We had a great Christmas! Even though our main present to the kids (a new trampoline) got lost in shipment and it currently on its way again, they had a great time with their German/Austrian presents from Oma and Opa (including
daggers!!), their Hungarian presents from Grandpa and Grandma B (whips, wooden swords, 3-way chess, magic boxes and traditional dolls), and then their presents from each other. I must have been cold when I was thinking of presents for everyone, because just about everyone on my list got blankets for Christmas this year, including my kids. I figured that their blankets had made it overseas and back and were a little worse for the wear, so new ones would be in order.
Spooner loves the cars that he and Isaak recieved, and also the Veggie Tale nativity set...so cool! He sat there, nose firmly pressed to the singing star at the top, enjoying the song. Love babies! Hava got a "new" bike with training wheels that Q-dawg has already taken her out twice on. Legos and Pet Shops were other toys that have been enjoyed since Christmas morning, along with Chugger-dude's remote control car and Star Wars Stratego set (which he wipes out with his car after each game is done).
Unfortunately, I got sick,
dreadfully sick on Christmas Eve, and went to bed instead of finishing the blankets. Fortunately, they were flannel, so the kids could enjoy their unfinished warmth the way they were and most insist that I don't need to do anything else with them. With my current luck with my new sewing machine, that may be just the way they stay! (Help, mommy :(!!!!)
My darling husband took care of "Christmas prep," getting those last minute presents set out, like the Goob's inflatable raft that I purchased for
one dollar at a garage sale and works perfectly! (He plans to use it on the pond behind our house with his friend this summer.) Anyway, I crashed and he set up. I woke up at one point, wondering where he was at, and wandered around the house looking for him. Fortunately, I didn't find him because he was in the process of setting up a
shooting range for the traditional Hungarian recurve bow that he got for me for Christmas...coolest present
ever!
I was well enough in the morning that I could sit up and watch everyone enjoy their presents and even try out the recurve bow a few times. I nailed the target once right in the middle, but that was definitely the exception and not the rule :). I look forward to getting better at it! Apparently, Q-dawg had ordered it from a Hungarian fellow, had it shipped to Budapest, and then a friend who was coming to America on a business trip brought it over with him and Q-dawg met him at the airport. Wow. I have the best husband ever. In fact, when I came out looking for him, he had immaculately cleaned the house in preparation for Christmas morning and I figured
that was my amazing gift, but who knew? Two presents :).
I clothed Q-dawg with warmth for his present: new robe and slippers to go with the new pajamas he got from "Saint Miklas" earlier this month. It makes me happy to see him warm :).
Avot had a great time getting ready for Christmas this year. She got around 50 presents ready for friends and family, some still to be delivered. (Papaya has been unwrapping them almost as fast as she has wrapped them...which is why I put all of
our wrapped Christmas presents on the shelf above the front closet by the door. Poor Avot! She was so patient with Papaya.) Avot has been able to earn money with her jobs and was quite generous. She gave me a sweet Willow Tree angel and her father a song adapted by her and sung to him by Avot, Lek, and the Goob:
(
to the tune of "The Mighty Quinn")
Come all without! Come all within! You'll not see nothin' like my daddy, Quinn! *repeat*
Everybody's building lots of homes
But how much are they worth? Nobody truly knows
Everybody's in despair! All who buy and sell.
But when Quinn the Appraiser gets here!
The contract's gonna end up real swell
All the winds are blowin' East and West.
Leaves are fallin' in the yard, the lawn is overdressed.
Everybody's in despair! All the flowers, too.
But when Quinn the Hard Worker gets here
You can bet he's gonna see us through!
All the kids are runnin' wild leavin' everything a mess.
The young adults 're emotional, and Mama's getting' stressed.
Everybody's in despair! Every girl and boy!
But when Quinn the Priesthood-Man gets here
Everybody's gonna jump for joy!
Avot also shared a couple poems with her friends, along with one she composed herself. I think we posted it last year, but it bears repeating.
Love this girl. Just like her father in so many ways :).
Paul's Christmas Tragedy
Listen, my children, and you shall
hear
Of the midnight ride of 8 reindeer.
In the month of December (25)
A fat, old man gets in to drive.
In a sleigh all filled with boats
and toys
(Enough for all the girls and boys)
This fat, old man-all dressed in
red-
Sets a white cap on his head.
He picks up reins, and waves
good-bye
To all his elves, and Miss Sweetie-pie.
Then he calls out his same old call
“Go Dasher, Go Dancer, get up with
you all!
Prancer and Vixen don’t think of
stopping.
Comet and Cupid! What are you
dropping?!
Donner and Blitzen, keep going
strong,
We’re gonna be flying all the night
long.”
The deer all sigh as they pass the
moon
The fat man and presents made
burdens not boons.
Each one of them wanted their own
Christmas present.
They thought that a carrot would
surely be pleasant
That’s all they thought of at their
1st stop
In London, on one of those brick-red
roof-tops.
They considered the orang-ness of
carrots supreme
As they left 15 presents for the
small Dutch Queen.
In Egypt they wondered how carrots
would grow.
They also were baffled at the lack
of snow.
As they doubled the Cape they ran
into a storm.
But that was alright, that was the
norm.
As Russians ran out to receive all
their favors
The ung’lates thought only of
delicious flavors
They thought of them all the way down to
Nepal,
Where they nearly hit a big mountain
called Saul.
The orange trees that grew all over
Japan
Made the reindeer go dizzy, their
heads really swam.
All over the ocean the reindeer were
hungry.
All over the water their tummies
were grumbly.
They thought that they were all
going to die
From the hunger they felt as they
passed through Lehi
At old Honduras, where they had
ceased
They thought they‘d give up and just
"Rest In Peace".
But no, they first must visit Brazil
Then over to Scotland for the last
unfill.
They wearily flew back up to the
North
They could barely keep their hooves
moving forth.
But they finally made it, although
thy had doubted
Into the fine house the fat, old man
shouted,
“Hey, dear, we’re back! And, boy,
what a ride!
I landed smack dab on each roof that
I spied.
Each house that we went to had
cookies galore!
I ate and unloaded, which was no
great chore.
There was something funny, I must
confess,
On each of the plates was some sort
of orange mess.
Don’t know what it was, but I left
it down there,
And whisked up the chimney with soot
in my hair.”
The reindeer all heard this, and
sighed a great sigh.
“Looks like grass again boys.” But then the deer died.
