The Year in review

Wii hope you had a Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas. We celebrated Advent all month long as we usually do. This year Fatso read to us from Bartholomew’s Passage each night.

Several years ago Prince Charming introduced the idea of a Christmas Eve Silent Service (in the Quaker tradition). That particular year our kids were too young for something like that. This year someone decided it was time to do it again. It was really, really amazing. You can’t imagine what it is like without experiencing it, I don’t think, and I’m not sure how to describe it. We just sat there and focused on God. I know Space Cadet and Fatso enjoyed it. Czarina fidgeted A LOT. But it was a great time to stop and focus on God’s gift that we celebrate at Christmas.

We made a rule when the kids were younger that no presents could be open without the entire family, and that we would not open presents before 7 am. Czarina’s first Christmas with us was in 2005, when she was here with the hosting program. She did NOT want to get up in the morning. Fatso and Hoodie Girl pulled her out from UNDER the bed.

Well, I found out this month that 2005 was the first year she’d EVER celebrated Christmas. She had no idea what to expect! And it had never occurred to any of us that she wouldn’t know.

(After the 1917 revolution, Christmas was banned in Russia for more than 70 years. Some people started celebrating again in the early 90’s, but apparently no one Anastasia knew celebrated Christmas, and they didn’t celebrate it in the orphanage.)

This was Anastasia’s third American Christmas (she was in Russia in 2006), and she was really into it!

After we all opened our presents (one present at a time), the kids noticed a little gift bag left behind the tree. The label said, “To the Millers”. They decided to open it together, pulled out some tissue paper, and then pulled out a couple of remotes. . . to a Wii? They were a bit confused. “Did you buy us a Wii?” I told them to look in a drawer, and all pandemonium broke loose. “We have a Wii! We have a Wii!” They were so excited I was afraid one of them was going to lose control and wee. . .

Then Fatso stopped and asked, “Mom, how could you afford a Wii in today’s tough economic times?”

“If you’re really worried about it, I could take it back,” I replied.

Fatso didn’t think that would be necessary. . .

Adventures in Shopping

I finished my Christmas shopping yesterday! Prince Charming and a couple of the kids still had shopping to do, so today he took Space Cadet, Fatso and Czarina out, while Hoodie Girl and I stayed home.

Czarina and Hoodie girl have a clothing budget. They each have a certain amount of money every 6 months, and they can buy whatever clothing or accessories they want with it, but when the money is gone, that is it. Their current budget lasts until March.

Prince Charming called. They were at The Limited Too and there was a Jonas Brother's Hoodie on sale for $12. Could Czarina buy it? I told Prince Charming Czarina can buy WHATEVER she wants, but when the money is gone, it is gone. Okay, does Hoodie Girl want one? I called Hoodie Girl to the phone and she talked to Prince Charming about colors and sizes. Do they have any with Kevin's picture? No, she doesn't want one with just Joe or just Nick. If there isn't one with just Kevin, she wants one with all three of them.

A few minutes later, he called again. Is it okay if Czarina gets a white hoodie? I remind him that it is HER money, and she can get what she wants. . . she just needs to realize that white gets dirty faster, etc. Oh, and can she buy a t-shirt, too? It's HER MONEY, I remind him, and she can buy whatever clothing items she wants with it. Hoodie Girl prefers a black hoodie. Is it okay if Czarina gets the same hoodie as Hoodie Girl. Yes, they love to dress alike.

A few minutes later, the phone rang AGAIN. They are checking out, and the hoodie is not $12, it's $22. Does Hoodie Girl still want one? No, Hoodie Girl does not want to spend $22 on a hoodie. She will wait for the after Christmas sales and see what she can pick up then.

Now, how many Dads would go to this much trouble to help their girls get Jonas Brothers stuff?

A while later, they returned. Czarina has purchased a Jonas Brothers hoodie, two Jonas Brothers t-shirts, and one long sleeve Jonas Brothers shirt. She has about $6 left in her clothing budget, to last until March. Should be interesting.

She also has two 15% off coupons, good for the week after Christmas. She won't really be able to use these (unless she wants to use her allowance money, or Christmas money from Grandma) so she gave them to Hoodie Girl.

(I realize my verb tenses are all mixed up here. . . sorry, it's late and I'm tired. . . )

Hoodie Girl just found out that Fatso is going to the same Christmas Party she and Czarina are going to tomorrow night. Concerned, she began grilling Fatso on manners. This is the tale end of their conversation:

Hoodie Girl: What do you say when it’s time to leave?

Fatso: This wasn’t as lame as I thought it would be.

Hoodie Girl: No, you say thank you very much for inviting me. What do you say if you see me?

Fatso: Twinklestar! How’s your constipation problem?*

Hoodie Girl: You say NOTHING because YOU DON’T KNOW ME!


*Hoodie Girl would probably appreciate it if I tell you she does NOT have a constipation problem. . .

Memories

We've been having trouble with one of our computers getting hung up -- not to the point of The Blue Screen of Death, but hung up and not doing anything.

It hung up this evening as Czarina tried to use it. I sat down in front of it and tried to figure out what was going on.

Czarina (who chatters incessantly at times) was sitting on the couch saying, "Too many memories, too many memories. . . ." and I'm wondering what unpleasant things she is remembering, if this is a post traumatic stress thing, and how I should approach her about it. . .

. . . and then I remember. . . Prince Charming had said the computer was hanging up because we were using TOO MUCH MEMORY. . .

Earning her keep

The other night after we went to bed, Prince Charming and I heard some curious noises. Prince Charming guessed it to be a rodent. Well, we haven't had any signs of live mice in the house since we got Peace 8 1/2 years ago (although she has brought a few dead ones in from outside. Actually, that is when Prince Charming decided she was a contributing member of the family and gave her permission to sleep on Space Cadet's bed.)

Tonight, Space Cadet hadn't been in bed for very long when we heard some other curious noises. Space Cadet came upstairs and announced, "Peace brought me a present." Space Cadet had gotten up to do something she'd forgotten, turned on the light. . . and there it was, on the floor next to her shoes, a cute little gray dead mouse.

Space Cadet is grateful it wasn't IN one of her shoes.

I Celebrate the Day

Last year I bought Relient K's Christmas CD, Let it Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer. The song "I Celebrate the Day" quickly became a family favorite. Check it out!!!



Isn't God awesome?????

Kitty Bulb Tester

see more crazy cat pics

FINALLY after 2 ½ weeks, our washing machine is fixed. All the money we’d saved on our water bill after getting the front loader was spent at the Laundromat. Oh well, at least it was under warranty.

organize pantry
clean out fridge
defrost freezer
start holiday baking
do “pre-Christmas decorating cleaning”
put Christmas lights up outside

Those are just a few of the things I’d had planned for the week beginning November 17. But, the kids and I ended up being sick, so I spent several days doing their chores (since they were sick), watching videos, taking naps, and driving my sick self to the Laundromat.

The following week (Thanksgiving week) they were better, but I ended up with bronchitis.

It is tradition for me to make a bunch of pies before Thanksgiving. I freeze what we don’t eat, and we have pie for breakfast on Christmas morning. Well, I was not up to that AT ALL, and Czarina & Hoodie Girl spent the day before Thanksgiving rolling out pie crusts and making TWELVE PIES. Apple, pumpkin and cherry. (They possibly would have made more, but they ran out of pie plates.)

I slept most of Thanksgiving. I got up in time for the WONDERFUL dinner Prince Charming prepared. He even cooked the sweet potatoes I’d purchased, and he doesn’t like sweet potatoes.

After dinner I watched the kids put up and decorate the tree, then I went to bed.

Now, I had not gotten my pre-Christmas decorating cleaning done due to being sick, and things in the living room and deteriorated pretty badly from us all being sick. But when I woke up on Black Friday, the living room was BEAUTIFUL. Czarina and Hoodie Girl had cleaned the living room AND decorated it. . . including putting out the deluxe nativity scene and other Christmas decorations.

I think I will keep them. . .