to go up and join them, and James clapped along. Then they had all the children go to the front and participate in THREE books. THREE. David loved being able to go up front, but he decided that he could do a better job about 75% of the way through the first book. He stood up, faced the congregation, and started "talking". I was up there with them, but I basically lost control of the wiggle worms at that point. We went back to the pew after the first book. I'm still impressed we actually made it through the service.
We had some dinner when we got back to Mom's, then it was bath time and bedtime. James had a hard time going to sleep; he kept looking at the Christmas tree.
Once we were certain they were sound asleep, we got to work like proper Santa elves. Mom helped with the stockings while Tim and I got the other Santa gifts put together. Mom was a little jealous that they weren't in a billion pieces coming out of the box - that's what she remembers from when I was little.
Christmas
Tim was sleeping out on the couch in the main room**, so he snuggled with James when he woke up at 4am. James wouldn't go back to sleep, though - I really think he was excited and had an understanding of what Christmas involved.
I got out to the main room around 5, and Mom was already there. I tried to snuggle James back to sleep, too, but to no avail. Finally we heard David making noises in the next room around 5:30, and Tim went in to usher him into the main room, and we turned on the light so James could see what Santa brought - he excitedly went over to the kitchen set and started to play.
David walked in the main room with his spotted dog and his blankie, ready for his normal half hour of morning snuggles. He froze. Everything dropped to the floor, slow motion. And the playing/exploring seriously began.
We let them just play with the toys from Santa until breakfast, and they opened their stockings afterward, then napped. They were exhausted from all that playing/learning, even with the sugar from the stockings!
Maggie, Curtis, and Douglas came over for a spaghetti lunch, then Tim and I went for a disheartening visit with my Dad, then Mom delivered the vegan goodies to the rest of Douglas' family (the flu had hit them hard).
When Tim and I got back, Maggie pulled out her big present to the boys and put them in the driveway: trikes. When they got outside, James squealed with joy and shouted "BIKE!!!" and he ran toward them. I didn't realize he even knew that word! :D Their legs are just a little too short to get a good pedaling in, but they tried their hardest, and James even made it all the way across the cul-de-sac at one point.
When Mom got back, we opened presents. I got a sewing machine and framed artwork! Tim got money, some comics, and a leather project to work on. The boys got lots of books, some percussion instruments, lots of cars (most of which are too old for them, unfortunately), and a remote control Thomas the Tank Engine which actually shoots out steam. James squealed when he tore open that last one. :D
All in all, I think this was probably their favorite day EVER. They had plenty of time to play with each new thing without getting overwhelmed. :)
We held a secondary Christmas with Douglas, Nancy and Jessica (with Maggie, Curtis, Dad, and Ginny in attendance) on New Year’s Day. The boys behaved VERY well, particularly considering that the vast majority of the presents were for Jessica at that point -they’d already opened theirs. The boys were pleased with the presents they got, and were eager to play. J
---
* The choir director seemed to be taking it a bit too seriously, though. None of the songs were ye olde standard carols. My father started the Cherub choir when Douglas and I were young.
** The boys are accustomed to getting snuggles from a parent as soon as they wake up. With our cats sequestered in my old bedroom, and Mom's cats sequestered in her bedroom, we arranged for one of us to be sleeping out on the couch each night, so the boys can find an adult easily each morning.
*** unfortunately, everyone else in Douglas' household had the flu
I tend to save my time off (PTO) for emergencies, such as when I'm in the hospital for weeks at a time as I have been for the last couple of years. For the other, less sickly years, my company has allowed 7 days to "roll over" to the next year, then paid out for the remaining PTO.
2012 was a healthy year for me, overall, and I somehow missed the policy change; my company no longer pays out for the excess time beyond 7 days. In mid-December, my boss reminded me of the update, so I went to check... only to find out I had *18* days of PTO available. Oops.
I promptly took the rest of December off, while my boss negotiated with HR to allow me to roll over more of my PTO. We flew down to NC on 12/16.
On the bright side, this allowed Tim to have a birthday party! We arranged to have friends meet us at Lily's Pizza. It was a loud, tasty, fun time.
On our way home, though, we got a frantic call from Mom - David was sick. Over the next few days, the stomach bug hit each of us. Not fun. Thankfully, we managed to keep it from re-infecting anyone, and it sounds like no one from Tim's party came down with it. *whew*
Christmas Eve
Mom worked Christmas Eve, so Tim and I had the boys to ourselves. We left a little early to go shopping at Southern Season and poke around University Mall, but then met her at the church for a 5pm children's service.
I'm not sure we'll be doing this again. The service consisted of the Cherub Choir (up to 1st grade) singing several songs, which was cute*. David was super excited and wanted to go up and join them, and James clapped along. Then they had all the children go to the front and participate in THREE books. THREE. David loved being able to go up front, but he decided that he could do a better job about 75% of the way through the first book. He stood up, faced the congregation, and started "talking". I was up there with them, but I basically lost control of the wiggle worms at that point. We went back to the pew after the first book. I'm still impressed we actually made it through the service.
We had some dinner when we got back to Mom's, then it was bath time and bedtime. James had a hard time going to sleep; he kept looking at the Christmas tree.
Once we were certain they were sound asleep, we got to work like proper Santa elves. Mom helped with the stockings while Tim and I got the other Santa gifts put together. Mom was a little jealous that they weren't in a billion pieces coming out of the box - that's what she remembers from when I was little.
Christmas
Tim was sleeping out on the couch in the main room**, so he snuggled with James when he woke up at 4am. James wouldn't go back to sleep, though - I really think he was excited and had an understanding of what Christmas involved.
I got out to the main room around 5, and Mom was already there. I tried to snuggle James back to sleep, too, but to no avail. Finally we heard David making noises in the next room around 5:30, and Tim went in to usher him into the main room, and we turned on the light so James could see what Santa brought - he excitedly went over to the kitchen set and started to play.
David walked in the main room with his spotted dog and his blankie, ready for his normal half hour of morning snuggles. He froze. Everything dropped to the floor, slow motion. And the playing/exploring seriously began.
We let them just play with the toys from Santa until breakfast, and they opened their stockings afterward, then napped. They were exhausted from all that playing/learning, even with the sugar from the stockings!
Maggie, Curtis, and Douglas came over for a spaghetti lunch, then Tim and I went for a disheartening visit with my Dad, then Mom delivered the vegan goodies to the rest of Douglas' family (the flu had hit them hard).
When Tim and I got back, Maggie pulled out her big present to the boys and put them in the driveway: trikes. When they got outside, James squealed with joy and shouted "BIKE!!!" and he ran toward them. I didn't realize he even knew that word! :D Their legs are just a little too short to get a good pedaling in, but they tried their hardest, and James even made it all the way across the cul-de-sac at one point.
When Mom got back, we opened presents. I got a sewing machine and framed artwork! Tim got money, some comics, and a leather project to work on. The boys got lots of books, some percussion instruments, lots of cars (most of which are too old for them, unfortunately), and a remote control Thomas the Tank Engine which actually shoots out steam. James squealed when he tore open that last one. :D
All in all, I think this was probably their favorite day EVER. They had plenty of time to play with each new thing without getting overwhelmed. :)
We held a secondary Christmas with Douglas, Nancy and Jessica (with Maggie, Curtis, Dad, and Ginny in attendance) on New Year’s Day. The boys behaved VERY well, particularly considering that the vast majority of the presents were for Jessica at that point -they’d already opened theirs. The boys were pleased with the presents they got, and were eager to play. J
---
* The choir director seemed to be taking it a bit too seriously, though. None of the songs were ye olde standard carols. My father started the Cherub choir when Douglas and I were young.
** The boys are accustomed to getting snuggles from a parent as soon as they wake up. With our cats sequestered in my old bedroom, and Mom's cats sequestered in her bedroom, we arranged for one of us to be sleeping out on the couch each night, so the boys can find an adult easily each morning.
*** unfortunately, everyone else in Douglas' household had the flu