Christmas

Hello all...yes, we did survive Christmas. I figured I better get on here soon or you would all think we didn't make it through this year. This will probably be a rather lengthy post and may become 2.
Rachel's party went rather well on Friday night. Everyone had a good time, I think and only 1 minor burn with the glue guns that were being used to make the crafts. Rachel and Jackie were still awake, talking, when Mark & I went up at 11:30. They actually slept with the light on because they fell asleep talking.
Big brother's package did arrive on Friday as was expected and then the second package arrived from Dad on Saturday. Thank you to you both. The kids thoroughly enjoyed them. Nate, you must not have been able to get their lists but you actually hit an item on Rachel's. I couldn't get their list on the internet either. I'll find out more about why next year. I have to tell you though, if you continue to get him science kits dealing with electricity and other forms of energy, you really need to move closer...so he can do them at your house, just in case!
I went out early Christmas eve to finish up the last minute shopping. Mark's bonus didn't even make it out of the first store. Then I made sure we had all we needed for groceries before heading home. My shopping also made it possible for wrapping to be done but then I had to help with other wrapping when I returned home. Mark made a nice turkey potpie for our dinner before we headed to church for our candlelight Christmas eve service. We did our traditional ride around town to look and lights (which wasn't very impressive this year since it started raining on Friday and continued on Saturday). Then it was home for our telling of the nativity and checking NORAD for Santa sightings.
We let the kids open one present each on Christmas eve this year. Gramma had made them all new pj's so that was what they got to open. I sort of figured it would help everyone look a little nicer in our Christmas pictures with the new jammies. Mom did a good job on the sizes for not having the kids around to fit.
It was 10:00 before we got the kids to bed and could finish our preps. I had to finish the sewing projects that we had started which I can now tell what it was. I had bought beanbags for all the kids to use in the living room. I really didn't like the covers on them though and decided to make my own covers to go over the originals. Mom and I had completed 2 before she went home so I just had to put Rachel's together. I finished in about 2 hours without much of any problems. But when we went to put all of them into their covers, we made a discovery! Evidently, Rachel's wasn't as full as the boys' and we used hers as our model! It took both Mark and I working together probably 15 minutes or so to coax each of the boys' into their covers. Rachel's slid in incredibly easy! Of course, Rachel really needs the largest one. What we are probably going to do is to open them up and take some of the boys' beans and put them into hers while they are all sleeping.
After finishing the bags, then we had our other wrapping and Santa duties to take care of. We were up MUCH TOO LATE! Mark even wrote a note to Rachel from Santa expressing disappointment that for 2 years now she hasn't left him some of her birthday cake.
I came downstairs about 7:20 and Rachel and Stephen were already up. I thought they, especially Stephen, might melt down before Joshua and Dad got up but they all survived. We were able to get everything opened without major rushing and eat some branmuffins before we headed to the 10 a.m. service at church.
After church, it was home to make biscuits and gravy. The kids asked if they could have a "pajama party" so they spent the day playing and watching DVD's in their new pj's. We got The Polar Express for the family. Mark also worked on his "3" puzzle that he received. I started charging my new cordless phones that I received (was top of my list).
It was actually rather quiet and relaxing...a very enjoyable holiday! When Mark has to be at work on the 26th, travel just isn't feasible. We do miss not being with family during this time of year but also enjoy the time of just being together without rushing around. (We do enough of that at other times.)
I think that about covers it for now. We are busy today with cleaning and laundry. Tomorrow is newspaper day and Rachel is supposed to go to Jackie's in Newaygo for a sleepover.