Silent Night and a few days...

We had a pretty peaceful Christmas weekend at our house.  My Mom came over Friday afternoon and we had dinner and celebration with just us girls (minus my Step-Daughter).  My daughter was very well behaved and only asked 50 times when we were going to open presents.  When The Husband came home, we did another round of gifting and had some more fun.

Somehow Santa got confused and brought us some extra presents on Saturday morning. We were very excited as that meant the American Girl did not have to travel to Grammie’s without a new outfit.  I even got some new Christmas socks as all of mine are about finished.  YEA Santa!

Next I deposited the daughter with her dad and off they went to go visit Grammie.  The silence was almost deafening.  It didn’t last long because right after the drop off I drove to the other side of the world and picked up the Step-Daughter.  We had supper and celebration with her dad that evening and were only interrupted twice by her mother asking where she was (the first time) and when she was coming home (the second time).  That’s what happens when she doesn’t have to work and the wine starts flowing. 

Even with those interruptions it was still a wonderful evening.  I got a new Kindle Fire and am still figuring out how everything works.  I am not a Gadget-Head so it will be a few weeks before I know about all of the cool stuff it does.  Hubby got a tuned piano so he played a few songs for us that luckily did not require any singing to go along with them!

Christmas day we celebrated with some other friends that were also without their children this year.  It was so strange to spend an evening with adult conversation that did not require repeated instructions not to touch this and that and when we were ready to leave, no whining about how much longer we should really stay. 

I will have to admit that by Monday mid-morning, all of the stockings, ribbons and bows were neatly tucked back away for another year in the closet.  That was the only time that we did not have any children around and we were both home.  I thought about waiting until next weekend, but I really need a day of R & R so decided on this weekend instead.  The yard lights are still out and will stay for a few more days.

All in all everyone was pleased with their lot this year.  We scaled down so there weren’t as many packages and bags, but instead got a few things of higher quality and didn’t get a single complaint.  It seems that the more, More, MORE attitude comes as a direct result of us over shopping and over gifting.  Everyone got something nice and we didn’t break the bank to do it.  YEA!