Another year is ending. I've decided I just don't love New Year's, but I don't know if it's almost like guilt for making it through the year mostly intact, or deep concern about what the next year will bring. I know I should look at that positively--what good the new year will hold--but I'm getting to that age where I know certain things will start taking a downtown, so I worry. Particularly this year, where we know that Craig's job situation will be changing. I learned my lesson four years ago when I felt like we were out of big new year milestones to look ahead to, and two weeks later I was out of a job and everything changed. Yes, it led to good things, but it was pretty scary for a while! This year we're looking forward to Jacob's new school situation in the fall, and Carter continuing to grow and learn. All I can hope for me at this point is to be a better mom and wife, and to keep looking for little ways to improve.
Just to do a quick review of our moments of significance in 2018:
Losing my Uncle Cliff
Carter playing soccer (just like his big brother)
Carter turning five, graduating from Preschool and starting Kindergarten
Jacob's trip to Calgary
Chick-fil-A opened in Rochester :)
Two lacrosse tournament wins for Jacob's FCA team (but a rough lacrosse year otherwise)
Jacob turning 10
Our 15th wedding anniversary
Jacob's new basketball hoop
A fun family trip to Howe Caverns and the Basketball Hall of Fame
Two cousin weddings and two cousin babies
Another fun trip to Seabreeze (and Carter's first real waterslide ride!)
My 40th Birthday
My amazing Chihuly trip to North Carolina
Our trip to Toronto featuring my first Christmas market and our first NBA game as a family
Our awesome Niagara Falls waterpark weekend
A fabulous Christmas full of great presents and lots of family time
I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones scrolling through my pictures brought to mind. It wasn't an outstanding year, but it was certainly a solid one. Mostly good stuff and lots of milestones, at least. I hope and pray for great things in 2019, both for us and the ones we love. Happy New Year!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Saturday, December 29, 2018
A Merry Christmas to All
We got a solid seven hours of sleep or so before Jacob woke up at 7:30 and roused his brother to come in to get us up. Could have been worse! But of course, first up, the top of the stairs picture!
Stockings first! Mostly lots of candy, though Carter got a swimming turtle to go with the fish he got last year, and a small set of Jurassic Park Legos. And gold (chocolate) coins, of course!
Jacob loved this sign that we secretly picked up at the Toys 'R' Us in Canada...
Carter really wanted a little guitar, and while I couldn't bring myself to buy the Elena of Avalor one that originally prompted that wish, this ukulele was a hit!
Carter's big gift from Santa was the one I was most excited about--it was an Untamed Fingerling. It's basically the scary dinosaur cousin of the cute little finger riding monkeys. This one came with a cage for the dinosaur to bust out of! They react to different stimuli, sometimes happy and sometimes fierce, which is pretty cool.
Carter also got a Hot Wheels food truck, some shark slippers, one of those magic coloring books where one marker reveals colors and pictures, and a super cool talking C3P0 ornament that's wearing a Santa hat and lights up. He also got a stuffed hedgehog he'd admired in one of the souvenir shops in Niagara Falls. I happened to find it at the last minute when I was on the hunt for one more gift for each kid (more on that in a minute). Jacob got an NBA beach ball, a little basketball-themed magnetic desk thing (sort of like where you mold the tiny shapes on a base, but with basketball players--I rescued it from the sample cast-offs at work), an alarm clock, and a book that uses basketball to manage stress (hey, I had to try). His ornament was a metal basketball wearing a Santa hat. Oh, and Jacob gave Carter a mini football, and Carter gave Jacob a cool set of mini-Lego-type pieces (called Brxlz) that form a four-inch tall Raptors logo. When Carter saw it on my computer screen when I found it on Amazon, he said, "That is legit!"
Jacob's big Santa gift was a much-anticipated Oyo football set. Only...when he opened it, it wasn't the right one. He'd actually had a couple little meltdowns over the Oyo stuff on his list leading up to Christmas (i.e., when he realized he was still getting a Santa gift, he panicked that he hadn't accounted for that on his list--to which I unsuccessfully tried to explain that he never got more just because he believed in Santa; we always bought the same amount and split it). So when it was the wrong one, it didn't go over well. A couple tears and a new online order later, he was doing a little better so we opted to move on to the one big Santa gift sitting under the tree addressed to both kids.
When Jacob opened it and realized it was a giant Lego police station, his mood brightened considerably! You may recall this gift was purchased under duress at the eleventh hour (literally) six whole years ago when Toys 'R' Us botched our bike purchase and we didn't have a "wow" gift for Jacob. We bought it around midnight the night before gift opening and wrapped it, but had second thoughts because it was such a big gift (and we'd had a rough Christmas season, behavior-wise). Jacob ended up satisfied enough with that Christmas, so it sat in our closet for years, waiting for the right moment. Jacob had other large gift requests in the years since, and eventually I decided we just had to keep it around until Carter was old enough to appreciate it. Then we could make it a joint gift so it didn't count for such a large expenditure against either kid. It worked perfectly this year as both kids were thrilled! Craig got right to work building it while I started the cinnamon rolls.
In the meantime, I also got working on my contribution to the Binkley family Christmas spread--an old family tradition, Broken Glass. It's basically three flavors of jello in a sweet whipped cream and graham cracker crust. Of course, I was doing the shortcut version (Cool Whip instead of whipping cream) in premade gluten-free crusts. But once I posted this photo, I got a call from my cousin Lori, who said she was making Broken Glass, too! I decided I could take one to Christmas Eve at Craig's aunt's, and just have the other one for Christmas night so Jacob could eat it. So, all was well.
After food prep and packing, we were finally off to Buffalo. Craig and I giggled along the way because Carter was too darn cute watching a movie in the van, snuggled under his blanket and cuddling his favorite bear and new hedgehog, and laughing hysterically about something.
We had a nice time as usual at our first stop, Craig's Aunt Marie's. The boys got fewer gifts than usual there, which was fine but obviously left them a little disappointed--unnecessarily, of course, since there were so many more to come. But the food was good and the company even better. Oh, and this little dude was there...
It's Craig's cousin's baby boy, who was born in September. I'd been chatting on Facebook with his mama for weeks because he'd had some formula issues and ended up on the same stuff Carter was on. He'd had a rough go for a while with bad eczema and fussiness, and the formula worked wonders for him. The process of making the decision to switch had been a tough one, and I'd been trying to encourage his mom along the way, since I knew how it felt. He's doing really well now, and he's such a sweetie! Our niece was the lucky one cuddling him once he fell asleep, but I couldn't resist a picture!
Eventually we headed out to Craig's parents' house, and the boys were so excited for their gifts! Carter got an Imaginext Mystery Machine and three sets of Playmobil Ghostbusters!
Jacob was thrilled with some Raptors and Saints shirts, and even more excited about these sneakers!
He's actually still waiting for a gift, too, so he made out well! We all did well, actually!
Due to some changes in living quarters, there's actually nowhere for us to sleep at Craig's parents' at the moment, so instead of just heading upstairs like we normally would, we packed up the van and headed to my parents' house for the night. I figured it's the first time I've slept there on Christmas Eve since before Craig and I were engaged! On Christmas morning, I made my kids take a picture on the stairs just like my brother and I did every year!
Their reward was a special gift Santa left each of them downstairs. Carter got two books, and Jacob got a pair of wireless earbuds. They're not quite the fancy ones he was eyeing up in the days prior, but I bought a pair at Five Below in my last minute shopping so he could test them out--for comfort, format, etc.--before we look at more expensive ones. He was actually thrilled with them once he got them up and running, so score one for mom! ;-)
After Christmas morning church and a tasty Christmas dinner, it was time to open presents with Grandma and Grandpa. Everyone once again made out well. Carter was so cute in this little Sabres Santa hat!
Both kids got games, clothes, and some other fun stuff. I got a cool Chihuly-inspired solar light like we saw in North Carolina, and Craig loved his Mercyhurst banner and new toiletry bag.
I have to say, this Christmas was exceptional in that everything we got was either on our lists or was truly useful. No real dud gifts at all this year! We're always grateful for what we get, but it's nice when they fit into our home seamlessly!
After a little downtime to make use of the new gifts, we headed to my Uncle Jeff's for the big family gathering. The boys once again did well. Jacob got a New Orleans Saints shirt and fidget spinner, and Carter got a second Untamed Fingerling to fill out his cage, as well as a Playmobil Knight carrying case set. Craig got a movie and a new grooming kit (scissors, tweezers, clippers, etc.) he had wanted. I got wine and some new Instant Pot accessories. We were all very happy! By later in the night, it seemed Jacob might be coming down with a cold, so the boys headed out. I was able to snag a ride from my cousin and her husband (the guests of honor when they had a big announcement about a new addition to the family!) so I could stay late to play silly trivia games with my cousins and a couple aunts and uncles. We had a lot of fun, but by the end of the night I was exhausted! I had to get up early the next morning for breakfast with a couple high school friends, so sleep was very important by that point!
We had to head back home later that morning because Craig had to work (Knighthawks opener tonight!), but the good news was that it gave me some time to get settled back at home and even sneak a nap. I had to work on Thursday, and Friday morning was Jacob's second session for his annual brain study. Never a dull moment, I guess, but I'm thankful for some time at home--even if the kids are already making me nuts! My goal for the break is organizing the toys as much as possible--clearing out old stuff, organizing all of the misplaced pieces, and maybe bringing some lost things back into play. We'll see how far we get!
Anyway, now we're heading toward 2019 and I'm thankful for another wonderful holiday season. Hopefully great things are ahead in the new year!
Stockings first! Mostly lots of candy, though Carter got a swimming turtle to go with the fish he got last year, and a small set of Jurassic Park Legos. And gold (chocolate) coins, of course!
Jacob loved this sign that we secretly picked up at the Toys 'R' Us in Canada...
Carter really wanted a little guitar, and while I couldn't bring myself to buy the Elena of Avalor one that originally prompted that wish, this ukulele was a hit!
Carter's big gift from Santa was the one I was most excited about--it was an Untamed Fingerling. It's basically the scary dinosaur cousin of the cute little finger riding monkeys. This one came with a cage for the dinosaur to bust out of! They react to different stimuli, sometimes happy and sometimes fierce, which is pretty cool.
Carter also got a Hot Wheels food truck, some shark slippers, one of those magic coloring books where one marker reveals colors and pictures, and a super cool talking C3P0 ornament that's wearing a Santa hat and lights up. He also got a stuffed hedgehog he'd admired in one of the souvenir shops in Niagara Falls. I happened to find it at the last minute when I was on the hunt for one more gift for each kid (more on that in a minute). Jacob got an NBA beach ball, a little basketball-themed magnetic desk thing (sort of like where you mold the tiny shapes on a base, but with basketball players--I rescued it from the sample cast-offs at work), an alarm clock, and a book that uses basketball to manage stress (hey, I had to try). His ornament was a metal basketball wearing a Santa hat. Oh, and Jacob gave Carter a mini football, and Carter gave Jacob a cool set of mini-Lego-type pieces (called Brxlz) that form a four-inch tall Raptors logo. When Carter saw it on my computer screen when I found it on Amazon, he said, "That is legit!"
Jacob's big Santa gift was a much-anticipated Oyo football set. Only...when he opened it, it wasn't the right one. He'd actually had a couple little meltdowns over the Oyo stuff on his list leading up to Christmas (i.e., when he realized he was still getting a Santa gift, he panicked that he hadn't accounted for that on his list--to which I unsuccessfully tried to explain that he never got more just because he believed in Santa; we always bought the same amount and split it). So when it was the wrong one, it didn't go over well. A couple tears and a new online order later, he was doing a little better so we opted to move on to the one big Santa gift sitting under the tree addressed to both kids.
When Jacob opened it and realized it was a giant Lego police station, his mood brightened considerably! You may recall this gift was purchased under duress at the eleventh hour (literally) six whole years ago when Toys 'R' Us botched our bike purchase and we didn't have a "wow" gift for Jacob. We bought it around midnight the night before gift opening and wrapped it, but had second thoughts because it was such a big gift (and we'd had a rough Christmas season, behavior-wise). Jacob ended up satisfied enough with that Christmas, so it sat in our closet for years, waiting for the right moment. Jacob had other large gift requests in the years since, and eventually I decided we just had to keep it around until Carter was old enough to appreciate it. Then we could make it a joint gift so it didn't count for such a large expenditure against either kid. It worked perfectly this year as both kids were thrilled! Craig got right to work building it while I started the cinnamon rolls.
In the meantime, I also got working on my contribution to the Binkley family Christmas spread--an old family tradition, Broken Glass. It's basically three flavors of jello in a sweet whipped cream and graham cracker crust. Of course, I was doing the shortcut version (Cool Whip instead of whipping cream) in premade gluten-free crusts. But once I posted this photo, I got a call from my cousin Lori, who said she was making Broken Glass, too! I decided I could take one to Christmas Eve at Craig's aunt's, and just have the other one for Christmas night so Jacob could eat it. So, all was well.
After food prep and packing, we were finally off to Buffalo. Craig and I giggled along the way because Carter was too darn cute watching a movie in the van, snuggled under his blanket and cuddling his favorite bear and new hedgehog, and laughing hysterically about something.
We had a nice time as usual at our first stop, Craig's Aunt Marie's. The boys got fewer gifts than usual there, which was fine but obviously left them a little disappointed--unnecessarily, of course, since there were so many more to come. But the food was good and the company even better. Oh, and this little dude was there...
It's Craig's cousin's baby boy, who was born in September. I'd been chatting on Facebook with his mama for weeks because he'd had some formula issues and ended up on the same stuff Carter was on. He'd had a rough go for a while with bad eczema and fussiness, and the formula worked wonders for him. The process of making the decision to switch had been a tough one, and I'd been trying to encourage his mom along the way, since I knew how it felt. He's doing really well now, and he's such a sweetie! Our niece was the lucky one cuddling him once he fell asleep, but I couldn't resist a picture!
Eventually we headed out to Craig's parents' house, and the boys were so excited for their gifts! Carter got an Imaginext Mystery Machine and three sets of Playmobil Ghostbusters!
Jacob was thrilled with some Raptors and Saints shirts, and even more excited about these sneakers!
He's actually still waiting for a gift, too, so he made out well! We all did well, actually!
Due to some changes in living quarters, there's actually nowhere for us to sleep at Craig's parents' at the moment, so instead of just heading upstairs like we normally would, we packed up the van and headed to my parents' house for the night. I figured it's the first time I've slept there on Christmas Eve since before Craig and I were engaged! On Christmas morning, I made my kids take a picture on the stairs just like my brother and I did every year!
Their reward was a special gift Santa left each of them downstairs. Carter got two books, and Jacob got a pair of wireless earbuds. They're not quite the fancy ones he was eyeing up in the days prior, but I bought a pair at Five Below in my last minute shopping so he could test them out--for comfort, format, etc.--before we look at more expensive ones. He was actually thrilled with them once he got them up and running, so score one for mom! ;-)
After Christmas morning church and a tasty Christmas dinner, it was time to open presents with Grandma and Grandpa. Everyone once again made out well. Carter was so cute in this little Sabres Santa hat!
Both kids got games, clothes, and some other fun stuff. I got a cool Chihuly-inspired solar light like we saw in North Carolina, and Craig loved his Mercyhurst banner and new toiletry bag.
I have to say, this Christmas was exceptional in that everything we got was either on our lists or was truly useful. No real dud gifts at all this year! We're always grateful for what we get, but it's nice when they fit into our home seamlessly!
After a little downtime to make use of the new gifts, we headed to my Uncle Jeff's for the big family gathering. The boys once again did well. Jacob got a New Orleans Saints shirt and fidget spinner, and Carter got a second Untamed Fingerling to fill out his cage, as well as a Playmobil Knight carrying case set. Craig got a movie and a new grooming kit (scissors, tweezers, clippers, etc.) he had wanted. I got wine and some new Instant Pot accessories. We were all very happy! By later in the night, it seemed Jacob might be coming down with a cold, so the boys headed out. I was able to snag a ride from my cousin and her husband (the guests of honor when they had a big announcement about a new addition to the family!) so I could stay late to play silly trivia games with my cousins and a couple aunts and uncles. We had a lot of fun, but by the end of the night I was exhausted! I had to get up early the next morning for breakfast with a couple high school friends, so sleep was very important by that point!
We had to head back home later that morning because Craig had to work (Knighthawks opener tonight!), but the good news was that it gave me some time to get settled back at home and even sneak a nap. I had to work on Thursday, and Friday morning was Jacob's second session for his annual brain study. Never a dull moment, I guess, but I'm thankful for some time at home--even if the kids are already making me nuts! My goal for the break is organizing the toys as much as possible--clearing out old stuff, organizing all of the misplaced pieces, and maybe bringing some lost things back into play. We'll see how far we get!
Anyway, now we're heading toward 2019 and I'm thankful for another wonderful holiday season. Hopefully great things are ahead in the new year!
Friday, December 28, 2018
'Twas the Days Before Christmas...
Hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone. Seems like just yesterday that we were in Toronto for the Raptors game and I was rushing home to get things decorated. The week between Thanksgiving and December seemed to go on forever, and for a while it seemed like we'd never make it through our Advent calendars. Sure enough, Christmas ultimately sped here and raced past us like it always does. And suddenly we're three days past and I haven't blogged yet. Ha!
Oh, and before I get to the main event, since I never did mention this monumental anniversary last year, I figure I should do it now. It was eleven years ago yesterday that I started this blog as a way to keep friends and family up to date on my pregnancy with Jacob. There probably aren't a lot of things I've done regularly for this much of my life, so that's pretty impressive when you think about it. Documenting parenthood just sort of happened, and while my kids will probably never read all of this, I'm glad it's here in case they do. Not everyone has their life story written for them from birth, so hopefully someday they find it interesting.
Anyway...on to Christmas! We had a very busy few days leading up, with lots of baking, wrapping, last-minute gift buying, and other general planning. I was determined to not stress out, and all things considered I think I did okay. I had moments, and sometimes left Craig with the kids so I could do marathon sessions, but for the most part I avoided the near-mental breakdown state that usually pops up a day or two before. The pre-Christmas weekend helped a lot with getting to things that a normal work day does not. In addition to Carter breaking a glass ornament at Pier One during a marathon shopping session there (!), here are some other pre-highlights:
I got a delivery of a pair of boots a week before Christmas, and the box they came in was ridiculous! Given the season, it seemed appropriate to box up what we could, and it fit one of the best presents ever!
Carter had a fun week at school, from Grinch Day, to playing a mouse in the March of the Toy Soldiers day at school (he'll be a soldier next year), to their party day Thursday and Friday's pajama day. The highlight of that day was opening up presents we gave the class in lieu of teacher presents. It was a really fun idea (and selfless on the teacher's part), and the kids loved opening up presents of classroom supplies and new learning games. He wore these Santa pajamas to school, and was still wearing them the next morning when we had a nice snuggle session prior to resuming the Christmas madness...
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| I had to wash those jammies immediately after so he could have them for Christmas Eve morning, too! |
In the midst of everything else, I decided I needed to test out my plan for putting up a second tree in the dining room next year that will be a theme tree from year to year. I had to make sure our old six-footer fit so I knew whether I could take advantage of clearance sales for lights and a tree topper. Sure enough, it fit!
I had to leave out a couple back branches so it could tuck in the corner, but it worked just fine and I'm looking forward to putting all of my angels on it next year! It'll also satisfy my craving for multicolored lights until our pre-lit main tree craps out. It's more to decorate, but at least it will lessen my stress when decorating the main tree, since it's so loaded with ornaments and getting a couple more each year.
By Saturday night I had also baked a couple rounds of cookies. I actually had to do the peanut butter blossoms on Thursday night because Jacob wanted cookies to take for his class party, since he usually can't eat most of the party snacks. We did the cutouts on Saturday.
I stayed up late on Saturday to finish up all of my wrapping aside from a few last minute gifts we had to take care of on Sunday. It was a marathon, but it was worth it. And it still wasn't that late--just a little after midnight. I couldn't help but snap this picture as I went up to bed, as having this little tree be the last thing lit on my way to bed sort of matched my peaceful Christmas spirit at that point.
I've wanted one of these ceramic trees for years, mostly because my grandma had a big one and I always thought it was pretty. They've made a big comeback in recent years, but I wasn't willing to spend big bucks on one. But I did find this tiny one in my favorite random-gifty-crap catalog this year, and when I placed an order for a Christmas gift for someone else, I had to add this to the mix since it was only $9. It fit the bill perfectly.
On Sunday our church was doing an early round of Christmas Eve services, so we went to church like normal and got to enjoy a wonderful, beautiful service to start off our holiday. Of course, Carter totally took a header on the way into church, scuffing up his chin and getting a large mud smear on his knee, but once we got over that (and the very loud drum that caught us off guard in the first song), it was lovely.
Afterward they had a hot cocoa bar and a few family picture backdrops set up, which I was eager to take advantage of since we didn't have to rush out like we did last year to get on the road.
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| Happy boy with his hot cocoa! |
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| Mama and her boys |
Full family pictures are few and far between in our house, so whenever we get the chance and we all look nice, I jump at the chance. All three we took are below. They're all sort of perfectly imperfect, I guess.
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| This shows the whole backdrop and we're all smiling, but Carter is pushing into Craig for some reason... |
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| This was my best angle, but Carter is being crazy. Of course, this probably best represents our daily chaos! |
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| We're all standing nicely and smiling for this one, but I look like I'm carrying around about 30 extra pounds. I swear it was just the angle and my sweater puffing out weird from where it draped off my chest. Darn it. |
After another full day of preparations, it was time to get the kids in bed so Santa could come. Carter brought home some reindeer dust from school, so we had to run outside and dump it on the grass. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that after the forecast not looking like we'd have a white Christmas, we got a little bit of snow overnight a few days ahead, and then we had a lot of lazy, dreamy snow right up through Christmas. We had more on the grass than it looks like here, but I was happy we had just enough to make it feel Christmasy.
Once the cinnamon rolls were prepped and the kids went down (much easier than expected), it was time for Santa to get to work!
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| As usual, at least half of those presents were. for extended family. The kids' were mostly on the left side...except for that tall one, which was for Craig's mom. |
Once everything is done, I always try to sit in the silence for a couple minutes with the main lights off and only the Christmas lights on. It's my little calm before the storm, a little moment of peace before two full days of craziness. Ahhhh.
Well, I think this is enough for one post, so we'll save our two crazy days of Christmas for another one!
Friday, December 21, 2018
Four Days and Counting...
So, it's the last "regular" day before the big day, and I'm feeling a bit like a swimming duck--calm enough on the outside yet paddling furiously beneath the surface. It's always like this, I know, although sometimes I think the outside more closely resembles Daffy Duck after getting smacked in the head--ruffled feathers and a backward beak. I'm guessing I've been there, too.
I'm sure I'm forgetting countless little things that seemed routine other years, but like every other year, I'm just doing the best I can. We have a few last minute gifts to buy, and only one is a complete mystery at the moment. I'm at least half wrapped, assuming stocking stuffers don't take too long. School and work gifts have been handled, my first batch of cookies got baked last night without incident, and I already have plans for what I'm making for family gatherings. So, that's not too bad. Or, at least, it could be a lot worse.
Of course, yesterday Jacob woke up sick. The previous night he seemed a little extra anxious, and then he had trouble sleeping, and when he woke up in the morning I initially assumed that either the melatonin he took made him more lethargic, or maybe he was just getting overwhelmed by all of the Christmas build-up. He's been dying for it to be Christmas for weeks, and sometimes I think he makes himself crazy with it. But a few minutes in I could tell that he just didn't feel well. His stomach hurt, he had some aches, and he was chilled. No fever initially, but given that it was an outside play day at school that he'd been looking forward to all week, I knew it had to be legit and he stayed home. Craig and I split the day, and by the time I got home at lunch he had a fever. The chills and stomach pains left him moaning by late afternoon, but fortunately a couple naps later in the day seemed to help. He woke up from the latter one, in the bathroom just in case, and gave me a thumbs up that he felt better. He still wasn't thrilled to go to school this morning, but he seemed functional enough--no fever and a bit perkier. I'm just thankful there were no digestive pyrotechnics--just some bad cramping. I'm still on guard that any of us could get sick, because I feel like one of these years we're due to miss Christmas thanks to some sort of non-travelworthy illness. God forbid, but I know I puked on Christmas at least once, so it's probably not out of the question. Lots of praying for health in the meantime, though.
I realized the other day that Christmas is a bit like pregnancy. You go through so much to prepare, and it's not easy. You sort of dread the day-to-day complications and anxiety, but the end result is so great that by the end you almost forget all of the effort that went into it and just revel in the awesomeness. And when it comes time to do it again, you take a deep breath knowing what you're getting into, but try to find moments of joy in the process and have faith that the end result will be as great as it was before. And it almost always is. As the years go by, I try to be mindful of the fact that our "perfect Christmases" are numbered--that down the road we'll lose our parents or other key family members; that as we've seen with other family members, life can change in an instant. I've lost two cousins young, after all, and we got that reminder three weeks after Christmas last year when my uncle passed suddenly. You just don't know, so you savor every chance you have. We're so blessed to have had so many good years, and while I pray they'll continue, I know things will change. I figure I'm at least in my third phase of Christmas--as a child where everything was magical; then as a teenager to young adult where the magic faded a little and family members began to disappear; and now as a parent, where my kids' happiness is paramount. Eventually my kids will move into that second phase, and hopefully after that we'll get the grandparent phase going, but with it will come loss and change. It scares me, but I hope that those transitions will be as smooth and peaceful as possible. As I mentioned a couple posts back, the changes in traditions thus far have gone well--where one thing changes, something else has filled the gap. Some holes will never be filled, I know, but hopefully the bridge that's built over will help us find new joy. So, when I'm in the midst of Christmas stress, I try to remind myself that it could always be worse. This is the good stuff, folks.
This morning in the car on the way to school, I said to Jacob that I was actually sad Christmas is almost over. I'll miss the Christmas lights and music, and how people are just a little more giving and full of "peace on earth" this time of year. He, of course, couldn't be any more different since he wants Christmas here (and even gone) NOW. He just couldn't fathom it. But I will be sad when it's over and we have to get back to "normal" life and the fun desert that is January in Rochester. It's cold, gray, and wholly uninspiring. If not for Carter's birthday I'd pretty much want to check out until at least the end of March, or maybe the first 55 degree day, whichever comes first. So being extra busy loving on people for a few weeks instead of cold gray blahs? I'm in.
Christmas becomes exponentially more complicated as the number of loved ones involved increases. So if your Christmas is crazy and stressful, it's really just that you're blessed to be surrounded by so many people to love! That's why--no matter how expensive or challenging things get--I wouldn't trade our crazy, chaotic Christmas for anything! We are so lucky to have so much family, and I know it won't always be that way since our kids' generation hasn't bonded as much as family has moved away, so the lure of getting together won't be the same years from now. Right now we're still benefitting from decades of family tradition and relatives old enough to remember, and as the younger generation isn't as much a "unit" as my dad's siblings were, or as my cousins and I are, it probably won't stick decades from now. So we'll enjoy it while it lasts, before we have to move on to new traditions.
For all the craziness and stress and frustration I've felt at various points this season, I have to admit that I feel much better than usual. Maybe it's the day of the week setup this year, with two weekend days to finish everything up before the fun starts. But I'd like to think it's also keeping perspective on how lucky we are to be happy, healthy, and surrounded by family. It makes the rest of this stuff seem like small potatoes in comparison.
So, the season is officially upon us. Ready, set....go!
I'm sure I'm forgetting countless little things that seemed routine other years, but like every other year, I'm just doing the best I can. We have a few last minute gifts to buy, and only one is a complete mystery at the moment. I'm at least half wrapped, assuming stocking stuffers don't take too long. School and work gifts have been handled, my first batch of cookies got baked last night without incident, and I already have plans for what I'm making for family gatherings. So, that's not too bad. Or, at least, it could be a lot worse.
Of course, yesterday Jacob woke up sick. The previous night he seemed a little extra anxious, and then he had trouble sleeping, and when he woke up in the morning I initially assumed that either the melatonin he took made him more lethargic, or maybe he was just getting overwhelmed by all of the Christmas build-up. He's been dying for it to be Christmas for weeks, and sometimes I think he makes himself crazy with it. But a few minutes in I could tell that he just didn't feel well. His stomach hurt, he had some aches, and he was chilled. No fever initially, but given that it was an outside play day at school that he'd been looking forward to all week, I knew it had to be legit and he stayed home. Craig and I split the day, and by the time I got home at lunch he had a fever. The chills and stomach pains left him moaning by late afternoon, but fortunately a couple naps later in the day seemed to help. He woke up from the latter one, in the bathroom just in case, and gave me a thumbs up that he felt better. He still wasn't thrilled to go to school this morning, but he seemed functional enough--no fever and a bit perkier. I'm just thankful there were no digestive pyrotechnics--just some bad cramping. I'm still on guard that any of us could get sick, because I feel like one of these years we're due to miss Christmas thanks to some sort of non-travelworthy illness. God forbid, but I know I puked on Christmas at least once, so it's probably not out of the question. Lots of praying for health in the meantime, though.
I realized the other day that Christmas is a bit like pregnancy. You go through so much to prepare, and it's not easy. You sort of dread the day-to-day complications and anxiety, but the end result is so great that by the end you almost forget all of the effort that went into it and just revel in the awesomeness. And when it comes time to do it again, you take a deep breath knowing what you're getting into, but try to find moments of joy in the process and have faith that the end result will be as great as it was before. And it almost always is. As the years go by, I try to be mindful of the fact that our "perfect Christmases" are numbered--that down the road we'll lose our parents or other key family members; that as we've seen with other family members, life can change in an instant. I've lost two cousins young, after all, and we got that reminder three weeks after Christmas last year when my uncle passed suddenly. You just don't know, so you savor every chance you have. We're so blessed to have had so many good years, and while I pray they'll continue, I know things will change. I figure I'm at least in my third phase of Christmas--as a child where everything was magical; then as a teenager to young adult where the magic faded a little and family members began to disappear; and now as a parent, where my kids' happiness is paramount. Eventually my kids will move into that second phase, and hopefully after that we'll get the grandparent phase going, but with it will come loss and change. It scares me, but I hope that those transitions will be as smooth and peaceful as possible. As I mentioned a couple posts back, the changes in traditions thus far have gone well--where one thing changes, something else has filled the gap. Some holes will never be filled, I know, but hopefully the bridge that's built over will help us find new joy. So, when I'm in the midst of Christmas stress, I try to remind myself that it could always be worse. This is the good stuff, folks.
This morning in the car on the way to school, I said to Jacob that I was actually sad Christmas is almost over. I'll miss the Christmas lights and music, and how people are just a little more giving and full of "peace on earth" this time of year. He, of course, couldn't be any more different since he wants Christmas here (and even gone) NOW. He just couldn't fathom it. But I will be sad when it's over and we have to get back to "normal" life and the fun desert that is January in Rochester. It's cold, gray, and wholly uninspiring. If not for Carter's birthday I'd pretty much want to check out until at least the end of March, or maybe the first 55 degree day, whichever comes first. So being extra busy loving on people for a few weeks instead of cold gray blahs? I'm in.
Christmas becomes exponentially more complicated as the number of loved ones involved increases. So if your Christmas is crazy and stressful, it's really just that you're blessed to be surrounded by so many people to love! That's why--no matter how expensive or challenging things get--I wouldn't trade our crazy, chaotic Christmas for anything! We are so lucky to have so much family, and I know it won't always be that way since our kids' generation hasn't bonded as much as family has moved away, so the lure of getting together won't be the same years from now. Right now we're still benefitting from decades of family tradition and relatives old enough to remember, and as the younger generation isn't as much a "unit" as my dad's siblings were, or as my cousins and I are, it probably won't stick decades from now. So we'll enjoy it while it lasts, before we have to move on to new traditions.
For all the craziness and stress and frustration I've felt at various points this season, I have to admit that I feel much better than usual. Maybe it's the day of the week setup this year, with two weekend days to finish everything up before the fun starts. But I'd like to think it's also keeping perspective on how lucky we are to be happy, healthy, and surrounded by family. It makes the rest of this stuff seem like small potatoes in comparison.
So, the season is officially upon us. Ready, set....go!
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Best Early Christmas Gift
Years ago, for a few years in a row, Craig's work Christmas party was a fabulous night out at the steakhouse at the Seneca Niagara Casino, along with some money to gamble. It usually worked out nicely to drop off the kid(s) with my parents on the way, and have a fun adults-only evening. It was always one of my favorite nights of the year because fantastic food, a little wine, and some risk-free gambling was definitely a welcome break from the norm of frugal living and parenthood. Due to various circumstances, that ended a couple years ago, and it seemed like the fun was over.
But then came this year's Christmas party invite, and it almost seemed too good to be true (and after the scrapped Vegas trip a couple years back, I worried it might be). But sure enough, it happened...and it was awesome.
I took the day off on Friday because I had some Christmas things to accomplish. I had the added bonus of a lunch date with Craig (oh, Olive Garden, I have missed you), and while I wasn't as successful as I'd hoped to be on the Christmas front, I was thankful to have the day. Craig grabbed the kids from school, and pretty quickly we were on the road to Niagara Falls, Ontario for a fun family weekend! And the best part? We barely had to pay for anything--the hotel, two fancy dinners, and one special daytime diversion were all included!
We arrived in the Falls around 6pm and checked into our hotel, one I'd long admired just over the Rainbow Bridge. It's quite the historical landmark, hosting guests such as Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth. The lobby was full of classic details. The room was old-school small, which is challenging with two kids and four pieces of luggage, but then I peeked out the window and saw we had a view of this:
And this...
The boys were excited to find a fun hospitality gift on our table--snacks, candy, and drinks for the family to share!
We cleaned up and got ready for dinner, and as we went downstairs to catch our Uber to the other end of the Falls tourist area, I found myself obsessed with this double stairway down to the street level. Between the chandelier and Christmas décor, it was so stunning.
We took a beautiful Uber trip along the Falls, through the Festival of Lights. Our destination was Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse, to meet up with Craig's co-workers. I wasn't sure what to expect, but we had such a wonderful dinner. Having meat constantly hand delivered to your table is a treat! Carter practically out-ate everyone, plowing through three or four pieces of bacon-wrapped chicken and a pork sausage, along with a couple rolls and some kielbasa from the salad bar. Jacob could have eaten most of the meat, but he ended up being obsessed with the sweet cinnamon-crusted grilled pineapple.
We ate our fill and had a lot of laughs, and then it was time to head back to the hotel for the night. The lights outside the restaurant, across from the Fallsview Casino, were so pretty!
On the drive back in our fancy Mercedes Uber, I decided to video some of the lights. Since the video is probably motion sickness-inducing, here's one small sample.
And here's the video...it attempts to do it justice. It was really pretty!
Upon arriving back at the hotel, we opted to take a quick stroll down the way to the Hershey Store.
We walked back through the Coca-Cola Store and a souvenir shop to our hotel, and I attempted to catch a better picture of this gorgeous two-story stairwell.
Friday night was a very rough night of sleep in our room. Carter's sleep apnea is worse than ever, and I could not get him to stay in a good position to stop the snoring. With each unsuccessful labored breath, he'd toss and turn, and by 1:30am, Craig switched beds with me. I slept a little better next to Jacob. Craig struggled, but I know from his snores that he slept a bit! Regardless, it was nice waking up to see this out the window!
We grabbed (a stupidly-expensive) breakfast at the hotel Starbucks and headed to our main destination for the day--the indoor waterpark! It was connected to the hotel and, again, was not on our dime! We were so excited to enjoy some summer-like fun despite the chilly weather outside!
There were four main tube waterslides, two extreme body slides, two extreme mat slides, a wave pool, a water play area with additional slides, and an outdoor pool with basketball hoops. Much to Jacob's disappointment, the outdoor pool was closed for maintenance, but we made do inside. Carter and I rode slides over and over, and he was most excited to be able to go on a "toilet bowl", much like he can't go on at Seabreeze. I think the difference here is that these slides all end in a shallow chute, rather than a three-foot-deep pool like at Seabreeze. He loved swirling around the toilet bowl, and found it hilarious when he and Craig got stuck going around and around on their ride together! We climbed through the play area and rode smaller body slides there, and Jacob and Craig did some time in the wave pool. I finished off the day with a ride on one of the extreme body slides, and then it was time to dry off and grab some lunch on Clifton Hill.
We headed to Boston Pizza, where we knew Jacob could eat, and after lunch we spent some time in the arcade. Arcades are really Jacob's favorite thing to do, and he was happy to see a basketball game. He beat the record on one not once, but twice! This was his first one, but he later got it up to 63!
He did a great job getting tickets so Carter could get the prize of his choice, and soon enough it was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the company-wide Christmas party. This one was in the grand ballroom and was attended by about 100 people from the team owner's company up on the reserve in Canada. He hosted all of those people at the hotel, by the way, so it was truly a special weekend for everyone.
The party was pretty low-key but nice. Carter entertained Craig's co-workers and the meal was very good. And then...Santa came! Through a fun fake chimney, no less! Carter got a cool Captain America car/motorcycle/shooter toy that goes with a lot of his other superhero/Imaginext toys, and Jacob was surprisingly cool with a remote control truck.
They had a photographer taking and printing pictures on the spot, and I wish my scanner was hooked up right now, but these will have to do.
That night's sleep was still rough but a bit better. After going to bed around 10pm, I woke up at 4:30, which is probably about a normal night's sleep for me during the week. Not ideal, but it could be worse. I tried to fall back to sleep, and managed to rest, but when it just didn't work, I got up around 7:30 to take a walk to Tim Hortons on Clifton Hill to get a reasonably priced and much more enjoyable breakfast for all of us. It was a cool, damp morning, but I was awestruck by the quiet at 8am. For an area that's usually bustling with tourists and traffic, the roads were silent and sidewalks almost bare. It was almost surreal. As I got to the base of Clifton Hill, I noticed that some of the Christmas lights were still on down near the Falls. I couldn't help myself--I had to take the five minute detour down there.
I can't really explain quite how peaceful it was there. With the Christmas lights, the roar of the falls, and not much else, it was just....nice. And the better news was that I could take pictures all I wanted with no one to think I was a total weirdo.
The view as I headed back up was pretty, too. Our hotel is the shorter one on the right.
Clifton Hill was equally eerily peaceful, and I bought a whole bunch of food at Tim Hortons for about half of what a few items at Starbucks cost. I brought everything back to the room and started rousing the troops so Carter and I could fit in a morning session at the waterpark before checkout. We could have stayed all day, actually, but the logistics of packing the van, changing clothes and drying off without a hotel room didn't really appeal to us.
The first order of business upon arriving at the waterpark was to see if the outdoor pool was open. Jacob really wanted to play basketball, and sure enough, there was no "closed" sign this time. However, there were also no balls hanging around, so I asked around and apparently they were still looking for them! So I texted Craig and by the time Carter and I were on our second slide, the other two arrived and immediately headed outside. And yes, it was freezing out there. But the pool was warm enough to steam, so I guess it was manageable. Craig said his head was frozen, but I suppose it was worth it to see Jacob have a blast!
Soon enough it was time to dry off and check out, but we had such a great time!
Once we checked out, we headed over to Clifton Hill for a bit to kill time before a Mighty Taco lunch back in the states and a stop at my parents' house. Jacob wanted to sit in Robert Wadlow's chair at the Guinness World Record Museum.
We stopped in a bunch of cheesy souvenir shops, and finally popped out at the dinosaur mini golf. We couldn't resist...
Clifton Hill has always been one of my favorite places. It's cheesy and full of tourist traps, but it's so fun!
I love taking pictures of Clifton Hill every time we go, because it changes seamlessly over the years. Places constantly reinvent themselves! It's fun to look at what's changed and what's stayed the same. I actually just looked at some old pictures and then had to go to Google Street View because I had to see what used to be where!
We had a truly great weekend that gave us the most priceless gift - family memories! We enjoyed each others' company (for the most part), tried something new, and got a little respite from the holiday craziness. Of course, I'm paying for it now as I run around trying to wrap up Christmas preparations, but it was totally worth it. I'm just so thankful we were able to do this. It was a wonderful opportunity for all of us and kicked off our holiday in the best possible way!
But then came this year's Christmas party invite, and it almost seemed too good to be true (and after the scrapped Vegas trip a couple years back, I worried it might be). But sure enough, it happened...and it was awesome.
I took the day off on Friday because I had some Christmas things to accomplish. I had the added bonus of a lunch date with Craig (oh, Olive Garden, I have missed you), and while I wasn't as successful as I'd hoped to be on the Christmas front, I was thankful to have the day. Craig grabbed the kids from school, and pretty quickly we were on the road to Niagara Falls, Ontario for a fun family weekend! And the best part? We barely had to pay for anything--the hotel, two fancy dinners, and one special daytime diversion were all included!
We arrived in the Falls around 6pm and checked into our hotel, one I'd long admired just over the Rainbow Bridge. It's quite the historical landmark, hosting guests such as Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth. The lobby was full of classic details. The room was old-school small, which is challenging with two kids and four pieces of luggage, but then I peeked out the window and saw we had a view of this:
 |
| Niagara Falls! |
And this...
 |
| The Casino Niagara Tower, once the Kodak-sponsored observation tower at Maple Leaf Village |
We cleaned up and got ready for dinner, and as we went downstairs to catch our Uber to the other end of the Falls tourist area, I found myself obsessed with this double stairway down to the street level. Between the chandelier and Christmas décor, it was so stunning.
We took a beautiful Uber trip along the Falls, through the Festival of Lights. Our destination was Brasa, a Brazilian steakhouse, to meet up with Craig's co-workers. I wasn't sure what to expect, but we had such a wonderful dinner. Having meat constantly hand delivered to your table is a treat! Carter practically out-ate everyone, plowing through three or four pieces of bacon-wrapped chicken and a pork sausage, along with a couple rolls and some kielbasa from the salad bar. Jacob could have eaten most of the meat, but he ended up being obsessed with the sweet cinnamon-crusted grilled pineapple.
We ate our fill and had a lot of laughs, and then it was time to head back to the hotel for the night. The lights outside the restaurant, across from the Fallsview Casino, were so pretty!
On the drive back in our fancy Mercedes Uber, I decided to video some of the lights. Since the video is probably motion sickness-inducing, here's one small sample.
And here's the video...it attempts to do it justice. It was really pretty!
Upon arriving back at the hotel, we opted to take a quick stroll down the way to the Hershey Store.
We walked back through the Coca-Cola Store and a souvenir shop to our hotel, and I attempted to catch a better picture of this gorgeous two-story stairwell.
Friday night was a very rough night of sleep in our room. Carter's sleep apnea is worse than ever, and I could not get him to stay in a good position to stop the snoring. With each unsuccessful labored breath, he'd toss and turn, and by 1:30am, Craig switched beds with me. I slept a little better next to Jacob. Craig struggled, but I know from his snores that he slept a bit! Regardless, it was nice waking up to see this out the window!
We grabbed (a stupidly-expensive) breakfast at the hotel Starbucks and headed to our main destination for the day--the indoor waterpark! It was connected to the hotel and, again, was not on our dime! We were so excited to enjoy some summer-like fun despite the chilly weather outside!
There were four main tube waterslides, two extreme body slides, two extreme mat slides, a wave pool, a water play area with additional slides, and an outdoor pool with basketball hoops. Much to Jacob's disappointment, the outdoor pool was closed for maintenance, but we made do inside. Carter and I rode slides over and over, and he was most excited to be able to go on a "toilet bowl", much like he can't go on at Seabreeze. I think the difference here is that these slides all end in a shallow chute, rather than a three-foot-deep pool like at Seabreeze. He loved swirling around the toilet bowl, and found it hilarious when he and Craig got stuck going around and around on their ride together! We climbed through the play area and rode smaller body slides there, and Jacob and Craig did some time in the wave pool. I finished off the day with a ride on one of the extreme body slides, and then it was time to dry off and grab some lunch on Clifton Hill.
We headed to Boston Pizza, where we knew Jacob could eat, and after lunch we spent some time in the arcade. Arcades are really Jacob's favorite thing to do, and he was happy to see a basketball game. He beat the record on one not once, but twice! This was his first one, but he later got it up to 63!
He did a great job getting tickets so Carter could get the prize of his choice, and soon enough it was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the company-wide Christmas party. This one was in the grand ballroom and was attended by about 100 people from the team owner's company up on the reserve in Canada. He hosted all of those people at the hotel, by the way, so it was truly a special weekend for everyone.
The party was pretty low-key but nice. Carter entertained Craig's co-workers and the meal was very good. And then...Santa came! Through a fun fake chimney, no less! Carter got a cool Captain America car/motorcycle/shooter toy that goes with a lot of his other superhero/Imaginext toys, and Jacob was surprisingly cool with a remote control truck.
 |
| Trying to make it go up a ramp made out of cardboard |
 |
| An actual family picture! |
I can't really explain quite how peaceful it was there. With the Christmas lights, the roar of the falls, and not much else, it was just....nice. And the better news was that I could take pictures all I wanted with no one to think I was a total weirdo.
The view as I headed back up was pretty, too. Our hotel is the shorter one on the right.
Clifton Hill was equally eerily peaceful, and I bought a whole bunch of food at Tim Hortons for about half of what a few items at Starbucks cost. I brought everything back to the room and started rousing the troops so Carter and I could fit in a morning session at the waterpark before checkout. We could have stayed all day, actually, but the logistics of packing the van, changing clothes and drying off without a hotel room didn't really appeal to us.
The first order of business upon arriving at the waterpark was to see if the outdoor pool was open. Jacob really wanted to play basketball, and sure enough, there was no "closed" sign this time. However, there were also no balls hanging around, so I asked around and apparently they were still looking for them! So I texted Craig and by the time Carter and I were on our second slide, the other two arrived and immediately headed outside. And yes, it was freezing out there. But the pool was warm enough to steam, so I guess it was manageable. Craig said his head was frozen, but I suppose it was worth it to see Jacob have a blast!
 |
| Extreme slides to the left, wave pool below, tube slides to the right |
 |
| The water play area--lots of squirting and dumping! There were three smaller body slides to the left. |
We stopped in a bunch of cheesy souvenir shops, and finally popped out at the dinosaur mini golf. We couldn't resist...
 |
| Notice Jacob looks like his head was eaten off... |
 |
| Ripley's Believe it or Not! to the left, the Frankenstein Burger King ahead, and Wizards' Golf to the right |
We had a truly great weekend that gave us the most priceless gift - family memories! We enjoyed each others' company (for the most part), tried something new, and got a little respite from the holiday craziness. Of course, I'm paying for it now as I run around trying to wrap up Christmas preparations, but it was totally worth it. I'm just so thankful we were able to do this. It was a wonderful opportunity for all of us and kicked off our holiday in the best possible way!
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