So Cal Snow Day

Back at the end of December, Southern California got a "big" winter storm.

Now, first of all... I grew up in Ohio.  Not that Ohio has the most epic of winters by any means.  But we did get lots of freezing and below freezing temps, freezing rain, ice, and depending on the year, varying amounts of snow.   And so, as much as I've spent the majority of my grown up life in San Diego (on and off) I do tend to kind of roll my eyes when they get worked up about storms here.  

Because, let's be honest, in all the winters I've lived here, which if you're wondering is something like 6 or 7 I think, the worst "winter" storms have brought us nothing more than a few days of hard rain and maaaaybe some wind.  Yes, they do tend to get snow at the higher altitudes, but nothing is ever close enough to write home about.

But this time.

Oh goodness.

You'd think we were going to get a full on blizzard.

FOR REAL.  My iphone (and the phones of everybody else I know here in my little town/suburb outside San Diego) all showed the temperatures dropping below freezing over night while the rain was supposed to be coming down which meant..... SNOW.

To be honest, I don't know what any of us expected.

I do know that quite a lot of my friends here who, like me, come from the midwest or northeast were having quite a bit of fun joking about how we all had better go fill up the cars with gas and hurry out for bread and milk before there was a run on the stores.  Because, I mean, honestly... aside from maybe some flash flooding or I guess WORST case scenario, some mudslides in areas that burned last spring, what was going to happen?

In Monterey we used to lose power during "big" ran storms all the time.  

To my memory, the only time we've only lost power here is when it's hot and too many people run their a/c and we overload the power plants.  

For sure, the system was supposed to drop a ton of moisture on us.  Since we've been in a drought here for, well, at least since 2002 when I first moved here, so lots of rain was sure to be good.  But would it really freeze?  Would we get ice?   Hail?  Or actual snow....

Late that afternoon, right around the time everyone was supposed to be battening down the hatches I had to take Lucy to the doctor for her check up.  On the way there it was starting to sprinkle.

About an hour later when we left the pediatrician's office, it had progressed to a nice evening drizzle.

Then I stopped at Target for milk on the way home.  After that I decided to swing into Famous Footwear to pick up some new slippers for Matt.  When I dropped the milk in the car I grabbed an umbrella to hold over Lucy and I because it was solidly raining.

Maybe 15 minutes later, when I came out of the shoe store, It was full on POURING.  Even with the umbrella, Lucy and I were soaked by the time we got to the car.  The drive home which is legitimately only 2 and 1/2 miles (I've run it many times) took close to 20 minutes because everybody seemed to be freaking out about how to properly maneuver a car with that much water not only coming down from the sky, but also sitting on the roads.

Southern California's drainage systems, in my opinion, leave quite a bit to be desired.

Goodness though, maybe this storm was really going to turn into something?

But the time we got the kids in bed an hour later, the rain had already died down quite a bit again....

The next morning, I'm not going to lie, I was eager to see what it was like outside when I got up.  Except Matt had been up before me and gone to work.  Since he hadn't said anything apparently, it had never frozen.  To look outside, actually, it hadn't even rained that much.  The back yard was damp, but hardly the mess of puddle it gets to be when we get any substantial rain.  It seemed another storm had busted up when it got to us and let everyone down again.

I got the kids up and we had breakfast and settled about our regular "day off" relaxing routine in front of the TV.  The kids played with their toys and I snuggled up in the recliner under a blanket with my computer to look at Facebook and see what was new in the world.  I quickly found that while the storm had passed over our area much quicker than expected, and that the temperatures hadn't dropped as low as predicted for us, that other parts of the county had had more luck.  

Keep in mind, please, that San Diego county is HUGE.  Like bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.  (Thank you Wikipedia.)  And because it is so big, and because of the topography in this part of the country we have everything from the beaches to deserts to mountains all right here.  I used to find it strange that they talk about "microclimates" during the weather forecasts because of the varied landscape but the weather really can vary considerably based on your proximaty to the coast and your elevation.  

Side note, but this is opposed to what I grew up with in Ohio, where, depending on the day you could stand in one exact spot all day long and without moving go from freezing temps over night, to a brisk frosty morning, to some rain, then back to some sun, and then maybe have some snow before the evening is done... just, depending on how the weather systems blow through.

Anyway, so I scrolled through my Facebook feed and saw various posts from friends who live in some of the outskirts at a little higher elevations about the snow they'd gotten.  So I turned on the TV to the news for awhile, which was of course, buzzing about how the storm really had dropped snow all over the county in various locations down to almost those at about 1000 feet elevation.  

My little town sits, depending on where you are at about 500 feet.  Now of course, if you've ever read anything I've written about running around here, you'd know that it is pretty hilly too, but I think locally we don't get more than 100-200 feet up or down either way.  So no luck for us.

In any case, I was sort of itching to get out and go find some snow to play in for me and the kids.

The trouble was, Matt was at work.  

Forget the part about how taking all three of the kids anywhere to have fun by myself is problematic.

I just wasn't entirely sure where to go.  Sure I could name the places where they had snow, but I hadn't ever been to any of them.  I didn't want to get lost or stuck someplace.

OH but it was New Years Eve.  What with it being a holiday, and all the "crazy" weather he cut his day short and came home early.  Loads of his coworkers had already taken the day off and even more hadn't made it in at all because of the bad weather.

But one guy had made it in from a town just north of here.  I town right up the 15 freeway, not too much further up than where we usually go to visit the pumpkin patch.  A town, we frequently stop in for food or gas when we are driving that way, where they'd gotten a good few inches of snow and it had stuck!

When Matt got home, before lunch time even, it took us all of about 35 seconds to decide we were going.

Who knew what we would find.  

Who knew even, specifically where we would end up, or if the snow would melt before we got there.  

But snow this close was just too tempting NOT to take the kids to try and find.

Peter had been home with us to Ohio for his first 2 Christmases and had "played" briefly in the snow both years.  A.J. had been home for her first Christmas (Peter's second) and had gone "out" in the snow to play with us.  But she had been between 3 and 4 weeks old.  She'd been tightly wrapped up in warm clothes and snuggled into the baby carrier inside Matt's or my jacket asleep.  It isn't like she'd enjoyed it.  

Lucy of course, had never been anywhere near snow.

We couldn't resist.

The plan was to drive up and see what we could find.  Then we'd go to the big mall there that was sure to offer some good choices for lunch.  That way, if the snow turned out to be a bust and melted or we couldn't find any, the kids wouldn't feel let down.  

We didn't really tell them where we were going.  Just in case.

It wasn't long at all after we got on the freeway heading North before we could see the mountains in the distance all white and snow covered.  Seriously, we probably weren't even out of town before we could see it.

And the further north we headed, the better our view of the snow in the mountains got.

Soon, right around the time we were nearing the town limits of the place Matt's coworker lived, we exited off because the snow covered hills were suddenly looking much closer.

We drove around a bit, trying to find a road that led us up in to the mountains.  Our first attempts led to a bunch of dead ends.

But when we turned around and tried the other way, we quickly found ourselves moving upward into the steep hills that ran parallel to the highway.  Soon enough, snow covered most of the ground alongside the roads.

And, the part of me that grew up with snow as a frequent occurrence, feels kind of dumb admitting this, but I got very excited.  

Also, it's silly because Big Bear and all those snow resorts are only about another hour's drive away from where we were.  Before the kids, I used to go up all the time to snowboard.  I actually used to say how so Cal was SO great because you got warm weather year around but if you wanted, you could easily drive up to the mountains and see the snow in the winter any time you want.

We really should plan a trip actually....

Anyway, soon enough, any time there was room to pull over along the side of the road, there were cars parked and people were out playing.  It was like, anywhere there was a little bit of open space people were taking advantage and using it.  We drove on for awhile, looking for a little place for us.  

Soon we found a place.  There was another family parked there and playing but they left as soon as we pulled in.  I felt bad about that.  We would have happily shared, but they left and that was that.  It was basically a big turn around on the side of the road.  It was flat in either direction for a couple dozen yards and then it got hilly again with lots of small trees and bushes and things.  It wasn't much, and it was a bit muddy in the turnaround area where other cars had already been, but there was also lots of space and snow for the kids to play, and we were back away from the road enough, that I didn't have to worry about them getting hit.

We piled out.

Peter and A.J. by that point had kind of figured out what we were up to.

Except of course, none of them had really played in the snow before (at least not since before Peter was 2) so it wasn't like any of them really even knew what to do.

We all got out.  I grabbed the camera, which, let's be honest, I'd grabbed on purpose to be sure to commemorate these special occasion.

This was Lucy's first time in the snow for sure.  And the first time any of them would remember playing in the snow.  Don't act like you're surprised I took about a hundred pictures of it.

Peter and A.J. jumped out of the car immediately and started stomping around in the snow grinning and giggling with joy.  Lucy of course, had to be let out of her seat and Matt deposited her there on her feet next to her siblings and she stood there, happily, but very unsure.  I don't think she moved her feet for a good several minutes.

After I had my first photos of them all together, we told them to go ahead and play.

After a moment, they understood that they could touch it and make snowballs and things.  All the things they'd seen kids do with snow on movies and TV shows I guess.

Peter and A.J. leaned over.  Lucy just stood there and watched.

Have you seen Big Hero 6?

First of all, I've seen it twice, which is really saying something because I've been to a movie theater exactly twice in the last 3 years, and both times I watched Big Hero 6.  I just love Baymax that much.

And as random as that last bit seems, I do have a point, and it is that Lucy reminded me so much of Baymax toddling around in that snow.  If you haven't seen the movie, I can't really explain it, other than the fact that Baymax is a big, rubber inflated robot that walks around kind of tentatively all the time.

Lucy moved just like that.

I don't know if she was cold or confused or afraid of falling or what, but she was so cute toddling around in the snow.

Keep in mind please, that she's been walking for a good 4 months or more so normally she's really very steady and quick on her feet.  Just not in the snow apparently.

The bigger kids and Matt engaged in a snow ball fight for awhile.  I took pictures.

The real trouble was that it actually was pretty cold.  I'd say maybe about 40 degrees at best.  The snow wasn't melting much at all, so it might have been colder than that.   And while we'd dressed the kids as warmly as we could, they don't exactly have cold weather gear at all.  

Nobody had gloves.  

Lucy had a warm coat (a light winter coat actually, that was a hand me down from A.J. that I bought her when we were visiting Ohio when she was around a year old and Fall started to set in.)  She had a hat because my friend likes to crochet baby hats and gives me loads of them.  

Peter had his school coat which is thick sweatshirty material on the inside, and a thick water resistant material on the outside.  It's almost NEVER cold enough to wear that coat to school and the only reason we even have one is because I bought all his uniforms from a friend who moved last year and she had it.  

A.J. at that point, barely had any jeans that fit.  I think she was wearing a pair of overalls which I thought were cute last year but had only been available in the bigger size.  She had on a thick fleece lined hoody that she always normlly refuses to wear because it's too hot.  

Also, my goodness how I'd forgotten that jeans are the worst ever material for playing in the snow.  

All three of them were basically wearing jeans and they were all soaked within minutes.

But it wasn't like this was going to happen again any time soon so they sucked it up and played on.

I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to suggest snow angels.  Really it only got them all more wet.  But they did them anyway.

Well, not Lucy,  She just went on standing there looking around and watching everybody.

I don't think A.J. much enjoyed this part.

 Peter and A.J. ran around.

I took pictures for awhile then handed Matt the camera to ensure I was in some too.

Lucy was getting whiny so I tried handing her a snowball.

She seemed interested enough and even threw it at her brother eventually.

But then she went on whining so Matt assumed she was cold or tired and tried taking her back to the car.  She went from whining to a full blown hissy fit at the car so Matt put her back down in the snow again.  

She stopped whining immediately and went back to walking around slowly like Baymax.  

I guess that was what she wanted.

After awhile, the kids were all soaked and started complaining that they were cold and it was time to wrap up our little snow adventure.  I don't know how long it had lasted.  Maybe about a half hour.  I was sad to see it come to an end.

We loaded the kids in the car, tucked them in their seats under some blankets and pumped up the heater to try to dry them off and we headed off towards the mall to find lunch.

Up the road a bit we passed a big golf course.  It was somewhat crowded with snow players as well and snowman were scattered here and there left behind from other families just like us no doubt.

The kids already started begging to come back and play again later but we reminded them they were cold and we needed to get lunch.

We wound up getting lunch at the food court of the mall and then explored the mall for a little while, before eventually heading home for the night.  We never did make it back out to play because the afternoon passed quickly and we wanted to make it home before dark.

Late that evening, as I was helping A.J. get into her pajamas before bed she asked me sweetly if we could go back and play in the snow again another time.  I told her maybe and that we would see because I couldn't bring myself to tell her no.

It broke my heart.  She'd been so happy playing in the snow.  I wished I could make it snow for her all over again so we really could go and play some more.

But that had been the whole point hadn't it?  It doesn't SNOW here, or that close to here often. Almost never in fact.  

I'm sure glad we'd gotten to make that memory with the kids.  

And to be sure, we'll have to see about taking some trips to the snow somewhere, sometime, again, soon.  

Just in Case You Ever Wonder...

Dear Peter, A.J. and Lucy,

I know that I don't write as many of these sorts of letters as I used to and I really am sorry for that. Everybody warned me that this would happen as I went along in this parenting journey, and despite my best efforts, "everybody" was right. There just isn't as much time to blog about all the teeny tiny moments of parenting with 3 of you, and also with a job. Goodness, that job.  Part time and it is still kicking my behind.

But that doesn't mean I don't really wish I had the time.  There have been hundreds of posts written in my head about the things you 3 do that just never got typed. And that stinks.  It really does.

In any case, I got some really, truly terrible news a few weeks back about a friend. It isn't really any of my business, my friend's tragedy. It doesn't actually affect any of us directly at all.  Our lives can, in almost every way that matters, go on untouched.  Except that... I actually can't.  What happened to my friend is just so heart breaking.  My soul hurts for her.  I wish that there was some way I could undo it all for her, because really, it's the kind of thing you never ever want to happen to anybody.

But it did.

And I am forever changed a little bit by having heard of it.

Guys, when you get older.... actually, when you are older, old enough to be reading this for sure anyway, you will sometimes hear of tragic things. Bad things happen every day to good people. That's just the way of the world.  Quite frankly, that part of life just sucks sometimes.  It's not up to us, here on Earth, to know why these things happen.  God has a plan and we just have to live it, no matter how hard it is.  The truth be told, if I could, finding out this reality, about how  much the world sucks is one of the parts of life I wish I could protect you from the most.  I don't want you to learn of heartbreak.  I don't want you to learn about tragedy.  I don't want you ever to learn about the horrible parts of this world.

But I can't.

The bad stuff happens and, learning how to cope with that is, in my opinion, one of the ways you learn to live in this world.  To survive, become a grown up, perhaps.

And, for whatever it's worth, my advice to you three, is that whenever you hear of the horrible stuff, the first thing you should do.... after your cry and throw stuff and pray or whatever your natural physical reaction of shock is.... is that you take STOCK in what you have.  Count your blessings.  EVERY SINGLE ONE.

I mean, I try to teach you all to be thankful for what we have all the time.

But let's be real.  I know that doesn't always happen.  As humans, living in the world as it is today, it is easy to get selfish and want more stuff.  It is easy to be jealous of what others have.  It is easy to get frustrated with what you have.  It is easy to be ungrateful.  That stinks to admit, but it's the truth.

That day, a couple of weeks back, when I heard of horrible news, I was having a day just like that.  I'm ashamed to admit that, but it's the truth.  I was going about my day feeling tired and foul and sick and cranky.  You three kids were pushing my every last button and I was angry.  Grumpy.  Horrible.

And then.... then I heard about my friend, who in a way, lost everything.

I mean, obviously not everything, because she still has lots of blessings.   Yet...she announced her HORRIBLE news and then praised God in spite of it all.  She reminded us all that even in the midst of her most real heartbreak, she had lots to be thankful for.

Wow.

Let me just tell you, it hit me like a bolt of lightening.

I am so, so, SO stinking blessed.  I have so much to be thankful for, and even on my very worst days, even on YOUR very worst days, I need to remember that.

So, to begin with my 3 little ones.... this is the first thing I want to tell you.  I NEED you to learn this lesson kids.  It took me a long time to learn it myself.  And I'm sure, actually, it won't be as simple as just heeding your mother's advice for you either.  Some lessons just need to be learned the hard way. But kids, listen to your mother. PLEASE, and try to learn this lesson, sooner rather than later if possible.

A.  When tragic things happen, try to take stock and be grateful for what is good.  Count your blessings and move forward with whatever you do have, thankfully.

Also.... and this one is kind of off the topic, but while I'm thinking of it.... there's something else I really want you to know.  Again, I just don't know if this is something either of you will be able to figure out for yourselves just based on my advice.  I think it's probably going to take each of you quite a lot of heart ache and mistakes and pain to learn this lesson.  I sure know it took me a LONG time and a lot of lost friendships and ego swallowing to learn this lesson but look, let me just tell you....

(Quite frankly I can think of quite few grown ups I know who STILL could benefit from learning this lesson.)

B.  When there's a problem, or conflict, or whatever, just apologize.

Nobody ever got anywhere in this life by stubbornly digging in and refusing to admit they were wrong.  Honestly children, in most arguments, nobody is ever totally 100% right or wrong.  Usually, both parties are wrong to some degree, I promise.  So when it comes to it guys, even though it might suck to admit you were wrong, just take the first step, be the bigger person, and apologize.

Just do it.

Life is too short to spend all that time in conflict.

Trust me, I spent way too much time in my past having conflicts.

I'm certainly not telling you to lie if you don't actually feel sorry.  But what I've found is that when you suck it up and put your pride aside and just reach out asking for forgiveness, you'll realize you really are sorry.  Maybe you really don't think you did anything wrong, but you still hurt the person anyway and you can feel sorry for that until the rest of your heart catches up. Maybe in the process, you'll learn about being a better person yourself.

Oh.

But do be careful.

It can be tricky, when you're in the moment and mad and frustrated to do this.  It can be easy to make a false apology that SOUNDS like one but really isn't.  Does that make sense?  Probably not.  But do me a favor.... just try really hard not to put the blame on the other person when you apologize.  As in "I'm sorry you feel that way."  Ugh.  If ever there were 6 words that make my heart ache more.

That's not an apology.

That's putting everything back on the the person, and basically blaming them for getting their feelings hurt.

Gross.

Don't be that person kids.  Please?

Just say your sorry.  In the very least, I hope you are never going around hurting other people's feeling on purpose.  And so, not matter WHAT the argument, just be sorry.

You're never without blame.  I promise.

And maybe the other person really was WAY more wrong than you.  Still.  Suck up and be the bigger person and apologize anyway.

I promise, it will help.

And I hope, that the people of the other side can learn something from you as you always take the bold leap of admitting fault.

Okay?

Don't be a pushover now but learn to be sorry and admit it.



I'm off topic.


I don't know where I'm going with this anymore.

I wonder if any of you are even still reading.

This is what happens when I think about something for too long before I actually sit down and write it.



So anyway, there you have 2 life lessons that I really wish I could teach you TODAY.  Probably my advice won't have much bearing on your life for years and years and years.  But hopefully, you will learn sooner, rather than later, like I did.



Anyway.

Do me a favor, if you're still here and listen (read) for a couple more moments.

There are a few more little things I want to make sure you know.  Getting back to my original title of this post.

Going back to my feelings when I first started writing this.

When life is hard, or bad things happen, please know this.  Even if everything looks bad, really, really bad, I have a few things for you to KNOW that I hope you can always be grateful for.


Just in case you ever wonder.... each of you.... I can promise you the following is 100% true:


1.  You were each wanted.  We got each of you in God's time, that's for sure.  But when it came time, I need you each to know, we were praying for you.  We begged God for you.  Not one of you happened on accident.  God planned you, and you were each an answer to our prayers.  Period.

2.  You are each loved, completely, JUST AS YOU ARE.  Your father and I love you, accept you and value what makes each of you unique.  I'm sure that a lot of times, as you've been growing up and learning about this world, that is has seemed like we are trying to change you, but we're not.  Not really.  We're just trying to teach each of you how to be successful in this world.  We just want the best for each of you.  We want to help each of you to be the best version of yourself possible.

3.  Your Father and I, we love each other. Sorry guys.  I know kids usually hate to hear that kind of mushy nonsense.  But I just want to make sure you know.  You were each born to parents who really, really love and respect each other.

Really. A lot.

Anyway, even when we disagree, or if we fight in front of you on accident, just know that we love each other.

I can't certainly speak for Daddy, but I can promise you, Mommy is never going to give up on Daddy. Ever.  He completes me.  He is my one and only.  He was my family when I didn't have anybody else and if I didn't have him, I wouldn't have any of you.

So you 3 can just rest easy, when all else fails, with the knowledge that Mommy and Daddy love each other and we will always fight to keep our family together.

(It's really, really scary saying that.  It feels too bold and sure.  I just pray that God will help Daddy and  me to keep this promise as long as we live.)


and finally....


4.  I kind of already made this point up in number 2.  But for the sake of clarity, let me reiterate:

Mommy and Daddy want the very best for each of you.  

I know that we can't live your lives for you.  I know that you are each in control and you will make whatever choices you decide.  But, as long as we are your parents, we will always want the best for you.  We will do everything in our power to try to guide you to the best possible choices.  We might not always know best.  We might not always do the right thing ourselves.  But I PROMISE you, everything we do for you is done prayerfully, trying to help you to have the very best lives possible.



I used to think that the best thing that ever happened to me was your Daddy.

But then you 3 came along.



So just know this okay?

It seems like kind of a lot.

And kids kind of hate listening to their parents, I know.

But here it is:


I love YOU Peter.

I love YOU Abigail Jane.

I love YOU Elizabeth Lucille.



Always, eternally, with every fiber of my being, I love you three.

Mommy :)

Merry Christmas!

As normal, Matt was up early.  Earlier than me and the kids, that's for sure.  He got up, made the coffee, poured himself a cup, let the dogs out and settled down on the couch to watch the news until the kids got up.

I didn't hear him get up of course.  The sound of Peter jumping down from the top bunk in their room next door, padding across his bedroom floor and popping open the door to his bedroom crept into my ears, interrupted my dreams and prodded at my sleeping mind until I realized I too needed to get up too lest I miss all his Christmas excitement.  It was right around 6:45 am, which, unsurprisingly, is what time I regularly wake him up for school.  

I pried open my eyes.  

I didn't hear anything.  

Had I imagined it?  Was Peter really up?

A.J.?

Lucy?  

No, Lucy wouldn't be up.  She can't get out of her crib on her own.  Duh, and there was not crying.

Why didn't Matt come get me?  Every other year he'd headed the kids off before they got to the living room and made them come get me first.

I blinked in the grey dim light of my room.  Where the heck were my glasses?  When I found them I grabbed the camera too.  I pulled the battery off the charger, stuck it in the back of the camera and checked the photo card.  Good.  All set, let's do this.

I went out to the living room, expecting... I don't know what exactly, but nothing like what I found.

Matt was on the couch sipping a cup of coffee.  He might have had his laptop on his lap. (I'm not sure.)  Peter, clad in his blindingly green fuzzy Santa Claus pajamas was laying on the couch and the coffee table (like a bridge, connecting the two) beside him.  

What.  The.  Heck.  

???

Neither of them seemed to notice me at all when came out until I basically announced myself and asked what was going on?

And see, the really weird part was that our Christmas tree was at the en of the hallway this year.  Basically it was sitting there in this weird limbo area that is part our entrance/ mudroom, part the end of the hallway.  It's actually kind of the most unusable space on Earth.  We moved this big trunk/bench thing that usually sits there and put the tree in it's place this year so that it would be outside of the gated-off baby containment area of our regular living room.  It just seemed easier that fighting with Lucy all month to keep her off the Christmas Tree.  

So like... seriously.... you had to walk right past, nay, AROUND, our Christmas tree to get from the bedrooms to our living room.  

How in the same HILL had Peter just calmly headed into the living room on Christmas morning and not seen or reacted to the PILE of gifts underneath it?

What?  Suddenly at the ripe old age of 5 and almost a half (one week shy) years old he develops calmness and restraint and he doesn't FLIP out on Christmas morning?  

OH. EM. GEE.

My mind spins.

Not to worry.  After a moment, I asked him what was going on and he jumped up to tell me that Santa had come.  "See Mommy?  Look at all these presents!  These are for me, and those are for Lucy and this pile is for A.J."  He showed me around the tree.

That was better then.

Clearly we needed to go get the girls.  Peter tumbled back to his room and started yelling at A.J. to get up.  Matt went to get Lucy up and I perched myself at the ready with my camera.

Peter came back out first.

A.J. came out behind him. 

The older two jumped up and down, pointing excitedly at the pile of presents.  I sent them back to go find Lucy.

Peter came back, leading her by the arm.

Her eyes were barely open, she still had her pacy tight in her mouth, and her
bunny clutched tightly in her hand and she seemed foggy and unsure.

A moment or two went by.  The twinkling lights on the tree, reflecting on all the shiny wrapping paper seemed to wake her the rest of the way and before we knew it she was diving in.

I stepped in and asked everyone to hang on.  First, I needed my Christmas morning picture.  They looked at me with frustration, but Peter and A.J. sat down quickly, wanting to just get it over with.  Matt wrangled Lucy and plopped her down on her brother's lap.  He held on tightly to her so she couldn't escape and prolong the pictures.  

CHEEEEEESE!

At my okay the three of them popped up, vibrating.  "STOCKINGS!" Matt and I both shouted before they could grab anything else.  We helped them each dig into theirs and find the small treasures inside.

A.J. had a hula hoop and an Elsa and Anna "Frozen" blanket, outside and a Frozen puzzle inside.

Lucy, who'd already tried to go get her shoes to put on, as if we had some
place to be, started pulling little V-Tech animals from hers.

A.J. also had a little necklace with an A charm and a J charm.

Lucy also had an Olaf blanket.

A.J. had a rubber Wolf figurine and Peter had a Lego mini figure.

Along with her blanket and animals, Lucy also had some Little Mermaid Little People.

A.J. had to give her hula hoop a try.  She's really close to actually getting it.

Peter had a bunch of Matchbox cars too, an Avengers puzzle and a How to Train Your Dragon ornaments.  A.J. had a Lego mini figure and a small Lego Friends set as well.  For some reason I didn't get pictures to indicate any of that though.

Next, it was time to torture the children.  How cruel of us, after all, to insist that they eat some breakfast?  And Gramma's home made cinnamon rolls at that!  Parents can be so awful sometimes.

When they were finished complaining picking at their food, we finally let them get started on their gifts.  

Peter got his open first, it was a Marble Run building set from his Grandparents.

Lucy got an interactive Tea Set from Santa Claus.

From Santa, A.J. got an interactive Vet set with a "sick" stuffed puppy to care for.

She says she's going to be an animal scientist some day (think, Wild Kratts.)  I still kind of think she'll be a vet.
They're sort of the same thing, technically, if you think about it....

We moved on to round 2.

Peter got a Lego Juniors race car set from his Aunt and Uncle.

A.J. got a Barbie and Horse riding set from her Aunt and Uncle.

Then, lest you think I kept track of the whole  morning and got pictures of everything, let me assure you I did not.

It all got crazy pretty fast.

Here is what I did get pictures of.  (Haha.)

Peter opening the other part of his Marble run set, and Lucy finding a couple of Little People Disneyland accessories.  She had three little accessory sets like these from her Grandparents.

.

See?  It's a Donald duck and stuff....

A.J. opening another gift.  She was fairly quiet the whole morning.
She wanted to study each new toy for awhile before moving on.
I kind of love that she was so content about the whole thing.  Not greedy or demanding, just happy.

Peter with his new Hot Wheels race track set which was his biggest gift from Santa.

Lucy opening her largest gift from Santa.

Under the paper she found this Fisher Price interactive toy chair.  Every time she saw a commercial for it on
TV she became very, very interested.  She seemed extra super happy to have one appear at her house.

A.J. got a Barbie set where there are jumping/swimming puppies.  

Do you see a trend with her yet?  Animals (mostly dogs and horses) and Barbies.  Yeah.....  She's as much herself as ever.  Always very single minded and focused on what she likes best.

A.J.'s next gift (kept on theme and) turned out to be a large stuffed horse from her Grandparents..

Lucy had her obligatory fascination with an empty box for awhile.

AJ. opening a gift from Matt's Aunt Carol and Uncle Jim. 

Peter got another Lego set, this time a Batman one, from Santa.

Lucy got a Baby doll from her Aunt and Uncle.

Here's Lucy checking out one of her Disney toys in front of her pile of new toys.

The kids and I got Matt a Jelly Bean machine.

Peter got me some chocolates and another coffee mug.  A.J. gave me a ceramic angel ornament.  And Matt helped Lucy give me a new picture frame with 3 openings.

Peter thought he was very funny decorating himself with bows.

Here's the mandatory picture of the Christmas morning after-present mess.
Really, it wasn't too bad this year.   Matt is getting started putting together Lucy's toy chair.

Here's Peter watching Lucy drive his toy steering wheel thing from Matt's Aunt Carol and Uncle Jim.
(Matt had left the chair for a moment, to find batteries.) 

Lucy was super mad when he came back to put the batteries in.

SUPER mad.  Give me back my chair!!!!!

A.J. (who seems to b surrounded by the bulk of the torn up wrapping paper)
worked on getting out her toy horse first.

Before long, Matt and Peter moved into the kitchen to get out the marble run.  (Lucy is too little to be trusted around all the tiny marbles.)

The dogs got gifts too.  Rawhide candy canes.  (Brutus wouldn't let me get a picture.)

Lucy enjoyed some snuggles with her Dad.

And when he had to get up to work on fixing dinner, she snuggled by herself in her chair.

The marble run set drew A.J. in soon as well.

Not to worry, Lucy and I played Disneylan little people.  

Not that there are any picture of me to prove it....

I actually spent most of my time (when I wasn't taking pictures) trying to organize the madness.  I sorted out the recycling and trash from the wrapping.  I helped the kids open and assemble their toys and then sorted out the plastic and cardboard trash from each package.  Matt did most of the more complex assembly of course, and also kept disappearing to the kitchen to work on dinner, between rounds of play with the kids.

Lucy also got a whole play set track thing to go with her v-tech animals.  When we got that out and put together, all the kids enjoyed playing with it.

Lucy also got a little Fisher Price doctor's bag from Matt's Aunt Carol and Uncle Jim.
She LOVES it because it sings about a a dozen songs. and she can dance around and
stomp her little feet to the music.

Gosh.  This is seeming like Christmas morning was going on forever.

And it really didn't.  I mean, it wasn't like it started too terribly early or anything.  I guess the present opening part just gt finished fairly quickly this year, so the assembly portion of the day got started sooner and dragged on and on.

Matt getting ready to put in the Roast Beast (Prime Rib.)

Peter with his marble run again.

The TV had been on the entire morning so far, although I have no idea why since nobody was watching it, other than the fact that Matt had it on when the kids got up.  It played The Christmas Story for awhile before Matt changed the channel.  About the time the kids finished unwrapping their gifts he switched it to watch Here Comes Santa Claus and The Year Without a Santa Claus for awhile until those both ended and we settled on Home Alone.

The thing is, I think I saw that movie all the way through once, maybe the year it came out on VHS and never had seen it again since.  Honestly, I don't even remember sitting down to even watch parts of it.  Yet one of my best friends LOVES that movie so I decided that this year would be a good time to give it another shot.

I mean, I didn't pay super close attention what with all the new Christmas toys and everything, but I could at least tell you the major plot points this time and we did make it all the way through.  

Haha.

Lucy snuggling with her Dad and watching the movie.

It was a nice morning.  Eventually, our early (like basically lunch time) dinner feast was ready.  

Matt cutting up the meet to help it get cooked through a bit more.

And that was basically it.  We spent the rest of the relaxing and hanging out together as a family.

There isn't one picture of me from that day.

Oops.

Good job MATT.

To remedy this situation, he did grab the camera the next day or so and snap these few of me playing on my phone with Lucy.

So I guess that's something.

Merry Christmas everyone!