Christmas 2011

A Christmas to remember...

At school...

The kids were squirrels by the end of the week.  I love my job, but we were all ready for a nice break.  We had a lovely party planned by parents, and I was blessed with some wonderful gifts.

While I was home from school with a sick Baby Henry, my sub had the class create this super sweet gift for me.  Students thought of something they'd give me for Christmas (Without spending money).  The responses were so thoughtful!  "I will raise my hand more."  "I will give my best effort."  "I will respect others the way you taught us to."



Also at school, we had a door decorating contest.

Mocha Cakes...
A yearly tradition, gathering four generation to make this tasty treat.  Olivia's job is to roll the frosting covered cake in the nuts.  Henry's job this year was to entertain Great Grandma and look cute.  Mission accomplished.  I will always remember this tradition with the time two years ago when I was holding Grandma in my arms and I thought we were loosing her.  And here she is, still hanging on, two years later.

Our little family Christmas...
We celebrated Christmas with our little family on Christmas Eve morning.  I attempted to make a sweet roll I have fond memories of my mom making for us on Christmas morning.  I ran short of powdered sugar, so the frosting for the green wreath was a little weak, but otherwise it was tasty, and gone by noon!  We had a relaxed morning of the kids opening gifts.  Well, Olivia opened, Henry tasted.

 It was fun to gift a few things from my childhood...  A Cinderella snow globe for Olivia, and a wooden piggy bank for Henry.


For some reason, Olivia decided an outfit change was necessary in the middle of opening gifts.

 Christmas Eve with the Clarks...
Traditionally we spend Christmas Eve with Pat's side of the family.  It's fun watching Olivia run around with the kids, like their little shadow.  "Santa Tracker" on the I-pad was quite fun, and we got updates every 11 minutes as to Santa's where-abouts.

 The boys played a little Guitar Hero.

 And Sam tracked Santa a bit more.

 The kids watched a few Christmas movies.

 And Pat's brother Tom planned a fireworks show.  I guess that's the appropriate way to celebrate Christ's birth?!  (Oh yes, and they were the very illegal kind.  Then there was a knock on the door and we all thought it was the cops.  It was a flower delivery guy!)

 Kari made an AMAZING dinner!  (We are never having them over to our house to eat, because food here will never compare.  I'd be too embarrassed!)

Then, it was time for more gifts!  Again, Henry was more interested in eating the wrapping paper.

 After his Thanksgiving's performance on the keyboard, Tom and Kari thought Henry would love his own keyboard.  Boy oh boy does he ever!



Ah!  I love this little man SO much!

 After the chaos of gifts, more Santa Tracker, and "funny" video clips.  ("Funny" because the men thought it was hilarious, but the women, not so much.)



Cookies for Santa

Christmas...
The kids slept till 8:30!  They opened their stockings, and we headed to church.  Olivia loved going to the front of church to look at the beautiful Nativity.  After, we celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family.  One final celebration with my immediate family after extended relatives left.



Slippers from Grandma!  (Pat got hot pink!)



What's more fun than having a race sliding down the steps?!

While the moments of joy and excitement were many, we also had a sadness come with us this Christmas.  Henry was quite ill last weekend which we took him to the doctor for, got a diagnosis of another ear infection, and was given medicine again.  He improved over the week and we thought we were through.  Saturday at noon things went down-hill fast.  He was completely lethargic, had a horrible cough, and would spike temps in the 102 range.  We worked hard at trying to keep him cool, giving him rest, and plenty of fluids.  Sunday at 8:30 at night his fever was at 103.1.  We decided to call the after hours number for our clinic and the on-call doctor told us to bring him to the ER.  Our experience at Mayo was amazing.  The nurses were super nice and the doctor was the most personable, friendly, knowledgeable, etc.  They did a double nose swab which Henry did NOT love, and a blood test, which was a piece of cake after the nose fiasco.  All other more serious worries were ruled out.  He does have a double ear infection and bronchialitis (fancy word for yucky stuff in his throat).  We were given a new antibiotic, and were home around midnight.  Olivia was able to sleep at my parents' house thankfully. 

As I lay in the hospital bed with Henry on my lap, my mother hen instincts kicked into overdrive and I cuddled and kissed him SO much.  I couldn't help but think of Mother Mary.  As she gave birth, IN A BARN, how on Earth did she do it!?  She must have been so scared!  No doctor.  No technology.  No comforts at all.  Wow, being a mother really makes you look at the whole Christmas story with a new level of wonder and awe!

Of course I would have loved for Henry to be healthy for his first Christmas, but he was still the happy boy we know and love.  Lots of amazing food, gifts, and laughter was shared and memories were made... What could be better?