"Christmas Vacation Rocks!"

Sam has been so busy this Christmas vacation. I'm dreading the back to school blues that are sure to come Sunday evening! He's played with friends almost every day, had the infamous all nighter sleep over, and is going to celebrate the New Year with his friend Jon tonight.

I asked him what he liked so much about this vacation and he just said, "it rocks." I guess hanging out in your pjs until noon, playing with friends, playing DJ hero (the big present of the year), and a blizzard that brought perfect sledding and fort-making conditions--well, what more can you ask for as a kid?

I wish he had more time off.

An All Nighter

Sam stayed overnight at a new/old friend's house last night. He went to preschool with this boy and has been kind of friends all through elementary school. It took a mutual love of video games that maim aliens to get them to realize that they live right around the corner from each other! This friend is a delightful boy, so polite and friendly.



Sam was so thrilled to be invited to a sleepover at his house. He's never been real good about sleeping away from home, so we were ecstatic when the phone didn't ring during the night. I didn't sleep well in anticipation of a late night trip to pick him up! Guess that was all for nothing!



He came home and quickly transitioned from the smiling, proud, happy kid that had a really good time to semi-zombie, "I'm not tired", shuffle upstairs to bed kid. Voluntarily going to bed? Hmmmm.



Seems he and his friend stayed up all night and boy did they have fun. They were laughing and giggling when Darren picked him up this morning. As they made the two minute ride home, he slowly was coming down. I met him at home just in time to see the last of the smiles and the transition to that "so tired you feel sick" feeling that I remember well from my night shift at the hospital days.



He's tucked in upstairs, sound asleep, but most likely dreaming about the bragging rights this is going to give him.



So, we both pulled all nighters. I'm sitting on the couch icing my knees. I skidded down the driveway and fell while trying to save the world. No, not really that dramatic, but I was saving the environment! I was putting newspaper in the recycling bin at the end of the driveway and ended up flailing and screaming my way all the way down the driveway to end up in the road on the ground. Both Darren and Sam were outside with me and didn't notice until I had scrambled up again. Ugh. My plans for this week have been completely waylaid. I'm battered and bruised, but hey, the blogs just might get updated! And since Sam is sound asleep and my plans involved him, I don't feel so bad.



He may have another sleepover on New Year's Eve. We'll see if he wants to try it again. It may just be an "almost a sleepover".

Christmas Morning

I just love Christmas morning. We're usually awakened well before the sun is up by a wiggling, squirming bedroom intruder. The agony of waiting is finally over!

Pull aparts for breakfast. Christmas ham for lunch. Playing with presents, relaxing. It's just the way we like it.

Hope your Christmas was Merry!

Happy Happy Merry Merry!

We're home, bracing for a big snow! 10-14 inches by Christmas Day. Yikes.

The house looks and smells like Christmas, but I'm not sure if all of our guests will be able to make it. I'd rather they stayed home than to brave dangerous roads!

We I made Spritz, Date Bars, Melting Moments, Frosted Cut Out Sugar Cookies, Lemon Bars, Pecan Pie Bars, Peanut Butter Bars (they didn't make it--the guys ate most of them and the rest succombed to a bizarre refrigerator defrosting meat debacle, don't ask), and Caramel Chex Mix. I think there's more in the freezer, but I've forgotten all that I made.

If snowed in, we certainly wouldn't starve!

Grandma's Santas on a Grandma-made table runner. Wish I remembered which Grandma made what. I love vintage and antique Christmas decorations, especially if they belonged to family.

Sam and I had a whole conversation in the car about what the season really is all about. Not the craziness of present buying and crabby people crowding the stores in pursuit of material happiness. "It's a wonderful birthday celebration," I said, feeling all warm and motherly and like THIS will be the conversation that he remembers when he has children.

He paused for a minute and then said, "Yep, it's Great-Grandma Betty's birthday too, isn't it?"

"Yes it is, son. She and Jesus were born on the same day."

"She's that old?"

I let that one lie.

Happy Happy. Merry Merry.

Forced to Watch Charlie Brown's ChristmasJust Another Olson Family Holiday Tradition

Hey, Pigpen plays the bass...cool.

The Traditional blocking o the doorway. Festive red t-shirt is required.

See, I'm really not watching this baby stuff.

We caught him peeking a few times.

Wonder where he gets his stubbornness?

Thank God the school closings are rolling across the screen. Gives him reason to look a little.

Out of the Mouths

Christmas cards are on their way!

I was remarking to Darren about as a younger woman, I would have never let a picture of me without makeup and with unshowered hair covered by an old baseball cap, be featured on a Christmas card. "It's a good picture," he replied.

"Yep, it is," I said, "that's a really happy place for us." It was taken at Two Island Campground at our very favorite campsite on the shore of the lake. "I'll be forty next year, I guess it's because I'm finally OK with who I am."

(I was having one of those I am Woman Here me Roar moments. Boys don't get this, but Darren is really good at faking interest.)

"Or crazy," muttered Sam.

That's my boy.