December 2019

We got our Christmas tree on a cool and rainy day in early December, the morning after an epic, windy rainstorm that deposited a three-foot-high drift of palm tree detritus all over our driveway (that took R. and I 45 minutes to clean up in the dark). There were strangely slim pickings on the lots this year, but we found one we were happy with and brought it on home. As the official start of Christmas, that kicked off everything else: watching all the xmas movies and specials (from the Grinch to Yo Gabba Gabba), all the school craziness (pajama day in the 2nd grade [for which we had to kind of wing it, since his PJs from last year were comically small and I hadn’t ordered more yet], his class xmas party (during which Annika and Niamh, released early from Castillero, ran around the campus of their old alma mater enjoying themselves even more than the elementary-schoolers did), our yearly drive through the Fantasy of Lights, etc. I spent part of every day on the advent treasure hunt (making up the clues, hiding the prizes, etc.). Annika started a present-wrapping business in house, which I was glad to make use of; she also got busy making presents with the beading stuff Heather dropped off at the house for her. 

Christmas itself was another good ‘un. Grandma & Grandpa of course came to stay on xmas eve and have Chavez tamales. We had one official Believer still, although it pretty much took all of the rest of us to keep up appearances (the older sister’s word carries a lot of weight!), but everyone got a full stocking and a boatload of presents: fox stuff and a big fuzzy lounge chair from PB Teen for Annika, Lego and Star Wars for Lukas, Disney things and a Nintendo Switch (plus a few games) for them both. Lukas said his favorite gift, though, was the little painting of a basketball that Annika made and gave him. D’awwwwwww! Turkey and cousins rounded out a full and happy day. 

After Christmas, we spent a lot of time playing the Switch; MarioKart 8 was a hit with all of us, and everyone but me got into Splatoon 2, Arms, and Luigi’s Mansion. Lukas and R. made a stop-motion Lego movie (the materials for which were one of Lukas’s xmas presents), Annika and I got to read our new books, we all had a bunch of family movie nights (since R. had the whole break off from work), and then we stayed up to ring in 2020 with confetti bombs and homemade (specifically, Annika-made) party favors — happy New Year! 

Quotable
—“I don't have problems. I have friends.” Lukas, waxing philosophical
—“Forrest Grump” A reinterpretation of a classic?
—“I love peace! And I love joy!” expressing approval of holiday themes