Last night was the Leslie girls Christmas Eve. They will be going to their Dad's in Utah this Thursday, and last night was the only night that would work for our party, so last night was Christmas Eve.
Let me digress for a moment and explain Christmas in Southern Cal. I was Christmas shopping a few days ago, and I was walking by a fountain. First of all the fountain was running, and not frozen. And then two children ran up from behind me and through themselves in. Yes, it's hot here. Yesterday it hit a high of 81. I'm loving it. I know, I know. Don't I miss the seasons! Don't I dream of a white Christmas? No. N-O. Not at all. We spent two hours on Sunday night walking up and down streets with extravagant Christmas lights and weren't cold!!! I was born to live here and spent 34 years not knowing it. Of course I think I am still thawing out from my many years in SE Idaho.
So back to our early Christmas Eve. We had it at my place. Steve came of course, and Lizzie and Shad and their kids. We did the nativity play, which was less than reverent. We watched Small One. We exchanged gifts. Which required my girls and I to purchase a boy toy. It was a little bit of a challenge for all of us. I told Tanner later that I would have really rather bought him a Barbie. He thought that was pretty funny. In all seriousness, the Transformer we got him was the ugliest thing I have ever bought in my life. The minds of little boys are beyond my understanding. He also entertained us in dinner with snorting and burping. It was very funny, although it was new and different for us, I wouldn't change it. We had a marvelous time. Family, traditions, and holidays are so important. It's what life is made of.
After they left my family exchanged gifts and they opened up my gifts. I decided to go for one big gift this year, instead of lots of gifts. Aliese got a Cricut, Anna got a guitar, and Gracie got an American Girl. It was quite magical for them to focus on one gift. And then this morning is was fun all over again when they went back to their gifts.
I take the girls to Utah on Thursday, and I'll be back on Friday. Then I'll have 2 weeks off. As sad as I am that I won't be with them at Christmas, I'm really looking forward to a break and trying to look at that as a bright side. Steve and I are driving up to Mom and Dad's for Christmas. So I guess I'm dreaming of a rainy Christmas.
Love you all.
