We've decided we really like being home for Christmas. This year, Grandma and Grandpa Winters came out to join us! I'm afraid on winter visits like this, they regret we ever moved from Florida, but we tried to make the best of the cold, wet weather.
The day after they arrived, we had an unexpectedly clear schedule. The skies were likewise unexpectedly clear, so we made a last minute decision to visit the Pt. Defiance zoo. Despite being super cold, it was a perfect day for the excursion. Most of the public schools were still in session, and I have never seen the zoo so empty!
We started out in the aquarium, hoping that the day would warm up a bit by the time we emerged. The day did not cooperate, but we did get to pet sting rays and watch the sharks get fed.
We saw some of the animals very up close and personal. Nellie referred to everything she saw (whether elephant, tiger, or polar bear) as "Dog! Dog! Dog!"
Admittedly, we stayed in the monkey enclosure longer than anywhere else because we were protected from the wind and cold.
This time around, when it was time to leave, no one complained.
We scheduled our annual graham cracker house decorating for a night when Grandma and Grandpa could join us. They weren't overly interested in participating, so it meant (for the first time), Mark and I had houses to decorate.
Mark ended up helping Graham, so his house remained unadorned, but I enjoyed getting to participate.
Thane (a boy after my own heart), decided the best way to decorate his house was with chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate!
In the end, the enjoyed eating their creations almost as much as they enjoyed making them. And speaking of eating creations... this year we didn't get around to decorating sugar cookies as a family, but I did make a quick batch one day for one event or another. Clever Nellie has recently decided she's quite a big fan of cookies. She pulled herself over a chair so she could better reach her desired treat.
Since it was so cold, we had a harder time coming up outside excursions and activities. The kids didn't seem to mind the extra time at home, especially if it meant they got to play endless games of Scorched Earth with Grandpa.
Occasionally they'd wander over to help with a puzzle.
One day we planned to visit the Museum of Flight, but Graham was pretty sick. I stayed home with him and Nellie, and Mark took the big kids and his parents to the Museum.
I kind of think that was a win all around. Mark and his parents got to have a 1-1 adult/child ratio and explore without any little kids.
I had a quiet house for the 15 minutes that Graham and Nellie's naps overlapped (for the record, Graham is long past taking regular naps, he was just that sick). When Nellie woke up, she was fascinated with her car seat (which usually just stays in the car). She tried carrying it all around the house, but eventually wanted to sit in it. That's when I realized, "whoops! She just might be getting a bit too big for this thing!"
On Christmas Eve, Katie and her family came down for the traditional lasagna dinner and subsequent Nativity Scavenger Hunt. I love having family living nearby! With nine kids, the scavenger hunt was a raucous affair, but I think the kids enjoyed it, and hopefully it helped us all remember the real reason for the season.
We didn't do matching pajamas (I couldn't even convince all of my kids to even wear the Christmas pajamas they already had!), but they were all wearing Christmas shirts, so I tried to get a group picture. Let's just say they were less than cooperative. This really was the best of the options!
In the days following Christmas, we continued to struggle to find fun out-of-the-house activities. One morning I thought, "we should go see a movie!" This is not a normal event for us. In fact, I don't think we've ever gone to see a movie in the theater as a whole family. I reserved us tickets, but since it was relatively close to show time, the only seats left were in the very front row. That wasn't the best option, but at least the seats were super comfortable recliners.
We saw the Disney movie "Moana." Also as a result of buying tickets late, our group had to split up. I had Aubree, Bryce and Thane with me (Mark stayed home while Nellie napped), and Grandma and Grandpa had Graham. Halfway through the movie, when things started to get a little scary, I questioned the wisdom of that decision. I wondered how Graham was handling the frightening scenes. Turns out Grandpa had it all under control. When he got scared, Graham would cover his face and then Grandpa would let him know when it was safe to watch again.
All of the kids loved the movie.
Another night Grandma and Grandpa treated us to dinner at Habit Burger. That's a restaurant we'd never tried before, and we were all pleased with our food.
Many, many thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for making the long trip out to see us and to celebrate with us!
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