A Very Merry Christmas

Christmas morning joy!

We had the loveliest of Christmases! We woke in our own house and had the entire morning with just the four of us—something I treasure beyond any gift I could have under the tree. Chris and Sean and Dad and Sharon all had easy travels and arrived safely at the house in the afternoon. The kids were the best behaved they’ve been in weeks, enjoying all the new toys and extra treats. Big wins on the gift front were an Echo Dot for Lainey and a 14-foot stuffed snake for Nick that trumped even the ENORMOUS Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage. As it turned out, Dad got him the same snake, delighting him beyond measure, but we did finally convince him he probably doesn’t need two, 14-foot snakes. The kids also scored a Nintendo Switch, which they were excited about, but in no way dominated the day—a big relief on our part.

Nick melted my heart with a T-Rex pendant that he picked out at the school’s holiday market. He had been dying to give it to me for the past two weeks. He hadn’t even unwrapped one gift when he caught sight of it under the tree, dropped his half-unwrapped present, and shouted, “oh, Mom! Your present!” He was beaming watching me unwrap it and when I saw that tiny silver dinosaur, I turned into a puddle. Such a perfect gift from my dinosaur-loving boy. While, maybe not the same sentimental connection, Lainey chose a very hip wood and stone bead bracelet for me. Super cool and gorgeous too! I’m very well accessorized now.

Presents and goodies aside, it was one of the best days we’ve had in quite awhile—just being together with no rush to be anywhere or interruptions from the rest of the world. The whole day was really wonderful. ‘‘Twas a very, merry Christmas indeed!