Anyway, on to our Christmas Eve at Mimomo and BeePops': BeePops had the boys out in the shed during the afternoon. Mom and I were watching White Christmas. Dave, it was NOT the same w/out you!!! Danny Kaye just reminds me of you, now. "How much is WOW?" ;)
So Dad was awesome to entertain the older two boys. I love it when Dad gets into something. He never does it half way. David, my aforementioned brother, had a LOT of playmobil when he was a tot. One set that Mom has kept over the years (much to my pleasure), is the fort for the cowboys. And believe it or not, almost all of the pieces appear to still be there. So Dad rekindled the make believe fires and off they went into the land of bravery and wars, where my star wars fanatics were all too willing to engage their adventuresome spirits.
I mean, does that look cool, or what?!David, I know you're a little jealous. :P
Mom cooked a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner, and then it was here: the night before Christmas!! Jon David and Luke took turns telling the story of Jesus' birth with one of Mom's nativity scenes.
And then Dad read "The Night Before Christmas" from the book that I remember so well...
Jon David and Luke both seem to believe in Santa. This is a crack up to me--especially for Jon David. Because we have told him that Santa is not real. When he was three years old, he wanted to know, so we told him. However, when he was four, we pretended a little harder. I went through a sort of metamorphosis with Santa. My emotions are mixed. I resent that you're a party pooper if you decide to ever so much as hint around at the obvious around a child. Why do we go out of our way so much to protect a lie? Would our children enjoy Christmas any less if they knew that the gifts actually came from their parents? Are any of them currently saying "whew! Good thing Santa got me this new playdough kit. It just wouldn't be the same coming from Mom and Dad." Please. Also, I think we set them up for eventual disappointment--when they actually find out the truth.
Having said that, it does seem a little more exciting to think of Santa bringing the gifts instead of plain old Mom and Dad. And what a dichotomy is it that since my own kids actually believe in Santa, I know that I would be disappointed if someone came up to them and said "you, know, actually, he's not real." Ha! It really is kinda fun watching them do all of the Santa preparations. I guess there really is a part of us that enjoys this strange pretending game.
Sooooo... to make a short story long! Jon David and Luke wrote letters to Santa on Christmas Eve. They were so cute! Luke asked for a video game, and Jon David asked for a star wars wii game. They have been asking for this last thing for a while. We have been trying to tell them that wiis are expensive, and that Santa doesn't have much money this year either. Isn't it convenient how the Santa story can vary from family to family, and from year to year? I guess we all tend to hatch the Santa egg in our own image (to partially quote George McDonald. ha). Jon David never gave up. He said that Santa's elves could make one in his workshop. Luke, however, finally relented, and decided that he would be OK with a video game. So Don explained to him that he might not get exactly what he asked for, but that Santa would surely bring him something that he really liked! Again, molding that Santa tale.
Mom helped them make cookies for Santa, and they set them out on a plate with milk beside. In front of the fireplace. Earlier in the month, Luke had asked me where our fireplace was. After realizing that he was wondering how Santa would get into our house, I told him no problem: we would be at Mimomo's house, where there was a fireplace. That worked out great!
They were so cute going to bed. Boy do I remember the trouble I used to have sleeping the night before Christmas. But eventually, sleep came, and so did Santa.
Here are some Christmas morning photos:
First, Jon David reading Santa's note back to him and to Luke. Letting them know that he had left them something at BOTH Grandparents' houses, as we were headed to Thomasville later in the day. Talk about spoiled! :)
Santa brought them clone trooper guns, and Mom and Dad gave them Star wars figures. They were very sweet and excited upon opening--always a releif for Mom and Dad, right?Don was excited to get a new sweater from Mom and Dad
and I was SUPER excited about the clothes that Mom bought me for my gift a few days before!!!
Above is Mom reacting to a gift she and Dad received from us: framed photos of grandkids! :)Mom and Dad got Jon David and Luke some really cool nerf guns. They love them! In fact, we got them home and realized that you can put batteries in them to make a neat red beam shine to create a target for the darts. Too cool!
They had a very, merry!
Still to come: Grandma and Grandaddy's. :)
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