Christmas 2012
Dec. 25th, 2012 11:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eibbil_libbieAs the last minutes of Christmas wind down, a recap of the day.
For me, a pretty good one.
- box of goodies from my lovely bffrainpuddle13 including a beautiful keepsake box, gloves for keeping my hands warm at work, a gorgeous scarf, the neatest soccer ball ornament ever, and some yummies that I plan to hoard away (Cadbury Flake, and caramel biscuits that I'd love to savor one at a time but will probably end up hoovering in one sitting.)
- a new car stereo and Garmin to replace the PoS factory one in my car. (Side note about new Garmin GPS units...use Garmin Express for the Lifetime Map updater. If you go through the main site's update procedure, its interminably slow (not even a quarter finished after 4 hours...Express did the job in less than 15 minutes.)
- the Twilight Film archive book with a gazillion truly cool things from the movies including some pics I've never seen before
- new charms for my Pandora bracelet (the soccer ball and spacers for each of the boys)
Present highlight of the day: DJ wants another tattoo and is saving up for it. I went into the shop and they have gift cards. So I bought him a "glitter tattoo" kit at Michaels and taped the gift card to the back. The expression on his face when he opened the box was adorable (as he opened it, I said "I knew you wanted another tattoo, so..."). The expression when he flipped it over and saw the card was even better.
Overall, it was a pretty brilliant day. We stayed in our pajamas all day, bummed around, and then had stuffed shells for dinner.
Still hard to believe that two Christmases ago, we were seeing the first inch of what would become almost a foot of snow.
For the most part, I really don't realize the kids are getting that much older. On the day to day level, it's hard to really see the big changes.
This Christmas, though, the changes were so much more there. I talked to my brother earlier and he was telling me about their kids being in a pre-Christmas frenzy, begging to open presents early, the sheer mountain of gifts. I laughed because I remember those days so clearly...and that's when it hit me.
The same mountain we used to have. Used to. This Christmas, the presents only covered about half the floor under the tree. That's the first time that's happened since DJ was born. The same frenzy we used to have...but didn't this year. DJ's working, Zach was wrapped up with the new girlfriend - and neither one of them mentioned our tradition of opening a present on Christmas Eve. I asked them both today and they'd forgotten.
Before, the floor down here would be littered with presents, boxes, no one took anything upstairs until we made them. They wanted to have all their stuff at hand so they could play with it. Right now? The only thing still down here is my car radio...all of their stuff has been taken up already.
it's a bit of a transition - going from having two Buddy the Elfs around here to...two guys who're happy to get presents and spend a day hanging out together, but nothing like the month-long anticipation.
The upside is, of course, not having to spend Christmas night comforting the after-Christmas depression.
It's good because it means they're growing up, but its weird, too, thinking that we'll have to wait for grandchildren to get the magic and wonder of Christmas back. Makes me think that year after next, when it'll just be the four of us again, we may just go on vacation somewhere. Hmm. It's something to think about.
For me, a pretty good one.
- box of goodies from my lovely bff
rainpuddle13 including a beautiful keepsake box, gloves for keeping my hands warm at work, a gorgeous scarf, the neatest soccer ball ornament ever, and some yummies that I plan to hoard away (Cadbury Flake, and caramel biscuits that I'd love to savor one at a time but will probably end up hoovering in one sitting.)- a new car stereo and Garmin to replace the PoS factory one in my car. (Side note about new Garmin GPS units...use Garmin Express for the Lifetime Map updater. If you go through the main site's update procedure, its interminably slow (not even a quarter finished after 4 hours...Express did the job in less than 15 minutes.)
- the Twilight Film archive book with a gazillion truly cool things from the movies including some pics I've never seen before
- new charms for my Pandora bracelet (the soccer ball and spacers for each of the boys)
Present highlight of the day: DJ wants another tattoo and is saving up for it. I went into the shop and they have gift cards. So I bought him a "glitter tattoo" kit at Michaels and taped the gift card to the back. The expression on his face when he opened the box was adorable (as he opened it, I said "I knew you wanted another tattoo, so..."). The expression when he flipped it over and saw the card was even better.
Overall, it was a pretty brilliant day. We stayed in our pajamas all day, bummed around, and then had stuffed shells for dinner.
Still hard to believe that two Christmases ago, we were seeing the first inch of what would become almost a foot of snow.
For the most part, I really don't realize the kids are getting that much older. On the day to day level, it's hard to really see the big changes.
This Christmas, though, the changes were so much more there. I talked to my brother earlier and he was telling me about their kids being in a pre-Christmas frenzy, begging to open presents early, the sheer mountain of gifts. I laughed because I remember those days so clearly...and that's when it hit me.
The same mountain we used to have. Used to. This Christmas, the presents only covered about half the floor under the tree. That's the first time that's happened since DJ was born. The same frenzy we used to have...but didn't this year. DJ's working, Zach was wrapped up with the new girlfriend - and neither one of them mentioned our tradition of opening a present on Christmas Eve. I asked them both today and they'd forgotten.
Before, the floor down here would be littered with presents, boxes, no one took anything upstairs until we made them. They wanted to have all their stuff at hand so they could play with it. Right now? The only thing still down here is my car radio...all of their stuff has been taken up already.
it's a bit of a transition - going from having two Buddy the Elfs around here to...two guys who're happy to get presents and spend a day hanging out together, but nothing like the month-long anticipation.
The upside is, of course, not having to spend Christmas night comforting the after-Christmas depression.
It's good because it means they're growing up, but its weird, too, thinking that we'll have to wait for grandchildren to get the magic and wonder of Christmas back. Makes me think that year after next, when it'll just be the four of us again, we may just go on vacation somewhere. Hmm. It's something to think about.
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no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 12:10 pm (UTC)Christmas is a pretty quiet affair in my house now, but I still managed to have to do a lot of work which exhausted me. It was all tasty and worth it, but I was exhausted just the same.
Thank you, again. *hugs tight*
no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 01:16 pm (UTC)Yeah, even with the sweats and it just being us, it was still exhausting. Now I'm wishing it was like 2010, and that huge ass snow storm we had on Boxing Day. That was SO perfect.
You're welcome and thank you, too <3!
no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 01:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 03:53 pm (UTC)I hope this goes through! For the past couple of months, I have not been able to comment to your journal. :/
Hope you folks had a wonderful and blessed Christmas! ♥
I am feeling you on the change with Christmas and the kiddos. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 04:04 pm (UTC)Commenting should be available there now, too <3!
Yeah, it ain't easy when the little buggers insist on growing up all the time.
no subject
Date: 2012-12-26 04:06 pm (UTC)Damn them for growing up. I have not liked it AT ALL. :/
Thank goodness! I was beginning to think either I was doing something wrong, or you had gotten tired of me. ;)