Christmas 2008

So now we are up to Christmas. For some reason I just couldn't get in the mood as well as I have in previous years. Don't know why, could have been many things; letdown over not going to Vietnam before the holidays; puppies destroying all Christmas decorations that were in reach - therefore not being able to put up a big tree but making do with a small tabletop tree in the (mostly unused) formal dining room; sister and brother, for some unknown reason, cutting me off for the last year; not having the $$ to go all out for presents like I usually do; concern about financing the last portion of the adoption - with not finalizing this year, I'll have to wait an additional year for the adoption tax rebate- thus another year of very tight finances and several other things. Did my best to be upbeat for the kids but it really got blown away when my son opened a box that had his big gift from Santa in it. I had thought it was something else and was flabbergasted when I realized what had happened. Luckily A was suspicious about Santa after walking in on me stuffing stockings last year so I told him the truth. He was OK with it and felt somewhat superior to his older sister who still believes. Although I don't know how she can, she saw the gift when he opened the box and again from Santa.

Christmas dinner was a bust also - amusing looking back - I'm not usually such a poor cook. I had gotten another turkey breast and all the fixins. This time the kids decided they wanted some stuff that I didn't have and I found that I was out of fried onions for the green bean casserole. So off to the grocery I went. Fried onions were a hard to find item and I was almost ready to call it quits when I found a small bag and grabbed the last one. Back home I finished preparations then realized that the turkey had to cook a lot longer than I thought. Had everything but the turkey ready for a 6pm dinner. Son was starving so I decided to have our dinner on Christmas day instead of Christmas eve. Fed A and ate a bit myself. Girls nibbled. When the turkey was done all three kids wanted to eat, I wasn't hungry but what could I do. They fixed themselves plates and watched TV while they ate. At around 9pm. We put everything away and fixed it again on Christmas day, another casual meal in front of the Wii which was the kids big present from me this year.

Otherwise a very relaxed holiday. I had taken a few days off to make it a full two weeks for me and we just kicked back and relaxed. It was a wonderful vacation albeit not a Christmassy one.