My parents arrived Tuesday, December 20. Oh, how excited the boys were to see my parents! Emma was excited because the boys were excited, but once my parents arrived, she was a bit standoffish. It didn't take her long to warm up to them, but six months without seeing them caused her memories of them to fade. She has warmed up and is back to her usual cheery self. She's asking Nana to read her books, and for Papa to play with her. The boys have been busy with Papa as they've gone ice skating, ice fishing, on a plane ride, and lots of outdoor play!
Jen arrived from South Dakota last Wednesday, and we've enjoyed her company as well. The house is full of people, and sometimes you have to wait in line to use the bathroom, but it's a joyous time of year. The boys and Emma love Aunt Jen and they've been keeping her busy with playing games with them and asking for her to make popcorn! 😄
The boys finished up school last week with Christmas parties and crafts, and many other fun activities. Chandler said it was the "best week of school ever!" The boys enjoy school, but everyone is ready for Christmas break...including the teachers! I'm thankful that my parents were able to meet the teachers. and visit the school. It's nice to have a face for the name that you are praying for, and I know my parents pray for the school and the staff.
On Friday my dad took the boys ice fishing and ice skating. They were delighted to spend time with Papa even though they didn't catch any fish! We wrapped presents, finished up some last minute errands, and enjoyed the day with the family.
Saturday...the longest day of the year for my children...also Christmas Eve! 😀 The weather was a bit too warm for ice skating, and we didn't have enough snow to go sledding. The boys played lots of indoor games and asked numerous times "why is the day going so slow?!". We took them ice skating at the indoor rink along with both my sisters and Hannah's husband, Josh. Even Emma went ice skating, although she was not too crazy about it! The boys have really come along way with their skating skills, and they certainly enjoyed the time on the ice. It helped pass the afternoon a bit more quickly also. We came home, ate a snack, and went to the Christmas Eve service at church. This is one of my favorite services, and one I look forward to every Christmas season. This was our first time attending a Christmas Eve service here in Maine...obviously. 😀 It was good to sing the songs, and reflect on the meaning of Christmas. I played a piano duet with the pastor's daughter, so that was fun for me also. After the service, we came home to open presents....finally! Emma and the boys were delighted with so many gifts, and they wanted to play with all their new treasures that very night! After all the excitement, the kids all crashed in their bed dreaming of new toys and on a sugar high from all the Christmas treats!
Christmas morning is the morning to wake up early, of course! So much excitement in the house as the boys built with new toys, played floor hockey in the basement, and enjoyed their treasures. Emma was content with another new dolly and a few horses. We managed to get everyone fed and out the door on time for the Christmas service. After church we headed up to Hannah and Josh's house for the afternoon. The boys brought along their snow gear, but it was very windy outside. They bundled up and went out for a bit, but we spent most of the afternoon playing games and watching Christmas movies...oh, and eating, of course! It was a full day, and it was a joy to have my family here to spend the day with us.
Monday was a decompressing day!All that sugar and rich foods from the previous days, made for a
great day to have salad and chicken! My dad did take the boys ice skating, Roger worked all day, and my sisters and I spent some time together shopping and visiting together. My mom hasn't been feeling well, so she tried to go to the walk in clinic. She wasn't able to see the physician, but she needs to be seen soon. She has a bad cough and cold.
Tuesday...Nana went to the doctor today. She was given the diagnosis of having bronchitis, which explains the long time cough she's had. She was given a prescription and told to rest. She spent much of the day resting. We spent the day around the house playing lots of games, and spent time visiting together.
Wednesday was my dad's last day here. He returned to Wisconsin on Thursday morning. He and mom went for a drive, visited Roger's job, toured the area. We had several children that weren't feeling that great on Tuesday and Wednesday, so it ended up being a low key day for everyone....with lots of laundry to do!
I drove my dad to the airport early this morning. We left our house a little after four am, and we drove to Portland. It was an early morning, and I was tired...but we made it! I arrived home to find that the boys were scheming with aunt Jen and planning a skiing trip. As their Christmas present this year, Jen gifted the most with an experience. She gave them coupons for a skiing trip. The boys were so excited about going! The weather on Thursday was a variety of snow, sleet, and rain. When we left to go on the ski trip, it was snowing. However, it did rain for part of the afternoon also. The older two boys took a snowboarding lesson, and the younger two had skiing lessons. It's amazing how quickly kids can catch on! Our boys are quite outdoorsy and athletic and with the instructors help, they quickly grasp what they needed to do. Travis was convinced after his skiing lesson that he was ready for the big hill...oh dear! So, up we went on the ski lift. He and Wyatt both took off down the hill, and they made it to the bottom without crashing. I was impressed. 😀 While the kids were having lessons, Jen, Hannah and I were trying out the slopes. Hannah brought her snowboard, and Jen and I skied. It's been over twelve years since I've been skiing, so I definitely didn't try anything fancy! My goals was to not crash and go rolling down the hill. The boys stuck with the adventure through the snow, sleet, and rain. Even though everyone was soaked by the end of the afternoon, it was a great time! We came home, dried everything out, ate supper, and watched the old movie, "Snowball Express". That was a very fitting movie to end the day on, and it provided more laughter! The boys are looking forward to the next time they get to go snowboarding and skiing, and I'm thankful that Jen provided them with this experience.
On Friday Roger had a day off of work...yay! We spent some time around the house, and then decided to meet up with Hannah and Josh. Today was Josh's birthday as well. We traveled up to Bangor to meet for lunch at Chick-fil-A. The kids weren't crazy about the drive, but they did fine. Since we were already up that way, we went to Sam's Club and a few other places that we don't have around home. My mom is staying here for a few weeks until after my missions trip to Haiti. However, she still isn't feeling fabulous so she decided to stay at home.
So, we are wrapping up Christmas break with a few slow easy days before we resume school on Tuesday. We had a great week being together and at home. The boys are praying for more snow, but they are delighted with what we have in the yard. They've built a snowboard ramp, several igloos, and a few forts over break. 😀
We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. We enjoy this time of year as we reflect on the birth of Jesus. He came as a baby, but ultimately He came to redeem the world from sin. Jesus invites you to have a personal relationship with him....now that's the best gift of all!!
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