Juliette and I kicked off our holiday break on the 21st with our annual Mama-Jules Downtown Christmas, where we spun through the city to see the sights. I let Juliette set the agenda and lead the way – her first request was the Fairmont’s life-size gingerbread house, where she asked if she could please lick the candy cane window trim. (I mean, she was setting the agenda, but…NO!!!)
We popped into my office to deliver goodies to few friends and then were off to the Westlake Carousel for the day’s main event.
The ride always ends sooner than Juliette wants it to, but she was happily distracted by this boa’d Storm Trooper standing nearby.
We went to the Starbucks across the street for a hot chocolate and an Americano, and then I got a toothache just watching Juliette dip her candy cane into her cocoa’s whipped cream (topped with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, no less). “This is the best thing ever, Mama!”
We had parked near the market, so we said a quick hello to the pig and picked up one final Christmas gift.
WHEW. This girl’s got stamina!
On Saturday we slowed things down. We woke up late that morning and then gave Juliette her big gift, propping a new (used) bike next to the Christmas tree and putting a giant gold bow on it. I baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we lingered at the table well after they were gone, flipping through Christmas cards and sipping peppermint tea.
We took Juliette down to Alki for a spin on her ride and I spent awhile at the water’s edge, acutely aware of how much I’ve missed the outdoors over these past couple of dark, busy months.
She’s all about the hand brakes now!
Back at home, we listened to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for the seven hundredth time, played board games, and wrapped gifts.
We set out for Portland on Sunday morning and quickly sunk ourselves into Mitch and Kathryn’s couch. Bina, ever the cuddler, was thrilled to have yet another lap to sit on.
We spent Christmas Eve morning puttering around the house, baking and playing and passing the dog around.
(This crew takes Parcheesi very seriously!)
The antsy’s set in after lunch and I asked Elise if there was anywhere she wanted to go, as Morgan was a little under the weather. The question had hardly left my mouth before she responded “Roller Skating!”, and as luck (?) would have it, the neighborhood rink was open until 5:30 that day.
Juliette was such a sweet little trooper, popping back up after each tumble and insisting that she press on, determined to make a full lap without any spills or any hand-holding.
We cozied up that night for the Polar Express and then set out a plate of cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.
Once all was silent in Elise’s room, where all three girls were sleeping, stockings were filled and presents were laid out (by Santa, of course).
The jumping and jabber of excited children woke me early on Christmas morning. The adults poured themselves a round a coffee and the kids got right to it.
It took visits to three Targets and one Walmart, but Santa came through on the Barbie Dentist…
(Morgan wins the award for “most excited gift-opener”.)
‘Twas the season for cozy things, as Morgan, Elise and I all got new fuzzy robes for Christmas! Juliette ran to her suitcase and pulled out her own robe, eager to get in on the comfy action.
Good tea and good chocolate for my mom and dad, respectively. We’ve got them figured out by this point!
Oh, Morgan!
Juliette unwrapped the scooter I bought for her on a last-minute impulse and exclaimed, “I have ALWAYS wanted this!”.
We spent the rest of the morning enjoying our new toys…
And then rallied ourselves for a walk through Tryon Creek.
This picture feels so Northwest winter…
When the kids started to lag a bit, Shane kept them engaged by recounting the entire story line of Lord of the Rings.
Back at the house, we settled in for more games. Shane, Dad, Mitch and I played an intense round of Settlers…
(Shane’s smiling, but I won!)
It seemed that every time Juliette and Morgan disappeared for a few minutes, they would re-emerge with new outfits and a fresh coat of lip gloss.
Elise, on the other hand, is much more content to spend all her time in leggings and a t-shirt with a book in hand. I’ve loved watching my nieces grow up into such delightfully different humans.
Late afternoon, dinner was prepped while the girls gingerbread-ed.
And I snapped the requisite cousins-in-hats picture:
My dad had ordered a country ham from the East Coast for dinner – this salty treat evokes happy childhood memories of Nannie and Grandaddy, who always came to visit with a country ham and a pound of fudge nestled into their suitcases.
We ate and ate and then retired to our happy corners of the house – the girls put Elf on the TV and snuggled up with Bina while Mitch, Kathryn and my dad dealt a few rounds of Gin Rummy. I poured myself another glass of red and curled up in a chair with my new book of poetry, grateful for all the love in that house.
And now we’re home, enjoying a few more days of life in the slow lane. Juliette’s a tad bit distraught that Christmas is over, but she’s finding much solace in her pink scooter and her stuffed elephant. The joy lives on.