Today is the day after Christmas. We got home really late last night; driving through snow on the way home was really neat for us southern folk. The roads weren’t nearly as bad as we anticipated, and I was thankful for that! Church was cancelled today because of the snow and icy roads, so we stayed home and have been recuperating from our travels and all the Christmas excitement.
I took down one tree this morning with the help of the kids. I am the type that wants all the decorations down the day after Christmas. Josh thinks it is funny, but he usually goes right along. I start switching into “New Year” mode. We started to let the kids know that new years are really neat, in that you can have sort of a fresh start. It’s a time to evaluate what you have done well, set new goals, and try to figure out those areas that could use a little work. I subtitled our NEW YEAR talk with “Back to the Basics.” (For some reason we are still not mastering flushing the potty EVERY time, turning off lights, etc.) Josh led us using a list I put on our chalkboard in the school room. Ruby, Molly and Mack sat there listening. OH, but let me back up just a smidge. At the start I said something like, “Mama and Daddy use this time of year to evaluate our lives, to see what is working and what is not working and try to do better…..For example, Daddy has decided that he will no longer be leaving his pile of clothes next to the bed each evening. He wants to be a help and put things where they go.” Josh was giving me a look since he hadn’t actually said anything like that, but the greatest response was from the kids. They all just giggled and giggled and then burst into huge laughter. They, too, knew that what I was saying was not happening. Not now, not next year and maybe not ever. And that is ok. It is my joy to serve my husband. Big grin.
We talked about family relationship goals, home/chore goals and then personal goals. I will have to take a picture of the chalk board so we can post it here and refer to it later when things aren’t going so well. But I just wanted to share this one story that happened after our conversation about sharing and being kind to one another.
Mack was sucking on a ring pop, Molly was begging for just one lick….”Please, Mack, oh please let me have just one lick.” He shakes his head no several times and after much of her pleading. Then, he says very matter-of-factly, “No, Molly. God says share our toys NOT our food.”
Josh agrees very much with that statement. He doesn’t let me steal anything off of his plate. Ever. Food is serious business to these two Dorminy boys.
Before the New Year does get here, let me go ahead and share some pictures from our time down in Albany. The kids enjoyed everything about Christmas this year, and I think we bought some fun gifts that each of them will enjoy. Gran and PawPaw were extremely generous to each of us, as usual. Mack’s favorite gift was from them….a rifle that makes a lot of noise when it is shot and a great cowboy hat. However, his Toy Story 3 pajamas from Gran might be right up there with the rifle, considering we could hardly get him out of them even after he had worn them for almost 36 hours.
We had a special surprise visit from Santa….but the kids knew it was PawPaw and Gran pretending. They each had their turn trying on some part of the outfit.
The kids sleep out in the pool house with us. They love their set up. We did things a little different this year since we were not at home. The kids got up, opened up their stocking and then we ate breakfast. Josh and I snuck their gifts out into the pool house where the tree and the rest of the wrapped gifts were. The kids were very patient waiting to see what they got! It was a really fun time.
I could take you back seven Christmases ago and let you see Josh with this expression as he was putting something together for the kids each Christmas. His dad was tickled to see Josh working on this doll house since he himself had plenty of years of Christmas Eve projects. (though never a doll house…just to clarify)
First thing Christmas morning
You have no idea how long Ruby waited to have these truffles. She says it was worth the wait.
The ring pop—this is serious business.
Molly’s stuff—baby dolls are her favorite!
Mack–anything Toy Story 3 or guns
Ruby–dollhouse and books!
GG and Gran
PawPaw…when he wasn’t playing Santa, he was cooking!
Molly loves this big baby doll that Gran and PawPaw gave her.
Mack loved his camo Bible. He wanted to read the Christmas story from it. Later that day he opened it and kept saying, “Mom, look, look. It says right here, ‘Be kind to one a other other.'”
And here is what we drove home to:
And so I won’t forget to post these sweet pictures, let me do it now. The kids were home one morning and Ruby read the story of Jesus’ birth while the other two acted it out. It was a sweet time…and a bit interesting at times.
