Christmas 2014

This Christmas was a bit of a struggle for our family this year. Early on I struggled to find some real Christmas spirit and that just seemed to carry through to the holiday. I tried to fend it off by doing some baking and a craft with the girls, but it still carried on.

What really didn't help the mood was that poor Kyle was sick, his entire break from work. He came home Tuesday with a sore throat, head ache and severe chills. After that it was a couple of days of a temperature of 102, aches, no appetite, and no energy. Kyle spent his holiday on the couch, sick, sick, sick. It was so disappointing, for everyone. I tried to get past my grinchiness and carry on with Christmas festivities with the girls. It just wasn't the same without Kyle. Luckily, I don't think the girls noticed too much. They're still young and don't have as high expectations for the holiday as I might.

Our Christmas Eve was spent at my parent's house (except for Kyle, he stayed home alone on the couch watching movies). We enjoyed my family's traditional Christmas meal of ham and yummy potatoes (more commonly known as funeral potatoes). After dinner was my family's traditional Christmas program of reading scriptures and singing Christmas hymns, to remind us of the real reason for Christmas- the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Then it was the much anticipated moment of the night, opening presents! (Yes, my family is crazy. We open them Christmas Eve.) The girls were spoiled with scooters from my parents and Hailey received the much loved Magic School Bus DVDs.

Afterwards we came home and opened up Christmas PJs from Papa and Rara Hill. The girls placed mint Oreo cookies on a plate for Santa, which sadly Santa was too sick to eat. Mrs. Claus enjoyed them alone. :) I wrapped presents and excitedly placed them under the tree. I may have been grinchy, but I was totally excited about watching those girls open their gifts.

The next morning poor Kyle was still so sick. We let him sleep in while the girls and I turned on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and I put our breakfast quiche in the oven. Once Kyle was awake we opened presents. Keira was ultra enthusiastic and it took some reminders to get the routine down of taking turns and watching others open their gifts. Santa came through for Hailey and brought her the movie How to Train Your Dragon 2. That is all she wanted for Christmas. I have never seen her have such a strong desire for anything before. The poor girl cried silent tears at the store a few weeks before Christmas when she asked me to buy it and I told her to wait for Christmas. She was so anxious! Little did she know it was already hidden in my closet waiting for the big day. :) The girls were gifted a few other movies, some games, new Legos and Mega Bloks and a load of new clothes.

Kyle surprised me with a new rice cooker- all I really wanted for Christmas! Mine died over the summer, I've been making it on the stove since- which totally works, but it's not quite as convenient as in a rice cooker. Actually, I was lucky enough to be given TWO rice cookers. I failed to mention to Kyle that I had requested one from my parents. :) Still- I was completely surprised, and I thought it very sweet of him. It was perfect!

Kyle and I normally don't exchange gifts. In the past we've made some sort of large purchase we can both enjoy, like the monster sacs in our family room. We didn't do that this year, which is fine. What I look forward to most is exchanging stockings. We go on a date to Target armed with $10 cash (plus one extra for tax), split up and shop for stocking stuffers. It really is fun trying to hide from each other and be creative with what we can put in the stocking for only $10. That limited of a budget is difficult! But it's fun. This year... it didn't happen. It kept getting put off, and put off, until finally Kyle was too sick to go out. So, Christmas Eve I left the girls at my parents and made a last minute trip to Target and spent both of our $10 on his stocking. The store was pretty picked through, but I still managed to find a few gifts to give him: a new loofa (which he desperately needed), a new shirt, new lights for his bike, and a bar of ultra dark chocolate.

What did make me happy on Christmas was the snow! Our first REAL snowfall of the year. Finally! I sent the girls outside for a little bit to play. I think they were only out there for about as long as it took them to get bundled up. Oh well. It was so pretty though!

Christmas really didn't go as planned. Kyle felt terrible, I was in a bit of bad mood of a result of it (totally my fault, I shouldn't have let a little disappointment bring me down), we postponed our Christmas dinner of homemade pizza and root beer floats so Kyle could enjoy it with us, and the day just lost it's excitement. I don't think the girls noticed. I think they were perfectly happy. For them Santa came, they opened presents, they played in the snow, they went to Papa and Rara's house, and I let them eat more sugar than they usually get. It was a great day for them! And that is really what matters most. 

I did finally feel a bit of some love as our family sat together and watched Hailey's beloved How to Train Your Dragon 2. Keira was cuddled up next to me, Hailey sat beside her absolutely happy, and Kyle joined us from the opposite side of the couch- we were doing something fun together. And that was great!

I do wish we could have a Christmas do-over and that Kyle could get his days off back. But I guess that's life, no do-overs. At least we have New Years. Hopefully we can make up for some Christmas lameness!