Another Day in Paradise: 2011

Week 52.5...rounding off 2011

Monday, Dec. 26th

We spent the whole day down at Lisa's again. The kids played with all their new stuff and the adults just chilled. Melody was sporting her fancy new gag gift leg warmers. I had drawn her name for our swap and I put together a beautifully wrapped tower of junk...these beauts, an awful cardboardish Providence Sweatshirt with 2001 on it, and cherry cordials. She was so gracious in her opening, and I just wanted to see her sweat. It was one highlight to Christmas Day. Poor girl!!! Gotcha! After everyone was through opening, she received her 2nd tower of beautifully wrapped gifts, which she was much happier with. Oh boy, did we get some laughs out of that!

Mid-afternoon, Lauren showed up. And all the kids rejoiced!!!

Tuesday, Dec. 27th
Back down to Lisa's for one more day of family time. Tim, Lainie, Trey, and Wyatt came to visit too since they'd been in New Jersey for Christmas. Little Wy-Guy was practicing his new walking skills.

The kids created a mini spa, offering hair-dos and massages.

Wednesday, Dec. 28th

Colombo and I ran down to NYC to go look at more rings at the Diamond Exchange. The one he actually gave me on Christmas Day was beautiful, but he wanted to shop together and really get exactly what I wanted. We shopped around a little, had lunch in Times Square, and headed home. No purchase made. We found many beautiful choices, but I was still considering keeping the original, or at the very least we wanted to sleep on it and do a little more research.

After getting home, we headed down to Lisa's to watch Jonathan's NHL game. He got the call up 2 days after Christmas and got to play 1 game up for the Minnesota Wild who were on the road in Nashville. He got lots of ice time and looked great, but was back in Houston the next day.

Thursday, Dec. 29th
Road trip up to Maine for our annual Christmas visit. The movies came in handy. Our rule is any trip over 3 hours deems a library movie run and videos in the car.

Friday, Dec. 30th
We stayed with MaryJo, then headed out to visit Grandpa, Mimi, Nana, and then hit Portland for the aunts, uncles, and cousins pizza party. At Nana's nursing home, the kids put on a little variety show. Madison sang her "Needy Ones"solo, the kids did their "Don't Stop Believing" choreographed dance, and then we sang a couple of Christmas carols and a couple hymns. I love singing hymns. It's amazing how the lyrics come back to people that age. Just about every resident sang along with us.

Saturday, Dec. 31st
New Year's Eve. We had a nice relaxing day at home. The kids finally dug into their gifts, and I de-decorated.

We spent the evening at Menard's with 5 or 6 other families ringing in the New Year.

2011 was a good year. I look back on it with no regrets, which, for that alone, I am thankful. We experienced some of our deepest valleys, but also stood on many mountaintops and rejoiced. Through it all, we are just so thankful for God's providence, provision, and protection. If you haven't read "One Thousand Gifts" then you MUST. Just as Ann Voskamp writes about, looking through my rearview mirror, all I can see are bridges that have held.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day. A wonderful day of family, food, fun. The gaggle of kids is just electrifying and they are all so good. And on a day when certain character weaknesses 'could' emerge, none at all were witnessed. They are happiest just to be together. The gifts are just sprinkles on top.

These pictures are from Maddy and Lisa. Now I have 2 photographers in the family and my camera is collecting dust. Very bad.

We started with stockings.

For cousin swap, Nathanael got some cash from his secret santa. Someone had painstakingly created lots of cool shapes using $1 bills. His favorite was this money wheel and the hockey stick and puck.

My very last present was a little box. Always a good sign. I thought it was a watch. I had given Colombo a short wish list of a few practical things I could use. One was an inexpensive every day watch...like $25 or less. Imagine my surprise when I opened an iPhone.

Only I didn't want an iPone and Colombo knew that. I had made it clear that carrying around a $500 phone is not my thing when somehow every 6 months one of kids finds a way to accidentally (or not) submerge it in water, bake it on top of the toaster oven, etc.

So this is me. Trying my very best not to let my irritation get the better of me.

C4 started to peel away the cellophane and I stopped him, saying, "Don't unwrap it. It's getting returned." To which my husband replied, "Amy, you have to open it. I had something engraved on the back. I totally believed him since I know Apple does this to products.

Well once inside the iPone box, I found a MUCH more promising "little blue box". Now I was REALLY shocked to see a beautiful diamond ring he bought for me. It was completely unexpected and completely sweet. And since I love surprises, he was so proud of himself for getting me. I not only appreciated the gift, but appreciate the trouble he went through to have it shrink-wrapped at the hobby store and to make the 'delivery' unique.

Cousins. Happiest just being together.

Nathanael learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em.

The evening wrapped up with our 3rd Annual Talent Show. Which, however, after the Boyd's were done, was renamed Variety Show. Hahaha!!!

Lisa put together a lovely video of the day. Click here to watch it.

Christmas Eve

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas Eve means a day FULL of cooking and cleaning. I could not have prepared the house in time without my trusty staff. Colombo moved tables and chairs, C4 cleaned the garage, Madison swept and washed floors, and the little guys were on toy cleanup. It's nice to have help! A team effort that everyone was excited to help with, looking forward to an evening with family. We are happy to host both sides of the family and it has become one of our most favorite nights of the year.

Madison decorated this sugar cookie for the cousins on her own.