Christmas is 80% done!

Okay, so I'm not doing good about keeping up, but right now, I have two boys occupied with all the cars and trucks they got for Christmas, one boy taking a nap, and one Jonny Fashbaugh out buying a suitcase for our anniversary trip to Breckenridge! Perfect time to write!

It all started on the twentieth, when the extended Garmane family got together for their "Christmas Eve" celebration. We used to always have it on Christmas Eve, but as the kids grew and got more and more family, we have to adjust it to fit everyone's schedule. It was SO much fun, even though we missed a giant branch of the Johnson fam who moved to CA, and our queen bee, Gram, who went home to be with Jesus this year. I think she probably had a better time than we did! (And WE had FUN!)

Earlier that week, we had our annual "New Year's Eve" celebration. This was the first time that one was early, because Jonny and I are actually going away for our anniversary this year. It was a hoot! At one point, I think we had about sixteen people here? Two bedroom condo, y'all. Not built for that many. But it was a hoot!

Then Grandma and Grandpa Fashbaugh came to town to spend the week with us! That was SO fun! We celebrated with Uncle Chris and Auntie Sisa on REAL Christmas Eve at their house. It was a blast not being a host for the big family celebration, but a little rough because they have cats and a dog - and our Gavi hasn't been the same since. Pooh.

Everyone overdid like MAD, of course. Caleb and Gavi ended up with something like 30 matchbox cars and twenty mini-monster trucks between the two of them, as well as books galore! Just opening presents took over an hour. It was rough reminding my normally WONDERFULLY polite kids to say thanks, but that was the only sketchy part of the whole day. We also got to play three games of Sequence. Dad and I kicked Mom and Jon's booty. Just saying. OH! AND I GOT A KINDLE! I will gladly rave about it to anyone who cares to listen...

Then on Christmas Day, we did just the five of us in the morning! Dex slept through it, of course, but the big boys and Jonny and I had a hoot. I felt awful something fierce, though, because I actually STUCK to the budget, whereas a certain husband DIDN'T, so I ended up with...

to be continued later, since said husband is now home and I'd kinda like to spend a little time with him!

 Terra replied...

I hate it when the husbands set a budget and then don't stick to it. My hubby actually did well this year, but hasn't in year's past. Sooo frustrating!

 

Such Cuties!

Okay, yesterday was Caleb's Christmas program ~ absolutely awesome! ~ and today the boys are insisting on wearing their ties! Caleb keeps helping Gavi fasten his on. They're both wearing track pants, t-shirts and clip on ties. LOVE IT!

The program was lovely. Caleb only ran off stage one time, and was back on in a couple of minutes. We didn't have the video camera, darn it, but we got a lot of far away shots on the still camera. I wish we had a better zoom. Do they make zoom lenses for digital cameras?

Things have been AWFULLY rough around here lately. My beautiful Gavriel has entered the stage of life known as "terrible twos." I had thought that since birth to two was marked by a wretched attitude, he might skip right over it. No such luck. The biggest problem is that he's not able to communicate clearly because he's screaming all the time. A lot ot the time, his issue is so ridiculous - like wanting a fork - but it becomes a big old meltdown, because no one can understand him when he screeches. He's also very destructive. All their books - some two hundred - have been torn off the shelves and thrown around the room. (Need childproofing for the closet doors. Need it today.) Our fruit basket apparently caused him some offense, because he flung it off the counter and all our fruit is bruised. And he's being tremendously violent towards his big brother. Grr. And lest it sound like it's all negative, let me assure you that he is cuter than ever when not in the midst of a meltdown. It's ridiculous how adorable he is!

We've been doing SO much that I need to just throw some things out there. First of all, our house got new windows and we can now hang out in our living room without our toes being frostbitten. We've been on a lot of playdates lately to defend ourselves from the bitter cold, and now we can have our friends come visit us!

Saturday was a gingerbread decorating party! Miss Tracy baked like twenty gingerbread houses, then invited friends to bring candy and we all decorated them together! I think the adults had more fun than the kids, but now I have to say ninety times an hour that we're not eating the house. Actually, maybe we will eat it just so I don't have to say NO so often!

We're trying to finish up our shopping today. The kids have been pretty good about remembering that we're celebrating JESUS' birthday. However, the tree is such a point of constant conflict that I'm not even bothering putting presents under it!

Oh, and Declan had another doctor's appointment. He only gained two ounces last month, which puts him in the 50th percentile for everything. We were laughing about the fact that he is a full seven pounds lighter than Caleb was at this age. That's a third of a baby! And he's still just the sweetest baby in the whole world. Not kidding. When we had windows replaced, he and I just hung out in the boys' room, and at the end of the nine hour work day, one of the workmen hadn't even realized he was there!

Gotta go! Our letter of the day is R, so I need to go find something for lunch that starts with that. Radishes and rutabegas are NOT welcome...

 Terra replied...

You are an amazing mom. Look at you already educating your kids. Are you sure you don't want to homeschool? :P

 

Brevity

Caleb - singing in his second Christmas recital this Sunday. He has already announced he's feeling "shy" about it. Grr.

Gavi - terrifyingly articulate, tremendously sweet and two ~ with all that it implies.

Declan - sweetest baby EVER. Love the socks off that kid. Can't keep socks on him at all!

Jonny Fashbaugh - cute as a bug's ear. He's a little overly excited about Christmas, but who isn't?

Amanda - I love my life! I love my boys, my husband, my home and the time we all spend together.

I DID IT! I was brief! (I also just deleted a couple paragraphs...)