I loved having us all dressed in our Sunday AND Christmas best the Sunday before Christmas, so I made everyone pause, right after getting home from church, for a family picture. You would think I was making them run the gauntlet by lengthening the time they had to spend in their suits, but after getting over it, they were pretty good sports. The pictures aren't great, but they're US and that's all I need.
When you wake up to snow on the ground and children's laughter and presents and orange rolls and stockings filled and warmth and love, can it be a bad Christmas? I don't think so!
Memorable gifts:
Jacob – luggage, a "fat head" of a Dallas Cowboys star for his new very-own bedroom, books, an Ipod shuffle from Nana and Pops and a Wii
Caleb – luggage, legos, books, a new skateboard from Nana and Pops and a Wii
Samuel – Lightning McQueen slippers, a play bowling set, "warm and cozy" crocs from Nana and Pops, Uno Moo the game
Meredith – Pioneer Woman cookbook, lemon sugar perfume, lingonberry juice from Ikea, assorted goodies from my mom including sherbet bowls from Anthropologie, and a monogrammed wax seal set from Liv
Derek – a new sports coat, an Orvis shirt from Mike and gift cards galore!
Christmas afternoon was spent at my mom and Steve's – a lovely dinner (with beef tenderloin) and time as a family.
It was a happy, happy Christmas!
We spent the morning cleaning and wrapping. Then watched THIS video with the kids…beautiful, it made Jacob cry.
By this time, the snow had started to fall and it was so beautiful. Could it really be a white Christmas? I've NEVER had one – in my whole life. In fact, it's been 83 years since the DFW area has seen a white Christmas. Too fun. How special!
Then we headed to PF Chang's for an early dinner with my mom and Steve. I was given an early gift – a new lens for my camera!! So excited and already I've found plenty of use for it.
After that we headed to the Dalebout's…it took a little longer than usual to make the drive since the roads were icy and the snow was blowing hard. It was quite something!
We were so thrilled to have Mom and Steve join us at the Dalebout's (and the Hicken's were there too, of course) to make gingerbread houses (that don't resemble houses) and sing hymns around the piano. It was freezing outside but felt so warm and delightful inside with our family and friends. Scott read the nativity story to us, while Samuel put his arm around Lexi and listened. Delightful, I tell you. It was wonderful.
Around 10 pm we headed for home (typically a 15 minute drive), but never would have believed that we wouldn't get home until 11:30. The roads were terrible! Ice-covered and dangerous we were on a road with slight to not-so-slight inclines, and many cars were not making it – sometimes blocking traffic all together. After sitting still for over 10 minutes with cars backing up, Derek decided to take action and what would follow became our own "Good Samaritan" moment and it made for a very memorable Christmas Eve. Derek was able to help push and "rescue" about 6 or 7 cars in a 45-minute time period. Some of those enabled us to get by, but then we pulled over so he could get back out and help some more, even though we could have gone safely home at that point. The kids would watch and cheer him on from our warm, safe car. Several cars were locked up and not going anywhere with just Derek alone, so other men started getting out of their cars and as many as 5 men would push these cars up the hill to safety. Many of the drivers of the stuck cars would be so frustrated and feel so helpless that they would want to call for a two truck, but Derek convinced them that that would take forever (if ever in that weather) and then would help get them going again. It was remarkable! Derek hadn't brought any gloves, so he wore mine. It's good to be married to such a good man. It's also good to be married to a native Utahn who knows a lot about ice/snow driving! 🙂
Part of our Christmas gift from Dad and Christy was tickets to the Inaugural Basketball Game at Cowboys Stadium between the Texas Longhorns and the University of North Carolina. This was our first trip to the new Stadium and WOW, is it cool. Such a fun game – we all loved it!!
My Dad and Christy came up for the weekend of 12/19 to celebrate Christmas with everyone. We brought in La Hacienda fajitas and had a fun time opening gifts.
The most memorable (not in order of importance, I might add):
1. The Snuggies for the two young boys and the two big boys. My boys sleep with them every night now!
2. Samuel got "gator golf" the game, Caleb got a cool new camo shirt, and Jacob got waders so he could go fly fishing with his Papa C during his upcoming trip to Austin (more on that later).
2. As a group we made a contribution to Arise Africa International in my Dad and Christy's name. Arise Africa is the group that they served while in Uganda this summer. They were touched by that.
3. D & C gave each family $100 with a letter and a challenge (a bit of a competition too). What a great activity for us all to participate in leading up to Christmas. More on how the Smith's fulfilled the challenge in a later post…
Fun times, as always!
I was so proud of the boys this semester for their hard work on the piano. And it paid off because they aced the recital! And bonus – they had their Nana there, their Papa C and Mimi there from Austin, and Aunt Olivia from across town! We had quite a family showing and it made the boys so happy.
Jacob played: Aria, Toccata Drammatica, Joy to the World and The First Noel
Caleb played: Merrily We Roll Along and Away in the Manger, he also sang 'Silent Night' with Lexi (so sweetly, I might add)
I got video, but forgot to get pictures of them at the piano!! Ah, well…there's always next year.
I did some serious blogging tonight and now have 5 posts ready to publish tomorrow – watch out!!
I always love joining the boys' for their class holiday parties at school. They were simple and fun this year, and I love simple + fun!
Caleb's 1st grade class had a "Polar Express" theme – they all wore pjs, made a craft, got hot chocolate and powdered donuts, and exchanged bells with homemade tags. CUTE!
Caleb with Mrs. Pompey
Jacob's class played holiday bingo and ate popcorn and soda. Everytime the bingo caller (our neighbor) said "mistletoe" I tried to kiss Jacob on the cheek leading to an overexaggeration of disgust which made the whole class roar in laughter. Love this age!
Jacob with Mrs. Olson
One day a couple of weeks ago I was folding the "reds" out of the dryer and found a woman's red vest – size Medium. HUH? It wasn't mine and I'm the only female who lives here (if you haven't noticed). And we hadn't recently had house guests. We called my mom – not hers. She suggested I check with the church choir who practiced here every Sunday in December – good idea. Nope – no one claimed it.
It was a mystery.
And we had some laughs over it.
I told Derek to tell his size medium mistress to come retrieve her red vest.
He didn't think that joke was funny. (Neither did I.)
Then one Sunday night, while brushing my teeth for bed, Derek walked in (still in his Sunday "uniform" of suit pants and a starched white shirt) "confessing" that it was his and he just hadn't wanted to tell me. Sometimes quiet, introverted Derek can make me bust a gut with his sense of humor. This is the Derek few people see.
Come to find out the red vest belongs to my stepmom, Christy. It somehow landed in the boys' suitcase at Thanksgiving.
Mimi – I apologize for any humiliation the above pictures may cause you or your red vest.
And just pretend you never saw this next one.
This one is hard for me to even put words to – I am still giddy, so bear with me…
Earlier this summer Dana called me with a "guess what – but don't get your hopes up" kind of call. Our favorite, Hilary Weeks, was acquainted with a young family whose 6-year old daughter had passed away. She was doing an auction to raise money for funeral expenses, and the prize for the winner was a personal concert at Christmas. Well, if you know her husband Matt at all you'll know three things 1. he adores his wife and wants to give her nice things (like private concerts with her all-time favorite singer) 2. he's very generous and 3. when he sets his mind on something and goes for it, he usually gets/accomplishes it.
So that's how we ended up having the privilege of meeting and listening to Hilary Weeks on December 12th. She gave a fireside for YW and their moms (that Dana arranged for) and then a private concert at the Hicken's home. And we invited ourselves. :) Just kidding, they invited us.
I LOVE Hilary Weeks music. I feel like she has written a soundtrack for my life. I can always find a song of hers to relate to. I find inspiration, peace, and answers in her music. She invites the Spirit. And she's such a neat woman. Being there – hearing her, talking with her…it was such a thrill and blessing. I'm still on cloud 9 over it and Dana and I still gasp and giggle like schoolgirls everytime we talk about it.
Highlights include (but are not limited to):
The fireside – every song, every word, "He Hears Me"
Watching Dana with her knowing how special it was for her
Being able to visit with her about one song that has particular meaning to me
Talking to her about cooking and Gourmet Club
Learning about her kids
Meeting her laidback/funny/kind husband
Telling her about our Dana/Shelley/Mer friendship
Singing with her to "Ring the Bells" (and her humoring me despite my overzealousness)
Watching Samuel sing "hallelujah" with her on "It's Christmas Once Again" (and her encouraging him)
Listening to "If I Only Had Today" with my children, husband and close friends around me while also remembering the family who had lost their daughter
Thank you, Hicken's for letting us be a part of it.
SO, SO special.
One of her songs says that "music is a gift from Him" – that weekend it truly was.
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