Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas, or, Santa Exploded













I did not go nuts this year for the girls for Christmas. They got a dollhouse, a double buggy, some markers and Playdoh, and a little cookset. Various other family members (my mother, Aunt Terry, Uncle KC, Grandma) got them outfits, a Little People car-ramp thing, some books (thank you Miss Mantha) and baby dolls. I stuck with what I thought would be successful. Right now the kids are in that "mimic" stage--they cook because I cook. They clean because I clean. Their play is experiential and experimental. They are learning how to control their world through activity. I gotta go with that.
Dinner was a non-event in that it was zero pressure. I made a roast with root vegetables, crab dip, little hot dogs, a pickle tray, some rolls for the kids to eat with hummus, and mashed potatoes. Dessert was mini eclairs for the girls and chocolate cream pie for us. Yes, I made eggnog and it was good.
The girls all wore play dresses today although Ellie preferred not to wear pants and Helen flat out refused. She is on a pants strike. Emma of course wore pants and sparkly shoes all day. Gotta be ready to meet her public.
Emma actually provided two highlights for me today. This morning, when she came downstairs and saw the double buggy, she walked over to it, looked into the tree and said "Thank you, Santa." (I got it on video). The second was when Samantha brought her kids to visit Emma took Asher's hand and said, "Come on, baby. You want to play dollhouse?" Later she went in time out for both throwing and sassing, but that doesn't diminish her otherwise excellent day.
I just wanted to stay home and love my family. What a perfect day.


Monday, December 22, 2008

Pageant, or, You Have to See It To Believe It





Here's what you need to know about the Laubacher Christmas Pageant:
1. It is not like "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," with the Herdmans, although Mike Nalepka suggested that to me and I find it funny.
2. Yes, there is a real pageant, with real acts.
3. Yes, everyone in the family tries to comply. With varying levels of success.
4. There has been an Official Pageant since 1984, which is a long time to have a thing go, and go, and go.
5. The Sellers seem to be the most prolific Pageant participators, although the KC Laubachers are always enthusiastic.
6. This year the girls were supposed to help Bill and I sing "The Friendly Snowman." Ellie bolted, Helen decided to chalk behind Aunt Terry and Emma did the motions but not everyone could see her. Oh well. There really IS always next year.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Party, or, This House is Too Nice for Us, Redux

Hello. This beauty was in a bathroom.


Blue is for boys.

This was quite rustic and Millard Fillmore-ish. Lots of game, feathers, golds and red. Quite mannish.

This all gold baby was in the dining room.



The pink family room tree, complete with feathers, dolls, birds, and flowers.


Ode to the big guy. Oh, he's coming to this house all right.



The "Grinch" tree in BoBo's office.




The Great Room tree. I cannot even tell you how amazing it was in person.



Just happy to be here.





On Saturday we were invited to what is apparently known as "Fiesta de BoBo," which is a funny way of saying we were invited to Mike Nalepka's Aunt Bonnie's Christmas Party. It was in Kirtland, which other than the Mormon stuff holds very little interest for me culturally. I especially wanted to go because the Lowes were going to be there, and we get to see them too infrequently. I was sick as a dog but I made myself pretty, left the kid with my mother, and hit the road.




Well.


Nobody told me that the house was a palace. Nobody told me that there was a Christmas tree in the front room with 12,900 lights on it. Nobody mentioned the tree in EVERY room, and the villages, and the doo dads, and the amazing food, and the very nice champagne, which I couldn't drink because I was on meds, but boy it looked pretty. I walked around like I was a tourist. I didn't care. It was probably the most beautiful private home I have ever been in, and of course I took pictures. These are just some of the ones I snapped. Embarrassed? Heck no. I took a hostess gift and sent a thank you card. My manners are always in place.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Getting the Tree and Nela Park, or, This is how traditions get started







7 foot Frasier fir on the way.






We got our tree last Saturday, which is unusually early. Bill's birthday is December 9 and the general rule since we got married has been never to decorate for Christmas until after that date. He feels, and I agree, that a lot of December birthday kids get gypped because well-meaning, overextended, deluded parents think that combining birthday and Christmas is a good idea. It's not. But this year the 9th was also a Tuesday, which meant that we either waited until the following weekend to get a tree, which would significantly lessen our chances of getting a good one, or do it early. Obviously, we had to do the latter. We always get a Frasier fir, because I like the shape and the needle quality (my parents were Douglas fir people, and the needles were just too bendy for heavy ornaments). We also always get it from the same guy, but we've had to follow him around Lyndhurst for a few years. He was next to a funeral parlor for a while, then the Methodist church on Green. Now he's in front of the Episcopal church on Cedar, next to that perpetually-in-construction synogoge near Legacy Village. His trees are good and reasonable--we've paid $72 the last 4 years that we can remember. This year we let the girls out to help and fortunately no Ralphie "Fudge.........." incidents occurred (come on Christmas Story fans, you know what I mean). Then we zipped through the drive through at Dunkin' Donuts, got Munchkins (for them) and hot chocolate (for us) and took the kids down Green and swung back up Noble in East Cleveland past Nela Park.

The display was great this year and the girls really enjoyed it. We turned around 3 times just so they could really get a sense of how pretty everything was. Ellie is very into lights this year ("where's more Chistmas lights?" is a constant refrain) so Nela was a winner. I'm proud that Nela continues to put the effort into this display. It never fails to impress me.
We'll take the kids Christmas light sight-seeing a couple more times this year because they are old enough to enjoy it. I love when I hear Emma squeal, "OOOOOOOOOOOOOH" from her back seat. That makes the whole thing worth it.