Christmas 2010 - A Christmas to Remember (I mean forget...)

(This post was started back in December of 2010 - anything I just added presently is in italics)

Picture this:

It was Christmas Eve. Our table was set with my pretty, red Christmas dishes, the majority of the food was on the table, and we were starting to gather at the table to begin our meal…

And then Mallary started puking…

And, that, my friends, was the final nail in my Christmas spirit’s coffin – the icing on my fruitcake!

And I do not like fruitcake.

Had we not had friends over, I would have retired to my bedroom and hibernated until at least 2011.

This Christmas season was… different? I barely listened to Christmas music, which I usually have to force myself not to listen to until after Thanksgiving. I don’t think I even watched one full Christmas special. What?!?!? (I know. That makes me sad just typing it.) We delivered no goodies (I started to make some many times…), sent no Christmas cards, and I wrapped the presents the week of Christmas (very odd for me, usually have them wrapped as soon as I buy them). I also knew I wouldn’t be getting anything off of my Christmas list, which included, but was not limited to: a new mattress for our bed, patio furniture, a larger patio to put the furniture on, a fence for our backyard, a new light for the bathroom, more kitchen cabinets built, a new computer, and I’ll just stop there…

When I finally accepted the fact that I wasn’t getting any of those things for Christmas (okay, so I knew that before I made the list…), I decided that all I really wanted for Christmas was a little peace. Some for me, some for you, some for anyone in the world that wanted it. I know, I know… Christmas lists are not for beauty pageant answers, but really, was world peace too much to ask for? Or, for everyone to have peace in their homes, or in their hearts? I know, it’s a big ticket item. I’m not sure if Santa could have even made that in his workshop…

I jest. But, really.

No.

Really.

It seems like lately I know of too many people struggling with tough issues, too many friends with hurting hearts, too much sadness going on all around me… Lately, just watching the evening news breaks my heart a little bit. I’m not sure when I became so sensitive… I know everyone has their own set of struggles; I have my own, and I know you have your own. I think there are a lot of people who would like a little peace.

I think there are different kids of peace…

I mean, sometimes, all I want is an hour or two of peace and quiet in my life. Time where I can just BE, and not do. Peace from not having to give time outs, or raise my voice… Peace where I can read something that touches my spirit, and enjoy that moment without it being interrupted by my child yelling for something at me… That kind of peace.

Then, there’s the kind of peace that settles in your heart and heals. A lot of hearts need that kind of peace too.

If there was some way Santa could have wrapped up a little peace, topped it with a bow, and slipped it in my stocking (and yours)…. that would have been the best stocking stuffer ever.

So, I narrowed down my Christmas list, and told Santa that all I wanted was Peace on earth.

And, if that wasn’t doable, I asked for a clean house.

So, that’s how I felt leading up to Christmas Eve. For me, it had been a Christmas season filled with issue after issue, topped off with so many of my friends hurting with their own issues, and it just wasn’t feeling Christmas-y enough to me. There were a few Christmas spirit highs like my Christmas Road Rally Party, and getting Christmas cards, gifts, and my friends candy cane fudge in the mail.

So, I had really wanted Christmas Eve to be perfect. I was looking forward to spending a whole day devoted to Christmas. I was cooking dinner, we were going to eat with friends, we were going to make sugar cookies and decorate them, we were going to watch a fun Christmas movie, and read the Christmas story, and hang stockings, and set cookies out for Santa, and then snuggle up on the couch with my husband in a dark living room with only the Christmas tree lights on, and watch a Christmas special…

Cue Mallary puking…

Our poor friends!!! We tried to somewhat carry on with the evening… At first, we didn’t know if Mallary was really sick, or if she made herself throw up by coughing and gagging herself – we soon figured out she was sick. Let’s just say John gave her three or four baths before our friends even left that night. It was really sad.

I tried to carry on with the evening, though inside I really just wanted to fall apart. Then, as I went to make the icing for the sugar cookies, my hand mixer broke! I was like, REALLY????? Could this night get any better??? Our friends left a little later, and then Trevan opened his pajamas, and Mallary had fallen asleep in our floor. I told Trevan to come down stairs and we would hang the stockings, and put some cookies out for Santa. Well, he loved his new pajamas so much, he climbed in his bed before I knew it and went to sleep before even coming downstairs!

I couldn’t even set out cookies for Santa with my kids???

That night kept getting better for me…

I was just so disappointed. As a parent you look forward to holidays with your kids, like to see them so happy on those events makes up for the bad stuff on other days. You really want it to be so magical for them.

And in case you didn’t know, barfing does not equal magical.

Needless to say, Christmas Eve didn’t turn out at all as I had envisioned it… and to top it off, I fell asleep on the couch, sitting up, alone, not even watching a Christmas special.

And, the next day?

My stocking was pretty empty… AND my house wasn’t clean!

Santa had not put any peace in my stocking OR cleaned my house! Can you believe that guy?

I started this post well before Christmas, and it just kept evolving. Then when Christmas Eve came, and Christmas came and went, I tried to write more and couldn’t. I think I had to process it all before coming back to it.

Before Christmas, I found some pictures of past Christmases, and my mom was in them maybe making me a little sentimental…

This year, my whole family got together the day after Christmas, and had a Christmas dinner. Before I even finished eating, people were cleaning up and getting ready to open presents. What?? I hadn’t finished my food or gone back for seconds yet!

"The kids want to open up the presents," someone said. "Who cares?" I said, "When we were kids at Grandma's house we had to wait patiently until everyone was done eating and cleaning up!!!"

Honestly, I was a little upset (my family won’t be surprised to read that, don’t worry - but by now they will have forgotten it). I was eating and talking to my sister in law, and they already had tables taken down… I’ve thought about why that really bothered me other than the obvious reasons, and I came to the conclusion that I think if my mom had been there, she wouldn’t have been done eating either. She would have been sitting there with us talking and eating.

For me, it was another Christmas let down. You picture yourself enjoying your Christmas dinner with family you love, only it felt like it lasted ten minutes.

I know. I’m pathetic. I am. But, there are just times in your life when you feel down, and then stuff keeps happening that keeps you down, or makes you want to stay down.

And that’s where that post ended… See? I was totally depressed and did not even know it. I remember crying while watching the news in early December of that year… Oh my.

It makes me so so so so sad that somehow all the pictures on my camera from this Christmas were deleted. Like very sad.  Did I mention that I was sad that all the pictures were deleted? 

Anway, we had friends over, and these are the pictures she took on that Christmas Eve and was kind enough to share them with me. 

At the end of these pictures I'll just write down my memories of the pictures that I took.  I think we have on video the kids opening their presents... I'm crossing my fingers that we do. 

Trevan and his friend



Oh my goodness, is this right before she threw up????????  How she managed not to get puke on the table I will never know.  It completely covered underneath the table... It must have been the only Christmas miracle that year.  :)

Or this one???  It was a nightmare...

This must be while John was upstairs during one of Mallary's many baths that night. 

I was literally on the verge of falling apart.  Had our friends not been there, I totally would have. 

Jonah has always loved Jennifer

I love that they captured his silly smile in this picture!  This is how he smiled for so long!!

At least they had fun making cookies!! 

So, that night I took pictures of Trevan opening his Christmas jammies, and Mallary asleep on our floor.  Then later that night she woke up and  threw up some more, after another bath she opened her Christmas jammies and put them on too.

 

Christmas morning pictures - I had some of them on the stairs with Mallary still looking a little sick...  We let her open presents while sitting on some towels with a bowl to puke in nearby - though I don't think she ever needed it. 

 

Some favorite Christmas memories from that year:

• It snowed a little bit (I think...)
• Trevan opening up this Star Wars game that you plug into a TV and he exclaimed, "This is better than a DS!!!!!
• Trevan had wanted a frog pillow pet, but I couldn't find one in time and my sister had found this GIANT frog, and when he opened it up he totally wrestled with it and played with it, it was so cute! 
• I surprised John by hemming some Christmas jammies from the year before that had ripped and he wanted me to make them into capris.  (I know he's a weird man...)  When John stood up and held them up in front of him, Trevan looked at him and said, "Those pants would fit Santa Clause!"  I think I laughed about that for a year!  Okay, I'm still laughing about that!!
• When handing Mallary another present to open, she said "I don't want anymore.  I have enough presents already."  (We only give three presents + usually one big and one little thing from Santa)
• Trevan gave Mallary a little Hello Kitty backpack for Christmas and Mallary exclaimed, "A BACKPACK!  I can go to school now like Trevan!"
• Talking to my BFF, Becky on the phone



Happy Anniversary

Dear Johnny,

Ten years ago today, probably about this time, you were meeting my Grandparents for the first time.  We had just driven back from getting married in D.C. and arrived at my house while Uncle Tommy was assembling the salmon crackers (that eventually went soggy because of the rain and the humidity at our reception).  I can't believe that was ten years ago, and on this day, our anniversary, I thought I would go through our anniversaries just for the fun of it.

First - We had spent the day at the beach in Rhode Island (right?) had dinner with your family, and then went off to find a hotel for the night to celebrate our anniversary.  The only thing is we had spent the night in BWI airport a few days ago, and I think I was sick from that still, I felt horrible.  As we tried to find hotels, every one we stopped at was full.  We drove for forever.  I finally cried myself to sleep from not feeling good and not finding a hotel.  I felt like Mary with there being "no room at the Inn..."  We finally found a hotel that had a vacancy, but we paid the price for it.  It was really nice, and had the most comfy bed I have ever slept in to this day.  My favorite memory of that first anniversary was when you took a shower shortly after we arrived, and you started screaming (yelping?), "it burns! it burns!"  You had been stung on a sensitive area on your body at the beach, and I guess the water made it burn... It was nice for me to laugh after feeling so awful.   My second favorite memory was of your brother David meeting us at the car rental place the next morning, and giving us his mischievous grin, "heh heh did you enjoy yourselves?" I just rolled my eyes and told him it was nothing like that.  To be sick on our first anniversary was so fun - I think it was a sign of anniversaries to come... 

Second - You surprised me with an overnight stay in a nice bed and breakfast or Inn in Park City.  It was so sweet, you had arranged with the owner to have chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling cider in our room when we arrived.  I was almost eight months pregnant and huge.  I just remember walking up and down those Park City Streets being huge.  We had a good dinner at some restaurant there, and the B&B made a really yummy breakfast. 

Third - We had just moved to Maryland, and my parents were visiting.  They watched Trevan, while you took me to a nice restaurant out by the sound or bay or something...  Then Chris and Becky arrived to move to D.C. and spent the night with us, and it was their actual anniversary that day, and I think I made a cake or something to celebrate our anniversaries together the next night when it was our actual anniversary. 

Fourth - We went to the beach in Ocean City, Maryland.  We took Trevan with us.  It was a surprise, and I was mad because you didn't pack anything for the beach.  No toys for Trevan, no umbrella, no chairs, no nothing.  If you had told me, I could have put everything together, but you didn't...  I remember you dropped us off at the beach and then went to buy stuff, while I sat on the beach with Trevan mad.  :)  Good times! 

Fifth - Another surprise.  You took me to the most expensive hotel.  Plus, it had a golf tournament going on there at the same time, making the cost even more expensive.  I was so mad that you spent all that money.  AND you had reservations to eat the hotel too, and we were both disappointed with the quality of the food for the price we paid.  We totally got ripped off.  AND you didn't arrange for a sitter for Trevan, so he came with us too.  We made him a nice bed out of the chair in our room.  I just remember being mad at you because you didn't give me enough notice and I looked like poo at this nice restaurant.  I was also pregnant with Mallary, so that added to the madness I think...  :)  But, I do remember swimming at the pool after dinner and it was nice to float in the pool and feel weightless because I was so huge and pregnant. 

Sixth - I have no idea what we did this year.  I don't think you do either...  You said we stayed home one year and made fondue to celebrate, but I think you are confusing that with Valentine's Day... So who knows what we did.  But, I do remember what you got me... a Tom Tom (which you said was because you knows I don't like getting lost, and that you'd be lost without me) but I made you take it back because it was over our monetary limit, and I didn't like the thought that you had really bought yourself a gadget for my anniversary present. I'm a stinker, I know. (Though, honestly I should have kept it because I bought one that same year in November...)

Seventh -  I threw you a surprise anniversary party - a seven year itch party.  To celebrate, we went to Mrytle Beach and took the kids with us.  It was such a fun trip.  Our hotel had a lazy river and a bowling alley, and the kids had a blast.  The water was so perfect, and I remember not wanting to leave!!!  It was a really nice trip.  I was barely pregnant with Jonah. 

Eighth - We dropped the kids off at my sisters, stopped at the hotel dropped off our stuff, relaxed, then went to Carrabbas for dinner.  The next day at Virginia Beach was fun.  My boogie board started to fall apart and was polluting the Atlantic Ocean. Your boogie board broke too.  We ate somewhere on our way back to get the kids, I just can't remember where... 

Ninth - The Melting Pot.  Was it a surprise?  Or had you figured out I don't like some of those surprises yet?  :)  You had come there early on your lunch break from work with rose petals for them to put on our table, and sparkling cider.  It was sweet, and a very relaxing evening. 

Tenth - Although we were supposed to be spending this anniversary in Hawaii, here I am typing this from our kitchen table.   :)  I was in the shower earlier thinking about our anniversary while Jonah was banging on the bathroom door, and listening to the other kids scream at each other for some reason, and thinking how far we've come in ten years!  Three kids, and another one on the way.  So, this is actually our fifth anniversary we've celebrated while I've been pregnant. (I was barely pregnant when we went to Ocean City with the one I miscarried)  It's kind of fun to think about where we will be in another ten years...  DEFINITELY NOT PREGNANT, and hopefully in an exotic location!

Though we don't have a lot of money for expensive gifts or a trip away this year.  I hope you'll enjoy the weed eater we'll buy 'in honor of our anniversary,' and every time I use the electric mixer we'll buy 'in honor of our anniversary' I'll think of our ten years.  Plus, my other gift to you was cleaning the ledge by the stairs. You're welcome. 

(Finished the day after our anniversary...)

Last night as you spilled food down your shirt at Carrabba's, I pictured our first date where you dribbled fajitas down your shirt.  Even in ten years, some things haven't changed.  Then while at dinner, I decided we really needed to get you new glasses, because looking at your crooked, nose piece-less, super glued glasses for an hour will do that to a person.  Once again, some things haven't changed...

I enjoyed shopping for glasses with you, especially when you tried on all the Harry Potter style glasses...  Cold Stone was yummy too.  And true to form, just like when we were engaged, we fell asleep watching a movie. 

Yesterday, at the playground with the kids, there were some big pieces of mulch that went through the soles of my Teva flip flops.  As I sat in the van digging them out, I realized I bought them when we were engaged.  I figured after ten years it would be okay if I threw them away, especially since they are a hazard to my feet, and without a tread they are a hazard to my life on wet surfaces.  Maybe there's a metaphor in there somewhere that if I throw away flip flops from ten years ago, I can throw away "hazards" in our marriage that are ten years old.  :)  

Here's to ten more years...How lucky I am to have found such a great man who cleans bathrooms, and does dishes, and loves me unconditionally.  Very lucky indeed.   

I love you.

Happy Anniversary,
Holly

Happy Love Day

We have been enjoying our Valentine Envelopes this month. Our kids have especially enjoyed getting little notes and gifts.

The first note John wrote for the kids, he signed them from, "Romeo, the elf." Trevan did not understand why Romeo was leaving notes and gifts. "Who is Romeo?" he would ask. I helped him figure out that it was his dad, though John still denies it.

Last week, when I was volunteering in Trevan's class, the teacher was showing the class how to make Valentines. She got to the part where they sign who it is from, and how you should sign your name. Trevan raised his hand, "Or, you could put a sneaky name who it is from." He said it with a big smile on his face, and nodded his head as he said it, all excited like. The teacher was like, "Okaay..." I just stood there and laughed, I thought it was so funny. I later explained to his teacher why he said that.

So, this is the Valentine Trevan made for John that day. He was so excited to put it in John's envelope. He just kept laughing about it on the way home that day. It says, "I Love you. (from) a sneaky elf named Brody Hamilton."



This is what Mallary puts in my envelope:

She loves me so much, she leaves me the wrappers.

On a seperate Valentine's note, John and I went out on Saturday night... You remember last year, right? Well, I got some flack for that post, and I need to clarify for any that may read it for the first time. First, John read my post before I published it. If I write about my husband in a way that can be perceived in any kind of questionable manner, I let him approve of what I write before I publish it. Second, this is an ongoing joke, so while we were sitting in that concert, he thought it was funny that we were there too. When I re-read this, I did sound kind of mean, but I didn't add the part that John said we could leave if I wanted to. Anyway, with that said....

We had a busy weekend. I threw a baby shower on Friday, I had to finish and mail an order, we had plans all morning and early afternoon on Saturday as well. John said with all of our plans that I ruined his Valentine's plans... So, we were sitting around Saturday afternoon, and John went into the garage for some reason, for a while. When he came inside, I asked him what he was doing outside. He replied, "Nothing, I just went and asked Linda (our neighbor) if she would watch our kids so we could go to dinner for Valentine's Day."

"So, you didn't plan anything in advance?" I know, I am a little mean... No weekend getaway? No trip to the moon? Really, people those are not my expectations. I just like to know that he has thought about and wanted to do something special for me.

So, in the car on the way to the restaurant, I joked around with him not planning in advance. But, it was a fun evening together. The wait at the restaurant was an hour long, so we decided to do a little shopping while we waited, and drove to a nearby mall, and our little buzzer thing started playing a little tune, over and over, because we were out of range. We drove back to the restaurant because that had never happened to us, and it stopped. So, we drove back to the mall, and left the buzzer in the car singing it's little batteries heart out.

I got two new shirts that "hide" my post baby belly, because I still have no clothes to fit me (I know, I know, it's been ten months!). I was very excited. Then we drove back to the restaurant and they said the wait would be thirty more minutes. So, we drove across the street to Sally's to get me some more shampoo (I only use ONE of these bigger bottles a year, crazy, right?), and some clips for my buisness. Well, I have never seen a Sally's so busy, ever. And, it was almost closing time. So, we are in the check out line behind the slowest woman ever, and our buzzer goes off. We had to wait there in that line forever with it still going off, but then it finally stopped, and we were sure that by the time we got back over to the restaurant they would have given our table to someone else.

We were finally able to check out, and raced over to the restaurant and they said they hadn't called us yet. But we were called a few moments later.

It was a very nice UN-PLANNED evening out with my love. Thank you John, and thank you nice neighbor!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Thanksgiving 2010

For Thanksgiving, John and I alternate years between our families. This year was his family's year. We had dinner at his brother's house, who only live a half hour away. His other brother, Andy and his family came down to join the festivities as well, and stayed with us on Thursday and Friday night.

I don't know why I forgot to take pictures of everyone, I guess I was too excited to eat dinner! I loved being with everyone, and I love watching the cousins all together!

My niece, Sarah with Jonah.

My niece, Kelsey with Mallary. Mallary loves Kelsey!

Playing games with Andy and Andrea at our house. The game we were playing is Qwirkle, though it does not require you to put tiles in your glasses, they did that all on their own.

It's always fun to see the Hamilton boys laughing.

Andrea even joined in the fun! John tried to get me to take a picture like that too, but I'm not so keen on pictures of myself right now!!!

Trevan and Mallary with their cousins, Andy and Andrea's sons.

I don't think I could pay Trevan to look away from the TV!

It was a fun and yummy Thanksgiving as always!!

Have you seen some of my Thanksgiving food? You can see some HERE.

Birthday and Bubbles

Last week we celebrated John's 34th birthday! I actually thought I was in labor for the second half of the day, and thought I would be giving him a baby for his birthday... Luckily that didn't happen. Or,unluckily, depending on how you look at it. But, we really didn't want two birthdays to be on the same day.

We went out for Indian Food, I made him his favorite Texas Sheet Cake, and I sent him on a man date to watch a movie with his friend. He also picked out a large beach umbrella for his birthday. Kind of a weird gift, but it was his choice. He thinks the one we have now is too small.

He had some issues with one candle...

My kids love bubbles, and John took them outside with the camera on Saturday to do some bubbles. You've gotta love Mallary's hair in these pictures too, that's what it looks like if Daddy does her hair.

Easter 2010

John had predicted I would spend Easter in the hospital this year, but I didn't really want to have a baby on Easter or General Conference weekend. Trevan was born during General Conference in October, and I didn't want to have two General Conference birthdays to celebrate. It just makes celebrating a little more complicated.

So, Saturday we spent the day watching (technically 'listening to' on the Internet) General Conference, prepping for Easter dinner, and a teeny tiny bit of cleaning. We died eggs, which the kids really enjoyed.

For some reason, I can't get my kids to smile normal in a picture... Mallary had dye all over her body.

The Easter Bunny visited our house.

And, even decided to bring me a basket. Even though we thought the Easter Bunny had come to the conclusion last year that we didn't need a basket too.

Mallary ate this egg before even inspecting the rest of her basket.

Trevan was really excited about his bubble wand, but not so much about his new Easter shirt and tie. The Easter Bunny brings new Easter clothes in Easter baskets, but Trevan really could care less.

Bubbles were the hot item this Easter, I guess. Do you like Mallary's chocolate covered face?

Here's what I got in my basket along with some candy. The Easter Bunny was so good to me, and I didn't even make any requests. The Easter Bunny did bring John some candy too.

After the Easter Basket unwrapping the kids went on a hunt to find the eggs the Easter Bunny hid.

This is a great picture... I sat the hunt out. See how I have to sit to make room for the child in my belly that is so low?

Mallary was anxious to dig in to her candy.

Poor Trevan... Most of the eggs were filled with Starburst and Sweet Tart jelly beans, which I think are really good. Trevan was really disappointed. I think he was scarred when he ate some Harry Potter Bernie Bott beans, and really won't eat jelly beans since. When we were eating breakfast he said, "Why do you think the Easter Bunny thought I would like jelly beans?" I felt bad. He is obviously not my child, because had that been me when I was a kid, I would have moped and whined about it, but all he did was ask that question. Then John told me that when Trevan said his prayers that night, he said, "Please tell the Easter Bunny that I don't like jelly beans, and that it won't bring jelly beans next year..." Too funny!

We went to John's brother's house to watch the Sunday sessions of General Conference and had Easter Dinner. We made a ham, rolls, two jellos, carrot cake, and a chocolate haupia pie. My sister in law made some yummy cheesy potatoes, green beans, deviled eggs, lemon pie, and a chocolate chip pie. I was going to make some sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese too because I really wanted some, but I ran out of steam, and John did too, so that will be on the menu this week. We always had big Easter Dinners when I was growing up, my Grandma alone would make a HUGE spread just by herself. It's a good/yummy tradition...

I had been wanting to make a carrot cake for a few weeks and finally did for Easter.

My first jello mold to turn out. Don't mind the Christmas platter, it was one my sister in law had handy that was big enough to fit the mold.

John cut the pineapple to cook on the ham, and he got a little creative... He cut the cores out with a start cookie cutter. I guess it's hard to be in my kitchen and not get a little creative. Everything was yummy. I love holiday leftovers! Conference was really good too. It was a good Easter!