Well.
Apparently I have fallen into some depths of relaxation and lethargy and cannot get up. I’d had every intention of writing something yesterday but then Gulley and I found ourselves with a kid-free evening and went to see American Hustle and then out to dinner.
(Side note: I loved American Hustle. It solidified that I love all things 1970’s. The clothes, the hair, the music, the enormous Cadillacs. And I think Amy Adams may have inspired me to revisit using hot rollers.)
It’s safe to assume that I have thoroughly enjoyed Christmas vacation thus far. I don’t mean to brag but I have fulfilled all of my goals regarding sugar cookie consumption, reading books, watching movies, and sleeping. I feel good about it. The only thing that is currently mocking me are the Christmas decorations that will need to be put away at some point, but I’m just pretending my original plan was to leave them up until Epiphany.
I have no idea where to even begin with recounting the last week or so, but I’ll have you know that we broke our all time cinnamon roll record. Both the making and eating of.
On Christmas Eve morning, Caroline and P delivered cinnamon rolls to various friends and neighbors while I made a pecan pie and some toffee for later that evening and then we headed to the 4:00 service at our church. Some of us were pretty enthusiastic about it being Christmas Eve.
After church we met my sister and her family over at Bops and Mimi’s house to eat tamales and open up Christmas presents with them. My nephew Luke got a set of Home Depot toy tools and when I told him what one of them was called, he walked off mumbling “Well, that makes no sense at all.” I feel that somewhere I lost the respect of the four year old crowd in regard to my knowledge of fake tools.
Caroline got what was easily one of her favorite presents, a hammock for her playroom from Mimi and Bops.
And a new A&M sweatshirt that she will absolutely be wearing when the Aggies play Duke on New Year’s Eve.
We got home later that night, opened new Christmas jammies, left out milk and cookies for Santa and went to bed. And, sure enough, when we woke up the next morning Santa had shown up. I love how sleepy-eyed Caroline is in all these pictures. It’s a vintage Christmas morning look.
And everyone’s life would be richer if only they had a gigantic pink bird in it.
Finally, this last picture is like a prophetic word.
Santa decided Caroline might like a crystal making kit. However, sometimes Santa gets overenthusiastic and doesn’t think about things like that a crystal making kit actually requires parental supervision and may lead to a mom having to make crystals at 5:00 p.m. on Christmas day.
And here’s the other thing Santa didn’t know. That making crystals on your stovetop will cause your entire home to smell like a crack house. I mean I’ve never smelled a real crack house, but I’ve heard it smells like brussels sprouts roasting in hot garbage which is exactly what my house smelled like by 6:00 p.m. Christmas night. Not only that, but Santa also forgot that Caroline’s mom nearly failed high school chemistry and may not be mentally or emotionally prepared to conduct science experiments even at the age of 42.
Needless to say, we have not succeeded in making any crystals. And are now in the market for a hot plate to facilitate the making of crystals outside so that we don’t have to sell our house and all the furniture inside it. I’m also fairly sure I’ll no longer be able to buy Sudafed at the pharmacy counter.
Later on Christmas night we went over to Gulley’s house to visit with Honey and Big and Caroline and the boys exchanged gifts. They got her an ant farm so that will be the gift that keeps giving once our shipment of ants arrive in 2-3 weeks.
And then we went to visit some other friends and had maybe the most hilarious white elephant gift exchange ever. P and I took home a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon, a jar of moonshine and a small water feature with fake LED lit candles that was billed as a starter kit for a romantic night at home, metal lawn chairs not included.
Of course Caroline has taken over the water feature and moved it into her playroom along with the hammock. This has pretty much been how she’s spent the bulk of her time ever since.
Except for when I get there first.
I’m kidding. I wouldn’t steal my child’s Christmas present.
Most of the time.
And so that’s what’s been going on here. I hope you all have a Happy New Year. We’ll be watching the Aggies and eating gumbo and hoping maybe Johnny Manziel decides he wants to spend one more year in College Station.