Christmas Part IV : Running Around

Christmas day was a typical holiday for us.  We went to mass at 9:00, which both girls were thankfully very well behaved for (having all their grandparents and aunts and uncle within an arms reach may have helped just a smidge).  We then headed off to my Grandma and Grandpa Greenlee's house to open gifts and have donuts and other sugary sweets that shouldn't be allowed in such large quantities for a late breakfast (at least it was for us since we didn't eat before going to mass).

 

Claire sitting on her gift from her great-grandparents.

Checking out Great Grandma's Hummel's

With Great Grandpa Greenlee

After my grandparent's house we headed over to Matt's Grandma Palmer's house for more munching and gift exchanging (Which is a whole 2 blocks away.  Hardly worth the time it took to strap the girls in!)

Melanie, Kyler and Lila checking out the snow it G.G.'s backyard

Melanie and Grams showing off the tie-dyed shirt Lila's mom made for her.

This is Ginger

She was one of the items in the $1 gift exchange that the adults do.  Basically, the adults and older kids accumulate stuff that costs $1 throughout the year.  It can be practical or silly.  There's usually some dish scrubbers or some random tools to be had, and candy is always a popular item, along with books, sticky notes, mini puzzles and whatever odds and ends people can pick up.  Last year I even included some deodorant I was able to pick up for a buck and a feather boa I had picked up on the 10 for $5 at Claire's (we made sure that went to a Matt's cousin's husband, and real guys-guy, hunting, 4-wheeling type of fellow).  Anyway, the items are wrapped and passed out amongst the older crowd until everyone has an even number of items, usually around 10 a piece.  You unwrap them and then try to trade with other family members for a more desirable item.  Sometimes you get useful stuff, like when I was expecting Melanie I was able to get some baby socks, bowls and a couple toys.  Other times you get stuck with less desirable things, such as Ginger.  We all agreed she was pretty creepy, and Ben and Jenny, the recipients of Ginger, were trying to leave her behind.  So Donny wedged her in the grill of their Jeep.  I don't think she stayed there for the drive home, but it would have been interesting to see if she made it all the way to Hutchinson like that.  Maybe she can be the yearly exchange item, and whoever gets her from now on has to display her in a special place until the following year when she will hopefully get a new home.  Or maybe she's already in the dumpster.  Who knows.  That's enough about that.

And finally, the girls modeling their hats and scarfs that Aunt Pam made for them.  Unfortunately, I had told Melanie it was time to leave before we took this picture.  She was having so much fun with Lila but was definitely getting tired, so the picture pretty well sums up  how she felt about the idea of leaving.

We then headed to my Aunt Stephanie's house for the only real meal of the day.  Claire took a nap, Melanie ate, played and then fell asleep under an end table, I snoozed on the couch a bit and Matt played dominoes with the rest of the family.  We headed home shortly after I woke up, which was around 5:00.  We then spent the next day or so just hanging out around the house, trying to get the girls back to normal. 

There!  I'm done!  No more feelings of obligation to equally represent all the Christmas activities looming over my head!  I can now get on with life!  And only a mere 27 days after the actual event! OK, so that may have been a little melodramatic.  Nevertheless, it is finished and we can now return to our regularly scheduled program of... hmmm... let's see... well, more cute pictures of the kids I guess.  How's that for original?