Jan 05 2008
Oh Christmas Tree
Today we took down all the Christmas decorations and hauled the tree to the curb. The tree still looked great. It was the nicest tree I’ve had in years. I love to go and cut down a tree for Christmas, but this year I decided that might not be the wisest idea. So, I bought one from the lot at the local nursery and was really happy with it. It had no spiders in it (An Australian decoration), and it had all it’s branches (Unheard of in Hawaii). We had a fun Christmas with my brother Mike, his wife Karin, and their children Jeremiah, Matthew and Madeline. Mike, thinking I ran my home like a military boot camp was surprised to experience game playing and candy eating at 2100. Life group habits are difficult to break. Christmas Eve is always my favorite part of Christmas. I was in for a challenge this year because Jeremiah doesn’t like chocolate cake. So, Jesus’ birthday cake had to be a new flavor. I ended up making a peppermint candy cake and everyone voted it a thumbs up. We attended the Christmas Eve candlelight service in which the Elder (Lars said he always wanted to be referred to as The Elder) instructed us to watch our children so that they didn’t tilt their candles and drip wax on the floor. The minute Zeke’s candle was lit, I watched as he tilted it and dripped wax on the floor. It is inevitable if you tell a child not to drip wax on the floor, spill that glass, run into that wall, touch that stove that they will. It’s just a part of life with kids. On Christmas Eve, the kids all played songs on the piano that they had been practicing for Christmas. We had Carol of the Bells, Rudolf, Deck the Halls, Zeke’s version of Go Tell It on the Mountain, and Hot Cross Buns (which technically is a Good Friday/Easter song. In Australia, we learned that Hot Cross Buns are essential fare on Good Friday). I thought that Dale was going to put the sound bites of the kids playing piano on the blog, but after no one complimented him on his convenient playback option, he got a little miffed. For revealing that, he’ll probably torment me with my version of Holly Jolly Christmas. I could be a reject of American Idol with that one. On Christmas Eve, we also had the Christmas story production from all the children. The production experienced a few technical difficulties and Josiah showed shades of his father when others began to tell him how best to print something out on the computer. A word to the wise: Don’t ever try to give computer advice to my husband or son. In the end, the Christmas play was a smashing success complete with multiple costume changes and sheep that looked like dogs. Josiah was the first to wake up on Christmas morning. He got up at 0230 and woke me up ripping open the wrapping paper of the present on his bed. I told him to go back to sleep, because he had 4 1/2 more hours to wait. On Christmas Day, I most enjoyed the first annual Manry vs Meloch kickball game. It was a beautiful 50 degree day and if our neighbors were hoping for a quiet Christmas, they were sorely disappointed. On Boxing Day, we went to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space museum. I heard all the languages of the world spoken there. With the dollar’s value dropping, I guess the World decided that it was a good time to visit DC. Whenever I go into a major US city, I always wonder why a Happy Meal costs 3 dollars more than it does anywhere else in America. Well, Christmas is done and we’ve put away all the ornaments that Zeke didn’t manage to break. In 2006, when I was putting away the ornaments, I was wondering where I would be unwrapping them in 2007. Hopefully, in 2008 I’ll be unwrapping the ornaments right here in Stafford with Dale at my side or at least in the room grumbling under his breath about Christmas lights that don’t work.
Hello, I apologise for not contacting you sooner. Woke up this morning thinking about you, and decided i’d best say hi. Have a lovely week all of you. Theo still asks for Zeke sometimes, so I’m sure he says hi too.
Dave took our christmas tree down on boxing day because it took up too much room, it was very sad. The kids keep commentig on the decorations still in the shops and don’t understand when we say Christmas is finished. When you say ‘50 degrees’, what is that in celcius? and what is the average temp for that time of year- just want to know if that is ‘lovely’ or horrible
50f is 10c. The week prior it was 0c and below, so 10c seemed lovely at the time. I haven’t been able to figure out this weather. It goes below 0c for a week and then above 0c for a week. My brother who was visiting is from Minnesota. It was so cold back home for them, well below 0c that they were thrilled to be outside without having to wear extreme cold weather gear. We miss you all. Zeke carries around a picture he has of playgroup. He points and names Nea, Jack, Theo, and Talia and concludes with “these are my friends.”
Our christmas tree will eventually come down. Until then we will carry on in league with a man in little England that celebrates Christmas everyday. Although, I am not sure if I will be able to handle night caps in the same spirit, pardon the numerous puns.
Please consider our late christmas and new years wishes (Mosul and US). Mugs, Please feel free to show my photo to your children should they ever misbehave.
I’ll put some sound bites up later this week. I’m sure you’ll want me to record myself singing “Oh Holy Night”!
Only MAJ Niskern (sp?) can truly sing Oh Holy Night. You just wish you could be as good as him.