Christmas was yet another delightful holiday. I completed all my shopping before December 1st so that I could kick back and enjoy the season. We didn't do much (there was a lot of driving around and looking at Christmas lights; Abe and I delivered cookies to a few of our favorite people; Documentary Night turned into Christmas Special Night; we briefly attended our Ward Christmas Party), but we did it calmly.
And I liked that.
Soren helped decorate the Christmas tree. He was shockingly well-behaved all season long around that tree. Aside from occasionally rearranging the ornaments (aka moving them from the tree to various locations around the house) and spending a considerable amount of time plugging in and unplugging the lights, he really didn't touch the tree very much. I had been planning on putting up fortifications around the tree (something like a four-foot-tall chain link fence with barbed wire on top), but such precautions proved unnecessary. It was a pleasant surprise.
Isn't he precious? Also, I must take a moment to brag here that I purchased that fully-lit Christmas tree, along with all the ornaments and the tree skirt, at a garage sale this summer for $7.00. And I liked that.
Soren helped decorate the Christmas tree. He was shockingly well-behaved all season long around that tree. Aside from occasionally rearranging the ornaments (aka moving them from the tree to various locations around the house) and spending a considerable amount of time plugging in and unplugging the lights, he really didn't touch the tree very much. I had been planning on putting up fortifications around the tree (something like a four-foot-tall chain link fence with barbed wire on top), but such precautions proved unnecessary. It was a pleasant surprise.
And this was our Christmas morning. Abe had to work for a couple of hours first thing in the morning, so everyone was dressed but me. (And I could have been dressed, except that I prefer to wear things without a waistband as much as possible, as I have swollen to proportions that don't lend themselves to clothing.)
Soren was particularly excited about the candy canes Santa put in his stocking. He was also excited about some of the goodies Daddy got.
It was so fun to have our little sweetie be somewhat aware of what was going on-- at least enough to enjoy getting some new toys. He even said, "Wow!" when he opened his "big" present: a 200-piece package of wooden blocks.
Abe told Quentin to look triumphant while he gloated over his Christmas spoils. ("Triumphant is double-chinned?" asked Abraham.)
Also...a few days before Christmas we received an unexpected knock on the door. My mom was standing on the doorstep. "Merry Christmas!" she said, as my dad backed his pickup truck into our driveway. "What the....?" I began, and then saw the box sitting in the back of the truck: "WASHER." My sweet mom and dad bought Abe and me a BRAND NEW washer and dryer for Christmas. I've been doing laundry at their house for the past year, hauling loads of clothing back and forth between our homes each week. Abe and I had been thinking we might start perusing Craig's List this summer for a used set after we'd recovered from being mugged by doctor and hospital following the birth of our new baby. Now we won't need to worry about it.
"It was just breaking my heart to watch you struggle around with that gigantic belly and your huge baskets of laundry," said my Mom. "And you'll really need this when the new baby comes," added my Dad. And so now we are the proud owners of a BRAND NEW Kenmore washer and dryer. I feel so fancy.
Later that evening--as he perused the contents of the package of goodies his mom had sent for Christmas-- "Lil' Smokies!" "Cabot Cheese!" "Cookies!" -- Abe proclaimed the day to be one of the best in his whole life. On Christmas morning, he declared, "I have achieved Nirvana through the attainment of material goods!"
"It was just breaking my heart to watch you struggle around with that gigantic belly and your huge baskets of laundry," said my Mom. "And you'll really need this when the new baby comes," added my Dad. And so now we are the proud owners of a BRAND NEW Kenmore washer and dryer. I feel so fancy.
Later that evening--as he perused the contents of the package of goodies his mom had sent for Christmas-- "Lil' Smokies!" "Cabot Cheese!" "Cookies!" -- Abe proclaimed the day to be one of the best in his whole life. On Christmas morning, he declared, "I have achieved Nirvana through the attainment of material goods!"
7 comments:
"I have achieved Nirvana through the attainment of material goods!" LOL... so thats how its done! I'll be laughing about that line for awhile. I'm glad y'all had such a good Christmas. We'll probably be up for a visit around Soren's b-day...
You know you're getting old when you get excited about having your own washer and dryer (of course I still get excited about my vacuum so maybe I'm just a nerd). Seth and I got our washer and dryer a couple months ago and everytime I see them in our little laundry room I'm so glad we have them. Just thinking that I don't have to drag huge bags of laundry to the laundomat down the street or try to shove all the clothes into as few washers as possible is awesome!
I don't think a week has gone by that Amanda hasn't extolled the virtues of having a washer and dryer in our apartment. It's working perfectly for me, too; I don't think I've done a single load of laundry since we moved here!
I can't believe how Soren has become a little boy child. He's not the little rugrat I remember anymore.
I adore you all. See you soon!
Glad to hear you had such a grand Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful New Year filled with lots of love and clean laundry.
Shelly
HAHA Rachel
Tell your parents I could use a new washer and dryer too. I am glad you had a great Christmas. Happy New Year!
Rachel: I wrote to Collette some comments concerning how addicted I've grown to your blog, etc., asking her to pass the comments along, but then... well, I just decided to cut & paste what I wrote to her, and share it with you, here. (It doesn't sound right unless you know it's from an email letter I sent to Collette-y.) Here it is:
"Can you tell Rachel that I'm addicted to her blog-- and that I don't want it to end-- I'm up to where Sorenito is walking, and I'm afraid, like a good book, it IS going to stop-- I guess all books end, but you know what I mean, it'll end and I'll be that kind of sad you are when you lose this friend you've had for a while-- although I guess Rachel is actually going to continue to exist, isn't she! (Are these endless dashes any improvement over my usual constant ellipses?)-- and tell her that I left her a long-ish comment on one of the posts, the one about her evil husband denying her tortas -- and tell her that I'm kidding, I know he's good and not evil. (Although, in the pictures, frequently adorably disheveled. I love the one with him & your (Collette's) kids in the mudhole. I've never been in a mudhole...)
And if you read any of this to her, verbatim, reassure her that I have excellent grammatical skills when I'm not 10 minutes late. (Even if you have to lie.)"
There it is. When I started this today I didn't know exactly what to say to you, but that feels like it. :) Whenever I'm feeling lonely -- which I often do when I check my email late at night-- I go on your blog and it keeps me company. I love learning more about Collette's fun insightful relatable sister and sweet parents and I read extra, extra closely whenever you mention her kids, my "honorary" nieces and nephews.
And somehow, your writing has become a sort of "benchmark" for me. A friend sent an Xmas letter about her 2-yr-old, and her descriptions, albeit genuine, felt positively UNinformative compared to yours! There was another such incident... Ah, yes! A many-times-published writer whose (nonfiction) book I was much anticipating turned out to have a good but somewhat unevocative style-- her essays sort of put ideas into neat labeled packages, rather than bringing them to vivid visceral life-- and I told my husband, Paul, "It's good writing and all, but the author's no, you know, RACHEL or anything..."
He said, You should tell her. So I am. :) Happy New Year. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy. I'd love to help or babysit or anything if you're ever passing through or just feel like taking a short, easy, 5 hour drive. Love, Heidi
p.s. I could help with the gas... Anytime! Bring anyone! Especially anyone from the Hanson side or that Nicholas you mention so much, the male piemaker, I think I'd enjoy him utterly...
That's truly all. Best wishes. hjdc
p.p.s. I was wrong & a liar about that being all. I forgot to mention (although it's obvious) that Collette has my email address. One night, for a lark, I wrote a lengthy response to one of your posts, but saved it rather than sent it because it is altogether TOO lengthy and arrogant besides. But I think I wouldn't mind sending it to you privately, if you are willing to be patient with the arrogant aspect.
Best! h.
p.p.p.s. No intended slight to Nicholas. I am fond of many male piebakers, myself, and all are extremely virile.
p.p.p.p.s. Any awards for longest comment?
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