A Productive weekend

 We finally got the Christmas trees all taken down, and put away.   And when we had to vacuum up the carnage, Ahsoka disagreed with the process.  She wanted to attack the Vacuum. 

An Attack Dog! 

Ahsoka would bring her stick over to the vacuum, arguing between showing the stick to the vacuum and wanting to Get It. 

She's not used to us cleaning, I guess. 

She cracks us up. 

Given how hard the kids had to work on things like cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, finding Joy in a vacuum attack dog was the high point of our day. 

Merry Christmas!

359/365

Merry Christmas! 

Beauty under the Blue Tree.

This year Eric set up all the Boys' trains upstairs in the loft.  

It's a little tight up there, but in the dawn light this morning, it was Beautiful. 

The kids woke up at a reasonable hour, 7:30. 

We woke to the sounds of the phone ringing, it was crank caller, twice they called back to back, someone foreign kept saying Hallo Hallo.  Finally, I took the phone off the hook, but the two younger boys and I gave up.  We were up to stay.  

In addition, there was some sort of critter making skittering noises above my bed.  At first I thought it was coming from behind me, birds like to build nests above our posts, and they like  try to get up under the soffits, or into the attic.  It wasn't a case of the soffits.  The boys came to me with this crazy idea,  the bird was in the wall by the linen closet. It sounded wacky. But nope. They were right. There's a Bird in the freaking wall. He's been fluttering around all day. And that was enough to wake us fully.  

Some people may have been up late. 

Santa brought lots of Goodies to the boys. 

But we got a hold of some dressers for Jacob.  He really only needed one, an adult size one, but these pair came for the right price... Free. 

The Living Room on Christmas morning. 

I'm proud the boys waited for Chris to get up before attacking. Though with the bird, the dog, the phone, he didn't get to sleep in much. 

By 8, they were Ready to open presents. 

Jacob got a pineapple squishmallow. 

It was going to be a no toy year from us, but we can't fight Santa. 

And Santa brought squishmallows. 

Sam loved his sloth squishmallow. 

Chris never would have asked for a stuffie for Christmas, I mean, come on, he's 16.  

But these little guys are precious and so soft. 

Even this teen was happy. 

Oh yes, Sam was so excited to get a new (to him) phone! 

Jacob gets a new (to him) ipad... even with his old yellow ipad cover!

Chris was happy to see a new phone under the tree. 

It's the only thing he asked for. 

Once they opened their screens, they didn't want to do much else... for the day.  

I think this is almost my favorite picture, it sums up our morning pretty well. ;) 

Eric was surprised by this double waffle bowl maker.  

  He'd bookmarked it, but I don't think he ever expected to see that one.  I loved being able to totally surprise him. He did a wonderful job of surprising me for Christmas. I knew a phone was coming... because the kids now have ours. We didn't need new phones, but they did.  My computer mouse on the other hand was dying. I didn't realize how badly until I was working on our Christmas letter with Eric, and he sat down to make some corrections and lost his mind.  I mentioned how I wouldn't mind having a new computer, and moving this carnage back into the loft, because the kids have been using the computer in my craft room, and trashing my space. I wished they could have their own space to trash. 

Eric brushed me off, with the completely logical argument of how it would be too expensive to get pieces, especially since we'd just taken a major trip.  But he Surprised the snot out of me. He got me a  new monitor and the beginning guts of a new computer, and while I napped this afternoon, (with earplugs) he moved it around, and set the kids back up in the loft. Facebook got very angry at me for getting a new computer and a new phone on the same day and has completely locked me out. 

But I find I don't mind.... maybe I'll finally get to catch up on Blogging. Ha. 

Meanwhile, it's a Very Butler Holiday.  

Santa brought tickets to a Butler Basketball Game for this coming week! 

Oh yes, and we got the kids some new fun T-shirts. 

Jacob had asked for a new Hamilton shirt because he'd outgrown his. 

All the boys are growing, and this was a get new T-shirts sort of Christmas. 

Chris got a couple Hamilton shirts too. 

Sam's is more Science based. 

You know how we said it was going to be a No Toy year. 

Yeah well, Santa didn't do so well at that.  We found a Green Lantern Lego Buildable Figure which they don't make anymore. So Jacob got Lego toys. But he's 8.  

He was pretty happy about that.  We may waffle around on how it's been a hard year and a good year, but I'm a sucker for one of his smiles.  Legos make him smile.  

Doesn't this look like Green Lantern lighting the top of the Christmas Tree! 

I thought so too. 

Eric made Pumpkin Rolls and Christmas Bacon. 

Christmas Bacon is a Willman recipe from Aunt Betty, and it's Amazing. It usually takes forever, but he made it yesterday, so he just needed to heat it back up a smidge. 

The rolls came from the new Aldi in town. Sam doesn't usually get to eat such things, because a lot of pumpkin stuff gets stuffed with Red 40. When we found these rolls with No Red 40, we snapped them up.  They tasted very pumpkiny, like real pumpkin pie.  Delicious!  

We had this sugary breakfast, and a cheese snack for lunch, so we'd be hungry for dinner. 

Oma puts on a beautiful spread, so we wanted to save room. 

Ahsoka got some toys for Christmas too! 

She got a new Kong bone. She pranced around the house with her new goodies. I hope they last more than a couple days. 

She got a Christmas colored rope bone, and though she isn't as familiar with playing Tug, she's learning. ;)

Ahsoka got a stuffed Darth Vader toy. 

I don't care if she destroys it tomorrow, it cracked me up! 

Trains by Daylight. 

They still look Awesome. 

We never got around to turning them on today, we'll try tomorrow. 

For boys who "don't need stuffies" , these three were having quite the adventures with their new ones this afternoon.  They didn't really put them down. They are heckuva cute! 

We got to Opa's for Christmas, and all my Boyz curled up on the couch together. 

Everyone was getting along so well. 

Annie and Charlie were getting along so sweetly that I just wanted to record it for my sister  Lisa to show her later. 

The Spread. 

I've waited almost two years for the full MB Christmas dinner! 

We missed it so much last year. By the time we were done eating tonight, we were perfectly content with a delicious meal and good company. 

Grandma Pat's tree. 

We could feel Grandma Pat today.  She loved it when we were all together, all the laughter and noise. 

I miss her.  She was the kind of Grandma everyone wants and should have.  

I passed by this tree on my way outside to take pics of the kids. 

It was 60 degrees out this evening, and that's a rare Christmas gift. 

I suppose some (Sam, Eric, and I) would've been happier with a White Christmas, but it was nice.

Sweetboys by the Tree. 

It was so nice, the kids got their energy up, so we sent them outside to play. 

I made them pose for a sweet pic first. 

But this is how they normally roll. 

Cuckoo! 

But wait... there's More! 

I'd have been content with going on home after an amazing dinner, and spending time with my family. 

Lisa, James, and Charlie got Covid a couple weeks ago, and it just felt so good that they were healthy, that we are all healthy and able to get together. 

Such Blessings! 

Panorama of Christmas Prep.  

My Dad and Stepmom are so generous. 

Annie and Sam get crazy with the Colts hats! 

Sam models 3 hats all at the same time. 

My sister open this, and both she and Annie at the same time, said 

Awwww.....

it was so funny. 

Jacob stacked up his hats all on top of each other too. :D 

And then it was done. 

Frantic for a half an hour, we all watch the kids open their things. 

Then we got to sit back and watch MB open her stuff.  

Lisa and James put this beautiful picture collage together for Dad and MB. 

They were surprised.  There were some really great pics that made us laugh here from the last year. 

I told James I wouldn't put this on the internet. 

I fibbed. 

Honestly though, I don't even think anyone reads this blog anymore.  Let me know if you do. 

But this one was Awesome.  

James received this beautiful leather case from Dad and MB, because not only was this  Christmas, but James just finished school.  You're looking at a man who is going to be a Teacher! 

He just finished his last finals. 

Ah so... 

Now the Student becomes the Teacher. 

So he gifted us all with a fashion show with it, visions of what it will look like when he goes to work in 2022!

What a Beautiful note to end on. 

My new phone gets artsy with photography, it took a tree photo I took and created a black and white. 

Kind of nice, and good to document and freeze this moment. 

It was wonderful to be back having an almost regular Christmas. 

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas too. 

A Happily Busy Christmas Eve

 358/365

Happy Christmas!  As my British friends say.  

We were so Blessed today, to be able to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with Eric's family.  We have been doing this for years, but last year, we didn't get a chance to, we did our own thing last year, Zooming with Family, and Zooming our Church service.  

This year, was refreshing, because we got to get together with the Fam again. 

We brought things to put on a snacking spread. Eric found a Serrano Ham from Costco.  It's supposed to be a great dried ham.  But when he cut it, it was hard to cut, it was supposed to be put on a rack, it didn't work out.  Instead, the screws were stripped, and Eric took a chunk out of his finger with the knife. Mom made a joke about how many Willmans it takes to cut a ham, because at one point there were 4 trying to mess with the dern thing.  It made us laugh.  We thought it would be awkward being there with Dad being sick and all. But Dad made it, curled up in the corner and napped... much like some years when there's a football game, so it was very similar.  He felt up to making jokes and engaging with all of us, so it was pretty great. 

Before the kids all began to eat, and possible drop food on themselves, we got them to hold still for a picture for Grandma and Grandpa on the stairs.  

We let them make a silly shot too. 

Alexis' boyfriend Gio suggested they make peace signs, and that made everyone laugh.  It was Good. 

The little kid table...where the kids don't look so little. 

Kaylee wants to be an exotic vet, and she's well on her way. 

She introduced me to her pet rat Winnie (like Pooh, not Winifred). 

Winnie was precious. 

Then she brought down Casey, her bearded dragon.

Casey didn't like me.  She gave me the stink eye, and only let me pet one way with a finger, if I didn't touch just so, she twitched.  I apparently need more lizard practice.  She's beautiful though, those eyes were hypnotizing. 

Lexi showed us some of her Art Projects from school. 

She's really been developing her Gifts. 

This was a project made from an old copy of The Wizard of Oz. 

She painted and made collage from the pages, it was really neat. 

The kids were ready to open! 

The kids had shown great patience, but when they were ready, they barely waited to take turns. 

Cole hugs his new Nerf gun. 

He also yelled, "Bryce, you're going down!"  

He cracked me up! 

Bryce didn't even get through opening his present before turning to his brother and yelling, "No Cole, You're Going Down!" 

We got Alexis with this giant long box. She had no clue. I was a bit nervous. 

A couple years ago, we'd gotten a foam ax for Jeremiah, and she said, "I wish I had a sword". We made a mental note, and Alexis didnt' sent us a list this year, so it was perfect to give her the foam swords for Christmas.  She was so surprised!  

Alexis and Gio immediately started to spar a bit. She really liked the turquoise one.  So did I. 

Jeremiah got excited about his Minecraft Lego set. 

Sam knew that's one he needed, and that he would like.  

Good call! 

Panorama shot of the whole fam recovering. 

Kaylee gave her Kirby backpack a try right off the bat.  It's so snuggly soft. 

The boys brought their music so they could play piano for Grandma and Grandpa. 

They sounded good, but I was chatting with my sister in law when they performed so I didn't get videos. Another time. 

Meanwhile, Cole has been taking piano lessons too, and he snagged Jacob's music, and sight read for Frosty the Snowman.  He did a great job.  It helps to have a helpful cousin. 

We play an epic battle of Mexican Dominoes. 

It was so normal to play games. I just loved it.  Cole was so excited.  He didn't win every round, but he tried. Bryce tagged out, and Chris took his place, but I didn't get a picture of him.  

We had three rounds of relaxing fun. 

Unbeknownst to me, at the same time we were playing, up in Marion, the extended fam was also playing dominos. <3

I found out later from FB pics. 

This year we stayed home and Zoomed Church again. 

Pastor was out sick, and we didn't want to take any more chances if Covid was running through the church. We've only made it to Church in person one time since Thanksgiving. Two days later, Pastor got sick, and so did some other folks, but I'm not sure who.  We got emails saying if we'd been at the Rehearsal we were exposed, and though Jacob performed at the Children's Program, he was masked the whole time, and he didn't go to the Rehearsal. 

(Saved by Cookie Fest and Vaccines!) 

We're all healthy, but we wanted to stay that way, so we stayed home. 

Honestly, I kind of enjoy zooming Church on Christmas Eve from Home. The kids are getting to be good singers, and we made beautiful music, just us.  

And Zooming by candelight during Silent Night was still pretty awesome. 

After Church, the kids put up with me taking their Picture. 

They looked good in their new holiday flannels. 

Ahsoka is a photobomber, a cute one though. 

This one was my favorite. 

Even Ahsoka looks like she was smiling.  

It was a lot of work to get good photos today. 

Jacob had many accidents, and it took up a lot of our evening to deal with it. 

We didn't get our usual tv shows or books read as we usually do on Christmas Eve. 

Eric was just getting trains set up, and Jacob got to watch his go around just before bedtime, 

but not the other boys quite yet.  They'll be ready by morning, no doubt. 

The night is young. ;)