Bloggity Bloo: Crazy Christmas 2013

I know that it might be February on saturday and I know this is late – story of my life these days though in terms of the blogging world. But I feel the need to get it all down here since this appears to be the only record I keep of our lives these days (I better start making those blog books ASAP!) So Christmas…

This, my friends, was not the Christmas from the storybooks. It was not the night before christmas and nobody was stirring not even a mouse. It was not merry christmas and to all a good night. Oh no, because that's just not how the my fam does it…. Oh no. We don’t like calm cool and collected – or relaxed, we definitely don’t like that.

About a week before Christmas the parentals drove up and stayed a weekend with me and SP – braving the fouton and the blow up bed to spend some quality time. We ripped through a puzzle, ate good food, saw some Christmas lights and then the whirlwind weekend was over and we were bidding them adieu as they headed west to visit (and subsequently care for) one little brother.

SP is a CRAZY puzzler!

Christmas at our apartment :)

Exactly one week before Christmas my baby brother had ACL surgery. And let me tell you something about ACL surgery (never having had it of course) – that sh*t is no joke. He had surgery on Wednesday and on Friday I was in his studio apartment with my mom learning how to lift his leg off the bed so that he could crutch to the bathroom. I was investigating no water shampoo options (because one’s showering options are limited by sutures and drugged legs…) We were assured baby brother would be just fine to travel by December 23^rd (only 5 days after surgery).

So the parents toted one peg-legged brother about 2 hours to mine and SP’s tiny apt. And we quickly learned that he really wasn’t just fine at all. December 24^th was spent on the couch in my apartment feeling exhausted and uncomfortable and watching an exceptionally large number of movies. December 25^th found one baby brother in bed beyond exhausted unable to make one more trip to the apartment. So plan B was hatched…

Presents toted by santa’s elves (your’s truly and SP) over to hotel room where they were piled around the brother and on a neighboring bed. Dinner was cooked at our apartment and then wrapped in towels and toted back to bed (good thing the hotel was nice and close) And you know what? It was great. Hectic to the extreme, oh yes. Probably torturous for my poor sore brother – most definitely yes. But it definitely served as a strong reminder about what Christmas means to me. It means family. And laughter. It means yummy food and hugs. It means cherishing our moments together regardless of whether or not the house is perfectly decorated or the day goes to planned perfection. It doesn’t matter. Because on Christmas my family was together. And nothing is better than that.

No Christmas tree? No Problem!

We have this thing where we hold presents up by our faces...don't ask

Classy Hotel Dinner!

And then there's these two...

And on December 26^th we celebrated with SP’s family. And I have two words for you – Potato Cannon.

And it was the most redneck Christmas of all (and I say that truly lovingly!) We did the crazy kid present time which is always a joy (my little pony warmed my heart through and through this year, as well as this jet pack I made for my little nephew) And then the Potato Cannon needed to be scientifically tested. I got to sneak off with the boys to try my hand at shooting it (at least 100yards I’d say) and then the rest of the family tried it in the back yard…oh yes the same potato cannon that just minutes ago had launched a potato 100 yards was fired off in a suburban neighborhood. Needless to say the results were probably terrifying for the neighbors but HILARIOUS for those of us in the peanut gallery in the back. We had a delicious dinner and once again shared time together.