It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

(Yeah, I got that song stuck in my head. And you're welcome for getting it stuck in your head now too!!!)

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I LOVE Christmas!!! And I've been in a happy mood lately because of it and have enjoyed decorating and preparing and shopping and stuff. But last night I got sad. Stan was out of town working and after I put the kids to bed I decorated my chili pepper tree (you'll see it on Monday), finished wrapping their gifts, and got ready to mail the gifts to the grandparents.

That last one is what hit me. Usually at Christmas we go to grandparents house and visit and play and laugh and eat and eat and eat. We havent done that for a few years since we're a million miles away (ok...so it's only 1456 miles, but still...who's counting?). But as I wrapped/packaged them up I thought about what all we'd miss. The kids wont get to play/fight/play/whine/play with their cousins or get all their sweetness kissed and hugged right off of them by the female grandparent figures. We wouldnt get to smell mom making her famous cinnamon candy (but I'm considering buying that red Christmas candle at Bath & Body because it smells exactly like that!). We wont start playing some board games with Stan's family...and then remember why we dont play board games. We wont be rubbing the designated pregnant lady's belly (there's always a pregnant one in the group...usually it's me, but not this time!), trying to feel the baby kick and talking about all things baby. Stan wont go off with the guys to do...um...whatever it is they do outside. And I wont stand in the kitchen and talk girl talk with the women.

There's lots more but I wont drone on about them. You get the idea. Things we usually take for granted...or even complain about. That's what I'll miss. So I really dont mean to put a damper on your Christmas spirits. I just want to say...enjoy the season (especially the Reason), enjoy your imperfect families, have a fun time and dont put so much stress/pressure on yourself or anybody else.

Because even though we will miss all of those things...I'm excitedly looking forward to our quiet time here at home with our 4 little munchkins. I love watching Jake gaze in wonder at the tree and trying to touch an ornament without making it look like he's trying to touch it. (He touches it with the back of his hand...as if he wont get a "no-no" since he didnt actually touch it with his fingers! And when he gets the verbal "Jake! No-no!" he snaps around to look at me as if to say "why are you always there when I do this?"). [You also have to know that I sometimes act like I didnt see him because it's just too darn cute and I'm laughing too much to scold him...how's that for consistency?]

The girls will help me make sugar cookies...and I'll try not to be too anal about all the "help" and will pour all my effort into remembering it's for their fun and it doesnt have to be perfect. And we will all scold Stan for coming by and swiping some dough to eat. We will play board/card games and secretly realize that Stan sometimes loses on purpose so we dont get mad and quit. We'll play our Wii and laugh at each other flailing around like monkeys. Oh yes, wii will! And I cant wait to watch the kids open their gifts and shriek. And Stan and I will get up early on Christmas morning, turn on the tree lights and have some coffee before the kids wake up and make a mad dash for the living room. And I'll probably stay in my pj's most of the day. If it snows I'm sure we'll go sledding, make snow ice cream, snow men, snow angels...whatever. But we have yet to have a white Christmas since we've been up here. This is Montana...isnt it supposed to be buried under 6 feet of snow all winter long?! Yeah right. If it were, there wouldnt be so many transplanted Californians!!

I digress. So this post is my tribute to our families. We will miss you and wish we were there. Julie, Jay, Dana, Mom, and Terry...eat extra dessert for me. Haley, rub your belly for me. Mike, Mark, Monte, Dad and Charlie...you just keep doing your guy thing...and try not to wreck any motorcycles. You can eat extra dessert for me too!