Wrapping Gifts

           After more than two weeks of keeping Ally at home they finally sent her back to school.  I suspect more just to get her out of the house than to believe that she was well enough – but Clair had wanted to wrap gifts and has asked Jaime to assist.  I did not assist as I was in the back room listening to Roland.

          Clair says she has always hated Christmas – though I don’t know if “always” is really the case or if perhaps she found something good about it when she was a child.  When she met Biff and Ally she fell in love with Ally and started to look forward to spending Christmas with her.  I didn’t see what gifts they brought but I suspect may have gone over budget – but maybe not.  They did not purchase all that is intended for Ally.  But still . . .

          When the boys were younger we always had simple Christmases.  That is what we could afford.  Of course there were three of them and only one of Ally.  We may have gone overboard on Jaime’s gifts when it was just her.  And other people would also contribute.  There were many years that we were the recipients of “sub for Santa”. 

          It’s going to be an interesting Christmas this year.

Jenna's Birthday and Easter

           Jenna likes surprises and says she would like to be surprised for her birthday.  But things started showing up in the mail that she herself had picked out.  She knew the packaged CD was Panic at the Disco.  She recognized the stickers that Roland had asked her about.  I didn’t even bother telling her that her stylist had arrived and enclosed it in a CD case with a note about surprises.  I also opened her sticker package and did the same.  Then I hid her Panic at the Disco CD and wrapped the two CD cases along with a chocolate orange and a Tee Shirt that Roland had purchased.

          I’m sure I could have wrapped the Hamm piggy bank that he purchased at a later time, but chose not to as she was in the house ever since we brought it home – except for going to seminary (I am pressed for time as it is – wrapping the bank would have lessened whatever time I gave myself to get ready) so I hid it with a note indicating where she could find her Panic at the Disco CD.

          We started yesterday morning off with Roland fixing French Toast (Jenna’s absolute favorite breakfast) and I asked if he remembered the vacuum cleaner bags that we once had to deal with.  Jenna thought it was weird that I would bring that up – and it was, but I needed it as a clue.  After breakfast she opened the four gifts in her bag – each a surprise.  I then told her to consider our morning conversation which she had to think about but suddenly realized and checked the closet to find a bag hanging around the vacuum.

          “Is this Hamm?” she cried excitedly before she had it fully out of the bag. 

          I had some money sticking out in the event that she would need it for yesterday’s excursion.  It contained the final clue.

          We had tried watching conference on the big TV but YouTube wasn’t working for us and we don’t get the BYU channel.  We moved into the bedroom and I turned on the computer to watch from the church website.  Roland was able to pull up YouTube from the bedroom TV just before the Internet was interrupted – the TV and computer played the live recording just seconds apart.

          Roland and I were on the bed and Jenna had positioned herself on the floor.  Both Jenna and I took notes.  When it ended, all three of us piled into the car (leaving poor Bonnie by her lonesome) and took Jenna to the park where she had planned to meet her friend.  Roland wanted to get her an Easter basket as we have not done much with her on Easter before (she has spent many Easters in the company of others) and also a cake for her birthday.

          While we out getting the cake, Jenna called to see if she could miss the second live session of conference and watch it later.  Her friend was late and she wanted to have more time.  I told her that was fine.  Gremlins from yesterday morning could very well have interfered with the afternoon session as well (though we could have gone to the Church to watch but were not dressed for it)  Roland returned for Jenna a half hour before Conference ended.

          Another friend came over to hang out.  Jenna felt a bit discouraged when her friend didn’t seem to be in the mood for anything but give her attention to her electronic device.  Jenna and I conversed for a bit about the events of her day.  Finally she asked if I would drive her and her friend to Dollar Tree so that they could create gift bags for one another – or a game of “if you catch this, I’ll buy it for you”.  I chose to stay in the car.

          Roland made dinner and the four of us ate (five if you count Bonnie) and I wished Jenna would have eaten as well as her friend.  We sang happy birthday and allowed Jenna to blow out her candles and then Roland took the girls to yet another friends so that they could join in a flashlight Easter egg hunt – a tradition that didn’t take place at all last year.

          This morning Jenna saw her basket and was surprised.  Before I allowed her to explore the contents I told her that I had a fun activity for us to do which would incorporate the true meaning of Easter.  I rolled to flatten out ten biscuits and melted butter into a bowl and filled another with cinnamon and sugar.  I placed ten marshmallows on the table and told her and Roland that each marshmallow would symbolically represent Jesus Christ and that it was our job to dress him and add oil and spices to his body and wrap him in linen with more oils and spices.  We put each in a tomb (cupcake tin) and baked it and the empty rolls became the Empty Tombs because they were hallow (see here) 

          I continued with my “He Lives” notes creating so many that I had to turn the paper over to squeeze in the last three speakers.  Jenna had a wonderful birthday (more memorable than last year) and we are all enjoying Easter.  Even Bonnie – who finally got a walk after feeling neglected yesterday.

       

LtWobo 14 & 15

           On Sunday Jenna took Bonnie for a walk and made a note of all the houses she wanted to go caroling to.  We started out Monday morning going to Dollar General and made a purchase of 12 candy filled candy canes which we would leave with each household. 

 

          Before we left the house Jenna took this picture: 

         We both enjoy singing – she is just better at it.  I probably sound like a moose in heat. There was no one home at the first house we went to but found friends at the next two and left our treats.  The third house we’d gone to was my favorite.  For the girl who answered the door is quite shy and I have never seen her smile, but she did yesterday. 

We continued on our way stopping at various houses to sing and stopped when the door would open and leave our little treat.  Jenna had such a glorious time.  It was fun.

 Last night we watched the “Light the World” sing and serve (here) and that was nice. 

Although Jenna can participate with today’s suggestion

 I posted the following onto my facebook wall:

 I would LOVE to visit my parents. I would call them daily if I could. I think about them often. What a tremendous blessing they have been in the lives of all their children – even the ones they did not give birth to (Sunny, Roland, Bill, Joh) I LOVE my mom and dad and miss them so much! I look forward to being with them again (so someday when I pass, just know that I am happy because I will get to see my mom and dad again)

Another Package

                When I first joined my family I believed Tony was pretty much a holiday Scrooge.  He said his favorite holiday was Thanksgiving, but he seemed to hate Christmas.  He made no effort to hide his negative emotions.  Fortunately that changed sometime after Jenna was born.  His feelings toward Christmas seem to become more positive with each passing year - or at least that is what I hear in his voice.  It is so awesome to have him enjoying that again.

                Rochelle and Tony's original plans this year were to send their gifts with their brothers who had planned to visit us during the holidays.  Only "when" turned into "if' and then "not this year".  Tony called the day the package was mailed and said that it would be late.  I am glad it didn't come before Christmas as I knew their gift to Jenna would put all of ours to shame - even Snoopy.  Oh, Jenna still loves Snoopy but is more excited by the gift from their family.

                Her gift may have been the first that was placed in the box as it was not on top, rather my favorite part of the package.  The thoughtful gift of hand-made ornaments and pictures sent with crafted foam and on a house shaped plaque designed for "family". 

                We never did get a picture of all of us together after our last three grandchildren were born and now Jeanie is gone and will no longer be a part of any recent photos.  How thoughtful to include each of us with the pictures they sent.

                Since the first time Jenna had watched her first episode of "Psych" she became an instant fan.  She loves Shawn Spencer and now the pineapple.  Her goal right now is to rewatch the series to find the pineapple that supposedly exists in each episode.  Tony's family had sent the first six seasons of Psych and Jenna is thrilled.  If it had been her only gift Jenna would have been fine with it.

                I love listening to her laughter.  It reminds me of watching movies and sitcoms with Tony.  He is actually my favorite person to watch sitcoms with.  He has such a cute laugh and is easily amused. I do miss his laugh and his enthusiasm.

                Some of their gifts and thoughtfulness this year was really clever.  I started reading the book they sent me though I have not gotten too far into it.  I was trying to read as much as I can before school starts back up again.  Just one more week left of programming and emotional psychology.  I don't know what I will have after that.

                2017 has flown by so quickly!  It's hard to believe it's almost over.  I wonder if 2018 will fly just as quickly.

Christmas Eve

          When Carrie and Randy’s gift arrived at our house, Jenna decided it would be the first one which would be opened.  We played a game of Monopoly though there’s at least 20 games in our possession that I’d rather play.  After I lost and Jenna forfeited out of boredom, we turned on the Muppet Christmas Carol though we really don’t have a great copy.  I fell asleep while it played.  

We had planned to open our first gift on Christmas Eve after we watched “It’s A Wonderful Life” but since I had fallen asleep during Muppets, Jenna decided to open the gift before  “It’s A Wonderful Life” started.  It was a game! 

Because of the time, we decided we would play in the morning instead of right then. 

Jenna decided to go to bed after only an hour into the movie. Between 9:30 and 10:00 last night Roland retrieved the presents from my closet.  I spread the gifts beneath the tree.  We filled the stockings and finished with the movie. When “It’s A Wonderful Life” ended, I went into the bedroom, though I don’t remember Roland coming into the room until possibly an hour later.  I don’t know why. 
          When he did get into the bedroom, he read a bit before turning off the light.  At midnight Jenna opened her door and asked if it was time to open presents.  She gets very excited.  I think she must have left her room shortly after that as I noticed there were more gifts placed beneath the tree and in our socks.  I love it when my children get into the Christmas spirit and each attempt to play Santa themselves.