Christmas Day 2020

 

Breakfast first. (Everyone gobbled the strata and ignored the sugar cereal-- sob. Long-standing tradition rejected for the sake of nutrition). 

We began with scripture, moved on to family gifts to each other, upended the stockings, and proceeded with slow-paced opening of grandparent gifts through the whole day until people showed up for the cookies later that evening.

My greatest gifts are these people. God is good beyond ken.

No, John Wayne!  Next year, if he's still living, I should make him a gingerbread dog. 

Aidan shows off the wolf bag Millie made him.

And here, Aidan faints when he sees the wolf pillow that Piper made for him.

Aidan showed me that he had eaten himself into a genie. 

Someone took these next few pictures while I took a nap. 

This one's blurry, but I post it because Skylark's Elvis impersonation is so darn good.

This is Aidan's Aidan impression. It's very convincing.

A candle-extinguishing contest while waiting for the ham to appear from the oven.

After lunch, we tackled gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Owen, with breaks to play after each unwrapping.

I have many more pictures of everyone opening and enjoying gifts from Dude and Dudette, but the lighting is terrible, so I'll end with this one of the boys opening their drones. DRROOOOONES! 

The cookie party became a surprise gift bonanza when Debbie and Rundy arrived with a carload of top-secret, incredible gifts from Evan for the children. Caleb and Justin sent things over the top with a Big Gift that they'll hopefully enjoy with us this summer, and Justin gave me a meaningful gift that moved me to tears. (I blamed the tears on my lack of sleep, but, really, I probably would have cried, anyway.)

Here are the famed Gummy Burrs from Evan. 

Cadence was stunned and could not speak. She spent the next couple of weeks doling them out like a benevolent dictator.

Ransom and Marnie were accidental twins!

Oh, yes. Cookies. Millie made the pretty ones.

I found these pictures on my phone of some of the cookies that Others in our house decorated.

And, for Mopsy, here's a picture of the children playing with those magnetic tiles hours after bedtime. A good end to a good day.

Epiphany

After many toils, delays, and detours, the magi and their camels finally made it to the Baby.

The dinosaurs had beaten them there.

Camo...

flauge. (Camel-flauge?)

Our Epiphany party this year materialized at the very last minute. Millie used the party as her chance to dress little girls in duds she'd made especially for them.

The other esteemed guests received no hand-made clothes.

I tried to make the Bûche de Noël this year. Millie refused. Apparently it has now become HER pet project. (D'you think she'll eventually conquer Gingerbread-People-All-Nighter-Land, too? Naw. That's Crazy-Mama territory.)

Yum.

Leftovers

Aidan loves our mail lady. I do, too. She never calls the authorities when he rushes out half-clothed to get the mail, and she occasionally leaves him mail-related gifts in the mailbox. I printed out this photo for him to include in a thank-you card to her, and it makes me giggle every time I look at those ears. Now that's the way to wear a U.S.P.S. visor!

I don't know why people think thrift store sneakers might be contributing to Annika's knee problems. Really, now, five dollar sneakers have their place! (...just maybe not when hills and distance are involved, I guess. ) Anyway, here is the big grin she flashed when showing off the fancy sneakers her generous friends Evan and Kristi gave her. The sneakers are not quite so vivid these days due to Newbsanity's mud, but that's what she gets for using them! ;)

Grandma Owen strikes again with a personalized shirt. I guess she figures he's our last baby, so hand-me-downs aren't a priority. (...we'd be happy for an eleventh and/or twelfth baby to make this purchase impractical.)

Oh, Skylark. You've got the most beautiful face.

Yes, this is a box of tissues. This is the box that the nurse gave me while I was in labor with our Sunbeam. Perfect, yes?

On to the leftover phone pictures!

 

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This lady got the perfect shirt from Pete and Sarah for Christmas.

Here are the leftover videos, heavy on Skylark and Gummy Burrs because we couldn't help but record her smug enjoyment.

Real Time

 Aidan has been having a difficult time lately in rejoicing with those who rejoice, particularly with the mass of celebrations from four April birthdays, none of which were his, so I've been reminding him that we are to join with our brothers and sisters in both their joy and their sorrow.

John just arrived home early from work to pick up Piper and Luci for a book sale date, and since Aidan was noticeably moping about their good fortune, I started an impromptu song called "Rejoice with those who rejoice!" while doing a lively jig, to no avail. Then Zeke piped in, "And moan with those who moan, Aidan. Moooooan with those who moooooan."

(I just asked him what the verse is, and he said, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and moan with those who moan...if I am correct.")  
Close enough, my boy.