Christmas

"For unto us a child is born"

Christmas Eve. We got dressed up and went to mass in the afternoon. Ethan sang in the choir. Our girls put on their fancy dresses and our boys put on their nice shirts and slacks. My husband looked very handsome in his suit. I brought my camera this year. Perfect opportunity for a picture of our children. They're all dressed up and the church is filled with beautiful flowers.
After mass we did our "night out." Every Christmas Eve we go out to a restaurant for dinner. It's a treat for our children. This year we ended up at Cheeseburger in Paradise - there aren't many restaurants open on Christmas Eve after 5:00. It was very good. I do love that place. Can I just mention that I find it kind of annoying that a tip is added automatically to our bill at restaurants. Can you really count little children? I can see a "party" of 8 adults being automatically charged, but we're a couple with children. Doesn't really make sense to me.
After, we went home and made some reindeer food, got out the cookies we had made for Santa, and tracked Santa's sleigh on the internet. Everyone got ready for bed and Tom read a few Christmas books including 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. A nice, peaceful evening.
Christmas Day! Yay! Happy Birthday Jesus. And something I noticed - you get "Christmas" when you put my name with my hubby's name. CHRISTine&thoMAS :o)
Our son Ethan was the first one up - at 2:50am! A Christmas Story was playing nonstop on tv so he had something to entertain him while he waited. Rachel was up at 4:00am. She came into our room to wake up daddy. He sent her back to bed. A couple hours later we were greeted by our oldest boys with cups of coffee. After we finished one cup, we headed downstairs to very excited children - and one sleeping child. I don't know what time Leah got up, but she was already napping on the couch.
Less than an hour later, 7 children were busy playing with their new toys.
Later, we got dressed and went to my sister's home for dinner with her family and our parents. It was very nice. Our children love to hang-out with their cousins.
By the time we left, the ground was covered with snow. I like snow, but don't like driving in it. To fit everyone, Tom and I have to drive separate cars. There was one moment that scared me while driving home. Tom was in front of me at a stop sign. My brake was to the floor and I wasn't stopping. I laid on my horn to signal Tom to move forward. Thankfully, he did. I "crawled" the rest of the way home.
The next day it snowed - all day. Our children had fun playing in the backyard and we got back to baking cookies. We ended the day with pizza and the movie The Sound of Music. Our children enjoyed watching a movie about another family with 7 children - and we all enjoyed singing along to the music.
On Sunday we ran some errands, including running to Goodwill to drop off donations of clothes and toys, then we went to evening mass. There was a lady in front of us that was there with her 3 sons. After mass she came up to me and told me she came from a family with 11 children. She enjoyed seeing our family. I love when people come up to us after mass. Church is one place we don't seem so "different" being a big family. I especially love when people come up and tell us how well-behaved our children are. It's nice to hear.
This morning Tom had to go back to work. Wait. I've been working on saying "get to..." instead of "have to..." So I should say: This morning Tom got to go back to work -- because we are thankful.
Children and I have been doing laundry (because I "get to" do laundry), reading many many books, doing homework (I personally wish they didn't have homework over break. It's "break") and cleaning up toys. There are Nerf Darts all over our home!
Now I "get to" make dinner for my family. Something warm. Then maybe a good movie together.
It's been a wonderful Christmas, filled with wonderful moments.