We drove up, got settled in, and chilled out. We spent a glorious 6 days chilling out - sledding in the many feet of snow (the only snow in Colorado is in the mountains this Christmas), swimming in the indoor/outdoor pools, playing Jenga, Uno, driving monster trucks, playing with baby dolls, watching Christmas movies on cable TV, sleeping, eating way too much food...
We returned home on Christmas Eve day, in time for lunch at a Chain Restaurant that specializes in flair. It was tasty. We did a few last-minute errands to purchase some EggNog for Santa (no milk with the cookies at our house!), and some enzymatic cleaner for my garbage disposal, which I just discovered is now leaking. Sigh.
My Christmas gift from BB was to simply be a new range and microwave. I'm excited! I was even more surprised to find a stack of gifts under the tree for me on Christmas morning. BB somehow always finds these nifty gifts for me that I'd entertain the thought of, but never actually buy for myself. This year, it included a snazzy picnic backpack with a lined blanket, complete with service for 4, a cheese board and knife, a corkscrew, and a thermal bottle holder, along with a set of chocolate molds so I can make gift boxes and stars out of fudge or other yummy things, and some AWESOME folding trivets that can be sized to fit almost any casserole dish I have. I also got some delicious body lotion and some special hand cream that seems to be the only thing that helps my crazy eczema that came out of nowhere. I refuse to get a steroid cream as it doesn't help, and I just don't want to goop up my body with unnatural things if I don't have to...
Anyway - the kids were buried under an avalanche of gifts.
Believe me when I say that I love my in-laws. The things about them that irk me the most are the very things that I find as my biggest weaknesses. That said...I adore them. I do not, however adore the fact that my MIL feels that because she cannot be here physically that she must show her affection for my children in ridiculous gifts. Really, does a 9-month-old need a talking pig that counts money you put into it? I mean...I'd have rather had a simple, small gift or three for the kids, and have them put the rest of the money into a check that we can put into their savings account, so they can give some to a local place that helps children in need, save some for their future and then spend the rest on things they really love.
We now are the proud parents of children with 2 puzzles that are 3 feet by 5 feet of train engines from a popular children's series that Captain happens to love. We also got a floor puzzle that is an ABC find-it sort of thing...it's like 5x8. Princess of Everything got a gift certificate wherein she is gifted with dance class for 2 months (praise God! That is what she wanted most), some adorable clothing, and some puzzles. Littlest One got a singing cow, the talking piggy bank thing, and a whale for the tub. Captain received the 2 giant puzzles, some figures from Toy Story 3, some items from Crayola, some small puzzles, and a bike. My folks found some other cool things, but limited their gifts to a few small, simple things that the kids adore! In fact, Capt spent the entire weekend playing with the things from my folks and hasn't even wanted to open the things from the In-Laws.
I feel badly, but that's how it goes...my folks are here. They know the kids inside and out...they know what they truly love, not just what has captured their attention for a time during a visit, or is mentioned in passing one day...
Anyway, I'm going to call my mom now and ask what time she'd like to come over and help me out tomorrow. The work seems so much lighter when someone like-minded comes over to help you do mundane things like re-organize your kitchen cabinets in preparation for a new stove that has no storage drawer, but rather a second oven!
I promise I'll be more regular in my posting...
2 comments:
You'll have to post pictures from Breckenridge.
Sounds like you had a beautiful Christmas. Post a picture of your new oven/stove. Sounds heavenly. Wishing I did something like that now for us instead of the one I picked out last year. Oh well.
Hugs to you. I miss you.
sounds like a great time! I understand what you say about grandparents and presents...we have 4 grandkids with a new one coming in August..we do not buy toys for birthdays or any other holiday, except Christmas. for bdays and such, we buy bonds..and for Christmas they each got 1 toy and jammies and an outfit..since our kids are from a blended family, the grandkids can get so much..I dont want to be the grandma that my daughters and daughters in law complain about when it comes to such..I always ask if there is something they need first and then want. But I had your problems when my kids were very young and it can get frustrating..hang in there girly, it will get better!
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