Christmas Adventures 2019

December 29, 2019

The week of Christmas is filled with so many different activities for us, just like every other family. This year a few of our regular traditions had to be skipped and we added a new one. I decided I wanted to have a special time that my grandkids would come over for a night of fun. That way I could get fun pictures of the kids together and with me that might be a challenge on Christmas day. Since this was the first Grand Night, we started simple. We did simple activities and simple food. As the kids all get older, my hope is to make it a bit more involved and have even more fun.

I was given a gift of a little family tree with the names of my husband, myself, my kids and my grandkids written in Disney font. I hadn’t gotten matching stockings for the kids, just odd stockings that were different colors for the first three. I picked up some traditional red and white stockings from the dollar store and got the lady who made the stocking to create names in that same font to iron on the stockings. They turned out wonderful! For under $15 I have some really impressive looking stockings for my grandchildren. I don’t put a lot IN the stockings. Usually I get a small toy and unpackage it before I wrap it and put it in there. That way they don’t have to fight the packaging and can start playing right away. If they fit, I’ll put a book and maybe even some new underwear. Maybe some snacks. Nothing big in price. I don’t really SAY it’s from anyone other than me.

We did Grand Night on Christmas Eve Eve this year but we might change it to the Saturday before Christmas from now on so that Granddaddy can be there instead of him having to go to work. We had a bit of a surprise on the 23rd. Our fifth grandchild was born a month early. She only weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces. She had a lot of trouble breathing and had to have a ventilator and a feeding tube because it took her awhile to get used to eating from a bottle. She finally started eating good but the jaundice got bad and the lights caused her to not eat as well on her own so they put the feeding tube back in. She stayed in the NICU until she was released when she was five days old. We got to visit her on Christmas Eve, so we didn’t get to do the Christmas Eve service that we normally do. My youngest daughter and I took the two oldest grands up there to see their daddy and facetime a visit with their sister on Christmas day. They opened their gifts from their dad and took his gifts to him.

I got some pretty cool gifts from family this year, like always. I’m especially loving my UGG blanket since the weather is cooler at the moment and the blanket is extra soft. The Texas Scentsy warmer is great for the theme in my den. I’ve been wearing my Star Wars sweatshirt a lot. I’m extremely blessed by not just the physical gifts but the acts of service that my family gifts me with daily as well as their presence. I did miss the family game night that we started last Christmas Eve but I’m thinking we need to plan that on a different night, as well, so that everyone can come. Having all grown children now is making things a little more complicated. I ended up being alone most of the night until my younger son decided we should watch a movie and work on a puzzle. I try never to pass up those kinds of moments, they don’t come around often enough. He even made me a cup of hot cocoa!

Three of my kids went to the Gaylord Texan for Ice 2019 and had a great time. They don’t get to spend much time together so I was very happy they got to do this. It was Peanuts themed but had a lot of different types of ice sculptures to enjoy. From what they told me, you just walk through to look at the different displays. My grandson enjoyed the farm animal sculptures.

My two oldest grands got to meet a really neat looking Santa and they got so excited that he had a reindeer that looked like the one from Frozen! It is much nicer to see smiles on children’s faces instead of them crying when they see Santa. I think this might be better because you don’t sit on his lap.

My daughter enjoyed some family time on Christmas morning at her house, as it should be. She got some great pictures of the boys in matching sweaters. These boys are growing so quickly. We are loving watching all of our grandchildren grow and make great memories together.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and made some of your own memories. Take joy in the little moments because they add up. To a child, it isn’t how much money you spent on them but how much time you spend with them. Share with me one of your family traditions.