Chaos in the Park

Today is a clean-up-an-over-flowing-toilet-and-spilled-cold-cereal-all-over-the-kitchen-floor-before-7:30 AM kind of day.  Let's hope the rest of the day picks up.  I'm escaping here for awhile in hopes of turning the day around.

I lamented to my Man before we went to bed last night that all school should be canceled the month of December in favor of celebration and service activities, and late nights having fun.  ;)  The whole family had a hard time waking up this morning after a fun and late evening at Christmas in the Park for Family Night last night. December flies by so fast as it is, and I don't get those slow days where we just BE together like I wish for.  Every year I imagine making beautiful gift packages for friends, cookie baking nights with the chillies, and homemade gift nights that just never happen.  I WILL figure out how to make some of those happen this year.  Even my Man expressed frustration with the fact that we don't have one day where there is nothing to do.  Not to be misunderstood, a lot of our busy schedule is filled with good traditional activities.   

 We missed Dan this year as he is serving with the Air Guard in Africa over the holidays. 

 Christmas in the Park was eventful this year.  This is the fourth year (I think?) that we have gone with my side of the family to visit the big man in red and enjoy the Christmas decorations and atmosphere.

I should have known we were in for craziness when our resident two year-old refused to take a nap.  I was so busy with work and house that I didn't slow down enough to realize I should just lay down and snuggle said two-year-old to assure she would sleep.  Actually, I know why I didn't;  I would have fallen asleep as well and wasted an hour or so of time that I really needed to use.  Sad isn't it?  Most days I think of a nap for myself as a waste of time.  I would escort Miss Busy-body back to bed and rush off, ignoring the sounds of play I heard every other time I walked by her room.  She fell asleep at 5:30 PM on the way to San Jose.  Then her dear mother accidentally squished her fingers in the door as we were leaving Aunt Lauren's house after dinner.  I was spent before we even got there and felt so bad about hurting Syd which made the night even worse.  Thankfully, Syd perked up to see Santa and was so excited to tell him about the "little scooter" she really wanted for Christmas.  She sat on his lap like a brave girl and wouldn't leave until she told Santa all about how her Mom smooshed "these two fingers" in the door.  Great.  She was an over-tired, melted pool of kid on the pavement the rest of the night.

While we were in line to see Santa we spied this guy across the street doing tricks on his bike.  We had to go over to get a closer look at the cyclist jumping up onto these concrete pillars.  My Man, being the crazy sort of guy that he is, wanted to ask him if he would jump over one of our kids.  I talked him out of that one and we proceeded on our walk around the park.  Hot chocolate was calling from the other side of the park, after all.

We saw many decorated trees that ran the gamut of quality from recycled water bottles and handprints to very professionally done.  The kids paired off with an aunt, uncle or Grammy and Grandpa as we walked around, and we all had fun spending the evening together with nowhere else to be.  Well, except for the fighting and tantrums sprinkled throughout the night it was enjoyable.  Our kids love each other so much that they love to tease too.  ;)

Christmas wouldn't be complete without lights plastered on everything which the kids also enjoyed.

The Little's sat on Santa's lap and talked to him about what they wanted this year.  The Bigs wanted to talk his ear off, and after their conversation and family pictures, Santa insisted Grandma have a picture taken too.  Isn't it adorable?

Santa asked the kids if they had been good this year, listened to their Mom and Dad and done all their chores.  I took the opportunity to chime in and ask Santa to watch very carefully to make sure they did their chores without complaining just to hit that point home.  :)  Sydney wasn't afraid at all of Santa this year.  Last year she tolerated his lap so she could get a candy cane when she was done.  This year she told Santa that she wanted a "red scooter," and listened to everything he said.  Jessie asked Santa for a robotics kit, and the jury is still out if she still believes in Santa or is playing along without saying anything.  Santa commented on Toby's crazy fish hat before Toby told him he "really, really, REALLY wanted a robe" for Christmas.  Logan was the most reserved as he quietly asked Santa for Bakugans.  He was a really kind and good-looking Santa who looked like he was having a great night talking to all the kids.    

The last stop of our evening was our traditional cup of hot chocolate fully loaded with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, a candy cane and cherry on top. Despite the road bumps through the night, we did have a good time.  Logan even quickly forgot that his big brother threw away his cup o'cocoa before he was done.  Gramma Evie offered the rest of her hot chocolate to Logan which he finished right before Daddy came to the rescue with a new cup of whipped cream-topped goodness.  By then the little Man was full and didn't want it.  Figures.

Guess who drank two cups of hot chocolate last night?  The slight sugar headache this morning is a nagging reminder.....

Again, it was all worth it.  We had a great time.  I'm thinking about, looking into, possibly wanting to plan, decorating a tree for Christmas in the Park next year.  Anyone game?