It was freakishly cold this morning.
With the wind chill, it was a balmy 18 degrees.
I found Camden outside, hanging out on the back deck. Upon asking "what in the world are you doing out there in the cold?!" to which Camden said:
"It feels AMAZING out here. It's too hot in the house and I was ROASTING."
If he isn't a true hockey player, I don't know what is.
We declared tonight Home Alone night!
Luckily the boys still fit in their Home Alone shirts from last year, and, paired with new pajama pants, made for "newish" Christmas pajamas for the occassion.
Calen had a moment and launched himself off the couch as soon as the scene from his shirt came up.
It was cold today.
Finally, because usually by now we have snow on the ground or something, and it's been unseasonably warm as of late.
For biology today we were talking about photosynthesis and today's "lab" was to go outside and find a leaf on a tree in the sunshine.
This of course caused an impromptu "ice skating session" on the sidewalk.
That was the excitement of the day, but at least it got us out of the house for a moment.
Mondays and Wednesdays are suddenly absolutely ridiculous.
Swim team for Calen is from 5:15 until 6:30.
Hockey for Camden is from 6:30 to 8.
I mean, it's outrageous.
My mom sent the boys a Subway gift card in their Halloween card, and we cashed in today!
So, we declared dinner at 3:45pm for both boys today, before we ran an errand or two before dropping the kids off at all their practices.
Footlongs are the best for such nights. Half a sub now, half a sub after.
Before hockey practice tonight, Cam and I stepped into Walmart to grab a few more boxes of red lights, because you can never have enough Christmas lights, you know. Cam didn't really want to go in, but reluctantly agreed.
And good thing he did, because he spent the next twenty minutes showing me literally every single Christmas decoration and how we need this, no we really really need this. And pretty soon it was me dragging him along, telling him it was time to go.
I'm on borrowed time and I know this.
The boys are still delighted (or at least pretend to be) that I read a chapter of a story of some sort most nights. Obviously earlier in the fall we finished the extensive 7-book Harry Potter series, and I kind of thought that was that, to be honest.
But, as the Christmas season has come around and the amount of chapter books available for the young adults is neverending, I thought maybe I could convince them to read another.
And they were, surprisingly, very enthusiastic about it.
So this evening we put on Christmas pajamas, sat around the tree and started a new book: A Boy Called Christmas.
This is one of my favorite newer Christmas movies on Netflix, and the book, so far, is just as good, and the boys are loving it.
Borrowed time, I'm telling you. I'm appreciating every moment.
Today was all about the outside of the house. Brad employed the boys, thus officially training a new generation of Griswolds. It was freezing cold, the wind was blowing, and it rained here and there, but that's all part of the experience.
Builds character, and all that.
Cam had the early morning game today, which is good, because it left the entire day to do other things. Important things. Like, decorating Christmas trees.
Yes, it's that most cherished day when the Christmas tree is chopped down from it's hanging place in the garage rafters, put in it's designated corner, and ceremoniously plugged in (because it's prelit, of course).
For the last couple of years I've relented my OCD tendencies with the tree (well, relented by about 80%) and (after putting up my five or six favorite ornaments in very specific places), have let the kids have at it, decorating the tree on their own while I may or may not come from behind them and rearrange and "fix" various holes, while Brad sat on his chair and supervised.
This year, since Calen is officially 5'7" (last we measured), I had him do a lot of the higher parts of the tree, announcing that it was a "tall person job" and for once, not needing to bring out the step stool.
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| But does your tree have a Disney monorail going around it?? |
Of course to celebrate we had to have hot chocolate, put on their new Christmas robes and watch Polar Express!
I give Brad one official military fancy function a year.
Only one.
Not because I don't want to go out and do something with him, because I do, but I really despise dog and pony shows of military to dos.
But, tonight was the one, and honestly, one a year is fun. And, prime rib dinner was $25. Come on.
So, Brad and I dressed up to the Nines and left the kids with a frozen pizza and the Nintendo Switch and went to base for the semi-annual Chiefs Call To Initiation graduation dinner. We sat with friends, had a great meal and some laughs, and then promptly went home at 9pm (with the party still going) to put on pajamas and watch a Christmas movie together.
I'm glad we agree on basically everything.
Also, I really like a guy in uniform.
During a scrimmage tonight, Cam on defense broke up a breakaway and stole the puck from the opposing player.
Then went on his own breakaway, took a shot, and scored.
That's a pick six, right? Wait, wrong sport.
But it was fun to watch.
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| About to make the steal |
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| Off he goes! |
It's November the First, and you know what that means?!
It means, by tradition, THIS very specific song is blasting, full volume, at 8am:
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| If it's not Mannheim Steamroller on Nov 1st, you're doing it wrong |
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| Just the inside Christmas decoration totes |
Then I had to take another break for hockey practice, but tomorrow the inside will be finished! It's the best time of the year!
