The news wasn't great. No one was coming for Christmas and we were not invited anywhere. Well that stings. I admit I felt a bit panicked. Wondering how I would make the holiday special if we were not with a million people. Though in the last 2 years I have not hosted and have been relieved. It usually made me feel good to host the large groups but it was stressful. But no one and nowhere to go, this was a new level of minimalist Christmastime.
As with most disappointing news, it ended up opening a new experience, an unexpected way of celebrating the holidays. We as a family have not been together since May, that is quite awhile, 7 months the longest time we have ever all been apart.
Before Steve and I could focus on that we had many events to attend to, first being
Cara brought home Sam! First she made it to Alaska to visit him. Cara has had quite an adventurous semester. If I have it right she study in Australia, traveled to Bali, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia and then to New Zealand and Alaska!
Then my birthday dinner a murder! A mystery, A suspect named . Chris and A detective of the first order Mark. Solving crimes and bringing home stellar GPA firing on all pistons as they say, well not many say, but my dad did so now I do.
Michael alas, did not make it to the murder he was too busy traipsing around europe like some trust fund baby. Of course claiming to study he seemed to find time to run to ,Ireland, Prague, France, Italy, Germany. I feel I am leaving out something but that is the way it is.
It is so different from when I started with blog but yet the same. The same intensity and interest in each of their lives, but with zero diaper changes so we will take that. We miss them, yes, but knowing how they are taking on their lives fills us in a different way.
Our fancy brand new porch, perfect for Christmas decorating!
Our big night of Italian cookie making got off the ground! There was some squishy cookies, not good, not good at all. But we finally got our grove back and Christmas was saved Same was put to the test with what our family calls fun Pounce and Oh Hell! I have to admit he held his own.
Finally Christmas eve. Church, dinner, cookie decorating and of course Die Hard. So low key and fun. Matt may have won with his shot gangster cookie, Mark's song choice was "I am going to kill Santa" Cara made the sugar cookies, Chris made the PB blossoms. We all ate them
The morning was 6AM stockings, then gifts. Not one but two Mokka pots for Matt! I got a great game called Wingspan. Michael's secret Santa did not come through. Despite acting shady no one actually was his secret Santa, so maybe they weren't acting? This was an unpleasant surprise, who knows where it all went wrong. Steve's brother came through with a nice visit that we all enjoyed. Then it was time for the Backgammon tournament. I was out early, quite disappointing. Matt came out on top, but this was Chris' first day playing the game and he was in the competition for hours and hours. So from zero game time to to marathoning.
The next day was the classic Catan game day, with Italian hot chocolate, thanks to matt and some mid popcorn thanks to Aunt Joann.
So as they say, its a wrap. No invite, no guests but plenty of fun.
So the table was full of returning Bo's,
the laughs were real as was the competition
What seemed like being left out on our own
went beyond our expectations.
Go with the flow and find your footing
what's meant to be will be
even if its not of our choosing.
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