"If you don't see the book on the shelf, write it." ~ Beverly Cleary
This is what our June looked like. Lots of time outside playing with the water. What isn’t pictured is all the sprinkler play and sidewalk chalk we’ve been doing…..or the post-sprinkler popsicle mess, or our friends that we’ve had wonderful play dates with. Anywhoodle, we’ve been up to no-good, making messes and having a grand ‘ole time. We’re off to meet up with some friends at the beach for some celebrating of “Norf ‘merica’s birfday,’ as Maggie likes to say it. Happy 4th, Peeps.
The following pictures are all mixed up and I’m not willing to take the time to put them in the correct order. That said, my Christmas in March blogging spree continues and will until I’m caught up. I got exactly two pictures of Maggie waking up to see what Santa brought her. She went outside to check to see if the reindeer had eaten the food (Thanks, Linda!) that she’d left and then started to play. Our original plan for the day had included a meal at my aunt’s and presents at my grandparents towards the end of the day, but my Grandma ended up getting sick and that plan was changed early Christmas morning. For us, it really was a blessing in disguise because we were able to slow down a bit and not worry so much about fitting it all in. Audrey took a quiet nap and Maggie even watched cartoons – on CHRISTMAS! – while the rest of the adults read and relaxed before we went to visit Barry’s parents and grandparents.
We’d already had a dinner/presents/Nutcracker exchange a few days before with Barry’s side of the family, since his brother and Darcy had Christmas Day plans of their own, so the time at Greg and Linda’s was mostly playtime mixed with yummy food. Barry’s grandparents live a short walk away and it is always nice to go over and visit when we can. They have a pool table in their front room that every grandkid and great grandkid has been on top of and Audrey was delighted to join in the ranks. I sometimes feel very bashful about asking for posed photos with other adults, because I feel like I’m being pushy, but I’m now wishing that I got Margaret and Luther, Barry’s grandparents, to pose with the girls.
Because of our plan change, we ended up staying a bit longer to visit Greg and Linda and finally headed home later in the afternoon. That night, because the girls were so tired, they were in bed pretty early and Barry and I had a quiet house together. Because we’d been gone for a few days and weren’t planning on being home for any type of Christmas dinner, I don’t think we had anything to eat except crusty leftovers. I mostly remember us sitting next to each other on the couch, as the Christmas lights twinkled through the window, saying that we couldn’t believe that it was REALLY Christmas since it’d been such a wonky day of plans changing and visits to both sets of grandparents and one set of great grandparents.
As a kid, one of the things that our family did occasionally on Christmas Eve was go on a hike or a walk together before dark. I wanted to rush though the day so we could open presents and SANTA could come the next morning. During college, because I was working a retail job in my hometown, I often worked Christmas Eve to earn the big bucks and missed out on this time. Over the last decade or so Christmas Eve and the walk that precedes our crab feast has easily established itself as one of my very, very favorite traditions. I can’t explain it, but the time together very much feels like the calm within a storm. The clock stops ticking for us – when do we need to leave, what time do we need to get there, did we pack everything up, have the girls napped, we forgot to bring the wine, or the presents, can you call ahead and say we’re going to be late, unplug the tree before we leave, why are you grumpy, i’m not grumpy, where are we going, what are we doing – all those thoughts and conversations stop and we can just BE and take it all in. And then we eat crab and my heart, soul and tummy all are happy.
