And covered in gnomes.
I don't think we actually ended up eating any popcorn and we just watched whatever was on TV, but it was festive enough, I'm sure. We're not used to having TV, so it's a great treat no matter what. Woo-hoo! Almost done!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
December 23rd
Since we knew we were going to be traveling on the 23rd to go stay with the grandparents for the big show, the envelope was simple.
And covered in gnomes.
I don't think we actually ended up eating any popcorn and we just watched whatever was on TV, but it was festive enough, I'm sure. We're not used to having TV, so it's a great treat no matter what. Woo-hoo! Almost done!
And covered in gnomes.I don't think we actually ended up eating any popcorn and we just watched whatever was on TV, but it was festive enough, I'm sure. We're not used to having TV, so it's a great treat no matter what. Woo-hoo! Almost done!
Letter from Santa
Looking in the mail for more Christmas cards to hang on the wall, we discovered two letters addressed to Aleks. Actually, one just had our address on it, which made the whole thing rather confusing. Come to find two letters from Santa. One was a boring form letter with a bad poem on fancy paper. The other, however, was addressed directly to Aleks and had recreated his dinosaur drawing from his letter to Santa. So that was pretty sweet.
At first, I was completely confused about this, but then I remembered that the Post Office has volunteers write letters to kids who write to Santa, so I'm assuming that's what must have happened. Because Aleks wrote about five thousand letters to Santa, he got two back. Also, Aleks is now completely convinced that he will in fact receive a giant robotic dinosaur for Christmas, despite my repeated attempts to try to soften the blow of possibly not getting one.
At first, I was completely confused about this, but then I remembered that the Post Office has volunteers write letters to kids who write to Santa, so I'm assuming that's what must have happened. Because Aleks wrote about five thousand letters to Santa, he got two back. Also, Aleks is now completely convinced that he will in fact receive a giant robotic dinosaur for Christmas, despite my repeated attempts to try to soften the blow of possibly not getting one.
December 22nd
Monday brought craziness as we prepared to leave for the Grandparents' house the next day, which involved packing and washing and sorting and wrapping and folding and picking up Jon's present from Heather and returning videos and library books and driving across town to get gnomes and playsilks for the stockings and getting Ana Taco Bell while I was at it and purchasing one last present for the grandparents at Walgreen's (of all places - they were frames for Aleks' art) and buying tape and sorting through excess toys to make room for those on their way and yet I actually managed to do the activity in no uncertain terms. Finally, back on track.
With apple pie.
I give you an uncomplicated activity that I had the insane notion might result in sleeping children.
My crazy line of thinking lead to putting them in pajamas for the car ride.
While hunting Heather down to get Jon's box set of extended Lord of the Rings DVDs (for our yearly viewing pleasure), a friend at the bar where she was working told me about the light display at Nela Park. So that's where we went.
It was much better than the houses we had been passing. Bastian initially had lots of fun pointing out whenever there was a house with lights on it. Aleks complained that our house does not have a fabulous light display. I told him we could start one next year, which was not soon enough for his taste, but eventually I was able to convince him we'd absolutely have to wait as all the stores were closed, I preferred to thrift lights or get hand-me-downs, and because we were leaving the next day to celebrate Christmas at Grandma's and thus wouldn't be around to enjoy the dang things for those last few days they'd be up.
After that and the climax of Nela Park, Bastian got sick of pointing out lights and the boys started throwing things at each other in the back seat. I kept driving thinking we'd find something good. Bastian then started whining that he wanted to go home and Aleks kept trying to convince me to go someplace like a store or someone's house for a visit. They did not fall asleep in the car, needless to say. Jon dealt with putting them to sleep, however. Thank goodness. Too many errands and running around like a crazy person for me.
With apple pie.
I give you an uncomplicated activity that I had the insane notion might result in sleeping children.
My crazy line of thinking lead to putting them in pajamas for the car ride.
While hunting Heather down to get Jon's box set of extended Lord of the Rings DVDs (for our yearly viewing pleasure), a friend at the bar where she was working told me about the light display at Nela Park. So that's where we went.
It was much better than the houses we had been passing. Bastian initially had lots of fun pointing out whenever there was a house with lights on it. Aleks complained that our house does not have a fabulous light display. I told him we could start one next year, which was not soon enough for his taste, but eventually I was able to convince him we'd absolutely have to wait as all the stores were closed, I preferred to thrift lights or get hand-me-downs, and because we were leaving the next day to celebrate Christmas at Grandma's and thus wouldn't be around to enjoy the dang things for those last few days they'd be up.
After that and the climax of Nela Park, Bastian got sick of pointing out lights and the boys started throwing things at each other in the back seat. I kept driving thinking we'd find something good. Bastian then started whining that he wanted to go home and Aleks kept trying to convince me to go someplace like a store or someone's house for a visit. They did not fall asleep in the car, needless to say. Jon dealt with putting them to sleep, however. Thank goodness. Too many errands and running around like a crazy person for me.
December 21st
The pinworm cleaning episode lasted two days in addition to generally feeling stressed and crummy. 
So instead of baking more cookies in addition to those we did not bake the day before, we hung out, slept in, watched movies, and generally wasted time. Oh, and I spent the day making two recycled plastic bag bags for my sisters' gifts.
So instead of baking more cookies in addition to those we did not bake the day before, we hung out, slept in, watched movies, and generally wasted time. Oh, and I spent the day making two recycled plastic bag bags for my sisters' gifts.
December 20th
Having gone to Archbold and come back the day previous, we weren't too ramped up about having another activity on the 20th.
And while the envelope announced that we were to bake holiday cookies, I felt that the chocolate chip cookies we'd baked earlier in the month would have to suffice for now.
Besides, we had other things to tackle on the 20th. For instance, the threat that pinworms might still be hanging about our house. I am usually quite the stringent housekeeper, and when I'd found out we had worms, I did my best to dust and sweep and wash tons and tons of laundry. I did figure that I could let some things go - washing the toys for instance, but when by the 20th there were still symptoms despite medication, we decided to give getting rid of any and all eggs our best shot. So we did this:
We washed all the toys. First, we started with the Lego, which seemed the most obvious culprit, but then we decided might as well make absolutely sure. So while nearly every fabric item we own went through a hot wash, the toys went for a soak. This is really not the best way to treat your wooden toys at all. It would like be better to take a cloth and some vinegar spray to eat and every one of them instead. But this saves time. Unfortunately, it also strips paint, so our marble run looks suddenly quite aged. Most things fared well enough and I doubt we'll have to do such nonsense again. In fact, I'm relying on it for the life of our toys.
It was ridiculous. I don't recommend it. Also, it turned out we did not still have pinworms after all. Hopefully we managed to suck the life out of anything else though.
And while the envelope announced that we were to bake holiday cookies, I felt that the chocolate chip cookies we'd baked earlier in the month would have to suffice for now.
Besides, we had other things to tackle on the 20th. For instance, the threat that pinworms might still be hanging about our house. I am usually quite the stringent housekeeper, and when I'd found out we had worms, I did my best to dust and sweep and wash tons and tons of laundry. I did figure that I could let some things go - washing the toys for instance, but when by the 20th there were still symptoms despite medication, we decided to give getting rid of any and all eggs our best shot. So we did this:
We washed all the toys. First, we started with the Lego, which seemed the most obvious culprit, but then we decided might as well make absolutely sure. So while nearly every fabric item we own went through a hot wash, the toys went for a soak. This is really not the best way to treat your wooden toys at all. It would like be better to take a cloth and some vinegar spray to eat and every one of them instead. But this saves time. Unfortunately, it also strips paint, so our marble run looks suddenly quite aged. Most things fared well enough and I doubt we'll have to do such nonsense again. In fact, I'm relying on it for the life of our toys.It was ridiculous. I don't recommend it. Also, it turned out we did not still have pinworms after all. Hopefully we managed to suck the life out of anything else though.
December 19th
I'm so behind! On blogging about the things we did, primarily, but I also got a bit behind and lost in our Countdown... Ah well. Catching up is in order and will likely be slower than I'd like.
On the 19th, we sent Aleks off to get his envelope quite early despite staying up far too late doing quite unimportant things as adults. This was mainly to stop the thrashing about in bed that tends to happen as Aleks and Bastian wake up and wake each other up and begin playing and fighting on top of my resting body. This results in elbows to stomachs and the clenching of teeth and sometimes a bit of growling. I won't say who does the growling.
I like Christmas food on my envelopes. It looks so much lovelier than the actual food we prepare. I don't usually dress my chickens with lavender sprigs though. I wonder what that would taste like...
I had intended that we go to something called Celebration of Light at Shaker Lakes which involved some sort of walk in the woods or something. Unfortunately, Jon instead made plans for the 19th that we go visit his Baba. Since Aleks can't read, when we were asked to read this activity, we simply said, "Go visit Baba." Okay, I know that's lying, but I think it's pretty innocent in order to avoid a fight. It's just a holiday drive to Archbold instead of a holiday walk. So for the sake of humoring me and my husband's inability to check with me before making plans, pretend that this says, "Go visit Baba." 
And visit Baba we did. And I forgot the camera. I was told I would be receiving an email with photos in it, at which time I will add them to this, but for now everyone will just have to take my word for it that we went to visit the boys' last living great-grandparent. Uncle Sam, Aunt Katie, and Jon's cousins Leda and Greg were also visiting from California. They said some nice things about Aleks and Bastian, who were a bit wild, but very well behaved. They like Greg quite a bit - something about gentle older boys (by older I mean, um, 23 in this case). We also had the opportunity to see Jon's Uncle Denny, his wife Karen and their three daughters. It is rare that we see this side of the family at all. The last time we were all together with all of Jon's other uncles and aunts and Dad was when his Gedo died three years ago. We'll have to try for another visit this summer.
On the 19th, we sent Aleks off to get his envelope quite early despite staying up far too late doing quite unimportant things as adults. This was mainly to stop the thrashing about in bed that tends to happen as Aleks and Bastian wake up and wake each other up and begin playing and fighting on top of my resting body. This results in elbows to stomachs and the clenching of teeth and sometimes a bit of growling. I won't say who does the growling.
I like Christmas food on my envelopes. It looks so much lovelier than the actual food we prepare. I don't usually dress my chickens with lavender sprigs though. I wonder what that would taste like...
I had intended that we go to something called Celebration of Light at Shaker Lakes which involved some sort of walk in the woods or something. Unfortunately, Jon instead made plans for the 19th that we go visit his Baba. Since Aleks can't read, when we were asked to read this activity, we simply said, "Go visit Baba." Okay, I know that's lying, but I think it's pretty innocent in order to avoid a fight. It's just a holiday drive to Archbold instead of a holiday walk. So for the sake of humoring me and my husband's inability to check with me before making plans, pretend that this says, "Go visit Baba." 
And visit Baba we did. And I forgot the camera. I was told I would be receiving an email with photos in it, at which time I will add them to this, but for now everyone will just have to take my word for it that we went to visit the boys' last living great-grandparent. Uncle Sam, Aunt Katie, and Jon's cousins Leda and Greg were also visiting from California. They said some nice things about Aleks and Bastian, who were a bit wild, but very well behaved. They like Greg quite a bit - something about gentle older boys (by older I mean, um, 23 in this case). We also had the opportunity to see Jon's Uncle Denny, his wife Karen and their three daughters. It is rare that we see this side of the family at all. The last time we were all together with all of Jon's other uncles and aunts and Dad was when his Gedo died three years ago. We'll have to try for another visit this summer.
December 18th
Things are getting crazy now. The pressure on me to finish shopping and wrapping and getting all the bits of things I need to get before the big day or before the varying deadlines is upon me like something awful and smothering. To combat the pressing frenzy, I tend to languish for hours, doing nothing at all, like the great procrastinator I know myself so well to be. Which is exactly what I did the first few hours I was awake, knowing that there were marshmallows yet to package, things left to knit, a house run amok, laundry to do, errands to run, and the day's activity yet to execute...
Another catalog picture - the lovely shots of Waldorfy children playing in the pages of Nova Natural. Such environmentally-friendly, imaginative, open-ended, completely privileged children living out the middle-class fantasy in true BoBo fashion. Naturally, I too aspire to live such a dream...
Which becomes totally clear by the activity for the day...
Having complained that there was no place to put the nature table on a local mama message board as all my surfaces are filled, I was inspired by a friend's suggestion that I clear off a shelf. Well, all my shelves were full too, but I discovered a bit of space in the dining room built-in by removing a piece of junk. The kids dove right into the task. Literally.
We did not venture out for winter nature, but borrowed some pine cones from our nature tray. We used cotton balls and white and blue fabric for the setting. Then we placed our pocket gnomes and farm animals amongst it.
Then the boys played pretend with the animals and gnomes for awhile.
The gnomes were shoved in a bit willy-nilly.
Then everyone fought for awhile, making appropriately Steiner-esque bombing and gunshot sounds before screaming and dying.
Aleks also wore a Darth Vader mask the whole time, which is a bit of a departure from elf hats and playsilk capes, admittedly.
Another catalog picture - the lovely shots of Waldorfy children playing in the pages of Nova Natural. Such environmentally-friendly, imaginative, open-ended, completely privileged children living out the middle-class fantasy in true BoBo fashion. Naturally, I too aspire to live such a dream...
Which becomes totally clear by the activity for the day...
Having complained that there was no place to put the nature table on a local mama message board as all my surfaces are filled, I was inspired by a friend's suggestion that I clear off a shelf. Well, all my shelves were full too, but I discovered a bit of space in the dining room built-in by removing a piece of junk. The kids dove right into the task. Literally.
We did not venture out for winter nature, but borrowed some pine cones from our nature tray. We used cotton balls and white and blue fabric for the setting. Then we placed our pocket gnomes and farm animals amongst it.
Then the boys played pretend with the animals and gnomes for awhile.
The gnomes were shoved in a bit willy-nilly.
Then everyone fought for awhile, making appropriately Steiner-esque bombing and gunshot sounds before screaming and dying.
Aleks also wore a Darth Vader mask the whole time, which is a bit of a departure from elf hats and playsilk capes, admittedly.
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