My abbreviated version...hopefully enough to remind me of this Christmas, years down the road. Let's hope that by blocking out all visits to public restrooms between Virginia and Texas, I don't lose the good memories too.
I am too lazy to do anything about those red eyes...contacts maybe?
I love that we permanently jimmy rigged the DVD player enough to make it functional for this trip. Who needs to look at stuff out the windows when you have 12 Dancing Princesses, I ask you. I will put on a scary movie any day of the week to see my kids reach for each other for comfort. Really, a tear of motherly pride. (And just for clarification, it was not a scary movie really, just a totally appropriate movie with a slightly more suspenseful scene.)
Some children couldn't wait for the "has to be nightfall before we can plug you in" excuse, and resorted to other means by which to see their tiny screens.
24 hours led up to this...I love Houston. There is no place that feels more like coming home. It is more familiar to me than anywhere else....it's where I have spent the most years of my life. And it doesn't hurt that we left weather in the teens and were welcomed by this...
even if only for a few days. Do you know how hard it is to pack for a forty degree swing in temperature? Good thing we were staying with Megan and all her girls...to bad I am not as tiny as she is.
When we got there we jumped into the big project that Megan had coordinated for her parents for Christmas...a new bathroom. The kids were kept entertained by lovely lovely people while other lovely lovely people switched off in the bathroom.
Doesn't she look like a natural with that power tool?
I had to get a picture while I was actually in there since I hardly did anything but clean the shower....what, it was a ligit job!
It looked incredible when it was finished. New floors, toilets, baseboards, vanity, sink and mirror (and all new fixtures!) It turned out so beautiful that I hear everyone is gravitating towards that particular bathroom during the day.
But this was the real reason we came. I love seeing these girls with their cousins. They love them so. All of them. Every single one.
And despite the perpetual disaster that we had Megan's house in, I loved seeing all these cups every time I came into the kitchen.
Christmas morning was wonderful and chaotic, but mostly wonderful. I am surprised that we didn't lose any children and throw them out with the trash.
Hazel particularly liked her new underwear. That kid is just too easy to please.
What, a gift for me Clark? What could it possibly be?
And then we drove home again. I begged Clark to stay a little longer but he mumbled something about work, blah blah, making a living, something or other.
But I was glad to come home because we were somehow able to convince our friends Mike and Laurie to come up from Norfolk for New Year's. We went and saw the lights at the temple on New Year's Eve. Lovely, and slightly warmer than when we went a few weeks ago.
The next day we headed into downtown, via the metro....which consequently, turned out to be everyone's favorite part (of the kids, that is.) This is Mike explaining to them the rules of safety for the day...mainly that if anyone falls onto the tracks they will immediately be electrocuted and die a very horrible and painful death.
And then they jumped for joy.
And then they laid down and told us how starving they were.
And then I made the tinies stand in front of my favorite doors at the Fine Arts Museum.
And then I stared at Mia while she sat on that column by herself and thought for a while...and then worried about her tripping down the stairs and how I could find out where the nearest emergency room was (she is not the most graceful of my daughters...)
And then Hazel sat in something at the Natural History Museum that I'm pretty sure she wasn't supposed to sit in...breaking rules brings out such a deep seeded sense of paranoia in me...right after I finished taking the picture I told promptly to "get out, we are not supposed to climb on the things in the museum."
There, now I am all caught up and I feel much better. Don't you?
7 comments:
81? Are you freaking kidding me? Although right now, my heater is on nuclear, so it is not like I am feeling the cold, but still...
Love the hand-holding picture. Sweet sisters. And I don't think I have any graceful daughters. Mine are always getting banged up.
The bathroom looks fabulous and whoever is standing behind Hazel...her pajamas should be hung in the bathroom.
Yes! I'm first to comment. Do I get a prize?
I love your abridged version of your Christmas break. I especially loved you abridging the public restrooms and Mia loosing her boots.
I wish you could've stayed longer - there are other bathrooms to renovate, more treats to eat, more bike rides to take, more cousins to cuddle.
Okay, I was the first, but I guess I'm a slow commentererer. What's second prize?
You have absolutely inspired me to go get my camera and blog about Christmas...way to go Em! I'm not easy to inspire...especially when I'm all comfy and lazy! I love your girls...I love that they are my nieces...I hate that they don't live next door. Are we ever going to be able to do something about that?
I am glad you had a great Christmas! I love the picture of the hand holding...so very sweet. And, I love that picture of the huge doors...very cool. You live in the coolest area!!
I do. I definately feel much better, Thanks.
I feel oh so much better. I've missed you.
I wonder if there are other families with siblings who all grew up together, and yet claim different cities as "home". Just for the record, I am still "undecided".
My favorite pic is of the littles in front of the big door. Love it.
This post makes me miss you tons and want to come hang out with your girls. I love you.
Post a Comment