December 29, 2013

Christmas Eve and My Favorite Christmas Moment



What happens when a not-so-brilliant idea finally occurs to a not-so-brilliant mother on Christmas Eve afternoon to create a Pandora station for Christmas music and therefore having Christmas music in the house for the first time the whole season?


Oh ya, total monkey mayhem!

There was some real booty shakin' going on to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I can tell you that.

Whether it was mine or my children's does not matter.

Eh hem...


Anyhow, Hubby had to work Christmas Eve and after he was done he went to pick up one last surprise family Christmas present. So he didn't get home until about 6:30pm.

Soon after we set about getting dinner ready.

After slaving over a hot stove to make our traditional clam chowder (from a can) and put them all fancy-like into scrumptious bread bowls, (which were really small dinner rolls) placed them on our finest dinner-ware, and we all sat down to enjoy it together.




Thankfully, (and yet, so very oddly) all the kids happen to actually like clam chowder. So this is one meal that will remain tradition forever!

"Don't mess with a good thing."

That's my motto about life and chocolate.

And now about Christmas Eve dinner.



After dinner was cleared away and everyone was in their pajamas, we started to gather for hot chocolate and treats so we could listen to daddy read the story of the nativity from the bible.

However, we had a rather significant hiccup... no, more like a belch in the festive spirit when the boys got mad at each other and broke out into an all-out fists and feet brawl which ended in weeping and wailing.

Aaaaah, I can just feel the family love, don't you?

When things finally settled down enough that the screaming and tears stopped, we tried again and sat down to listen to daddy while enjoying yummy snacks.


Thankfully it turned into a really neat discussion about Christ and the events surrounding His birth.

Then... Joseph asked to go to bed.

For the first time in their whole existence, the boys were anxious to get to bed so that Santa could come. So after family prayer, the boys scampered off to their rooms and climbed into bed without any fight-back.

I guess there really are Christmas miracles!


Savannah however, was panicking because I failed in my motherly duties to make cookies for Santa or to get carrots ready for the reindeer.

Being the ever helpful parent that I am, told her to pilfer from the treats that some of our wonderful neighbors had been kind enough to bring over and to write Santa a quick note explaining my incompetence as a cookie-maker.



 After spending several minutes on her note, she finally scampered off to bed.

That's when Hubby and I set about in our elfy duties and wrapped presents (or rather, I wrapped while he held Jackson) and made sure to leave signs that Santa had come.






I pulled out Savannah's note to Santa that sat by the cookie plate.

In truth, I wasn't at all prepared for what it said. (see typed  interpretation below the note which includes all her punctuation and spelling)


Sorry it's not much. The cookies and chocolate chips are yours including the milk and the rest are for the reindear. The chocolate chips on the other side are theirs. I know you can't do this but what I really want for Christmas is that when...


Jackson has his surgrey he'll be O.K.

Love,
Savannah


If you must know, I may have, sort of, kind of cried.

It was my favorite part of Christmas.


The note, not the crying.

11 super cool people speak:

Megan Jones said...

Oh Sarah, I'm in tears myself! You are doing a wonderful job raising your children and through the feet and fists and wailing and tears, they do love you and each other. What a great present to you and Luke!

Megan Jones said...

Oh Sarah, I'm in tears myself! You are doing a wonderful job raising your children and through the feet and fists and wailing and tears, they do love you and each other. What a great present to you and Luke!

balloongal said...

I love that note.
Our kids were also quick to want to go to bed this year. That doesn't always happen.
I love it when traditions work.

Sarah said...

Crying!
Love you, Serene.

Lalani said...

What an amazingly sweet big sister.

Sarah said...

Amazing. I would have been crying too. Love it.

Meagan said...

Kids sometimes. Such sweet souls in there. Love them and love you Serene. Good luck and prayers with you and your sweet baby.

Mama Smith said...

In a single moment..."all is well"...

Anonymous said...

It was so lovely to see you at the library the other day. You, as always, are just beautiful. Too bad it was so very busy, we didn't have nearly enough time to catch up. I am so glad that you created this blog; I get to see and read about some of my favorite people! Please know my most sincere and heartfelt wishes are with you and your family at this time.

Sara Lyn said...

Ooooh. That's so sweet!

Mary Lou said...

Serene....
"What happens when a not-so-brilliant idea finally occurs to a not-so-brilliant mother on Christmas Eve afternoon to create a Pandora station for Christmas music and therefore having Christmas music in the house for the first time the whole season?". You dance as though nobody is watching!! ;)
I love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!! We are Kindred Spirits, that character and I!! How so? We were both born different. Plus what idiot thought up the phrase, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but will never hurt me."? Huh? I come from firsthand experience to write that they were absolutely incorrect!! Sticks and stones could not fracture my hard to break bones!! But words.... Sorry. Rant over!! ;-D
I so appreciate your honesty, Friend!! I do mean that!! ;)
I love, love, love those snowy Santa boot tracks!! How very typical of him for a guy.... He did not wipe his feet!! Hee, hee, hee.... ;-D
Even Jackson has a stocking!! Neat!! ;)
"Sorry it's not much. The cookies and chocolate chips are yours including the milk and the rest are for the reindear. The chocolate chips on the other side are theirs. I know you can't do this but what I really want for Christmas is that when... Jackson has his surgrey he'll be O.K. Love, Savannah". Touch. My. Heart....
I will "see" you next year, Friend!! ;-D
--Raelyn

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