Christmas Break 2009

Before I continue on with the C&B reception photos (coming soon 2010), may I take a moment to lay out my new years resolutions. Ha, just kidding. Although it seems appropriate to have a post about the new year or goals or reflections on how last year went I'm not in a goal setting mood. It's too early in the year for that. Plus in talking with Malinda's mom apparently it's a better idea to start your new life in line with the new moon. And the new moon isn't until sometime mid-month. So wahoo! No sense in starting a goal now when it would clearly be doomed to failure.

Christmas break has been grand. And by "break" I mean "day." One of the drawbacks to employment (usually outweighed by receiving a regular paycheck so it's not like this is a big problem) is that you're expected to work during weekdays. Including Christmas Eve, Hanukah, Kwanza (sp?), New Year's Eve, etc. So, while the traffic is significantly lighter during the weeks of the holiday season and therefore the drive to work is much more endurable, also you're thinking "I would trade in this light traffic to work to be like everyone else and not have to drive in at all during the holiday season."

Anyway since Christmas fell on a Friday this year it DID feel kind of like a miniature vacation to have a three day weekend. Extended into a four day weekend when I decided to throw caution to the wind and take the next Monday off as well. Let the good times roll.

So we did the usual Christmas vacation things: we watched several movies in the theater, had a volleyball tournament, played Rummikub, fixed puzzles, reenacted the nativity story (actually I slept through that - but I know it happened because I saw the video and yes, I'm sleeping on the couch in the video and yes, I enjoyed watching the baby Jesus repeatedly try to get Mary to smell his feet), watched football, went to the batting cages and consumed large amounts of food. I guess not all of those things were "usual." The volleyball tournament was the first of it's kind. We often play volleyball but not usually with such intensity and determination to win. ...Or at least not usually on such a nice court. We had only one injury (and it wasn't Grandpa) and we ended the tournament with pizza so I think it has to be categorized as a success. At least for those of us who remained uninjured and full of pizza. Also we discovered that Chris is a pretty great volleyball player. While we already had heard of his successful "feats of strength" career, there was no way to know for sure if such skills would translate over to volleyball. Well they do. That guy can jump. And with a few last minute instructions from Bryn ("go up to the net when the ball is on their side, when it comes back over back up and get ready to hit") he was all set. Now he just has to work on his Rummikub skills. muah-ha-ha-ha-ha.

What else? We tried spooner boarding down the iceplant stuff in the backyard. It doesn't work as well on those plants as it's supposed to on sand, snow or grass but it was still fun. Plus mom did it (sitting down of course - lets not get crazy) and broke the distance record set 5 minutes earlier by Kayla so clearly it was all worth it.

There were other things that happened too. But I don't remember them right now. I DID get lots of presents from Santa and that was exciting. So was my stocking - chock full of nuts (which I could crack myself - you appreciate it more when you work for it), a tiny game of Sorry and, of course, an orange. Score.