Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas 2008


We have warmth! After I finished posting my complaint about the heater-fixer guys not showing up the phone rang and they were on their way. Obviously, they read my blog. Because, yes, I am the world's most famous blogger and HVAC people especially love me. Also, they left me a present in the basement. It's a pile of fuel soaked rags. Merry Christmas to ME! I'm scared to touch them.

Our main source of heat comes from fuel oil, which is very rare in this part of the country. It seems our fuel tank froze and so their won't be any fuel coming through the line until it thaws. Good thing we have a heat pump for back up, so the guys rewired our heat pump and it's heating the house just fine. Hooray!

Yesterday, I spent the morning yelling at my children to help me clean up the house. I swear they think I'm speaking a foreign language. Here's a perfect example...

Me- Seth, I want you to go down and put the clothes that are in the washer into the dryer.

Seth- Where?

My daughter is so preoccupied by her social agenda that it's hard to get her to focus on anything inside our home for more that a few seconds. And of course the two little boys are so excited for Christmas that they can't think straight.

By the time Clay came home in the afternoon I was ready to bash some skulls. Thankfully, we had plans to get out of the house and have some fun as a family. Although, I did have a moment where I stood in my room having a mommy melt down and wanted Clay to take all the kids so I could have the opportunity to carry on a perfectly coherent conversation with myself. I mean, if I told myself to wash the dishes that were in the sink by hand, I think I would understand that that DOES NOT mean shove them all on top of each other in the dishwasher. Wouldn't I? Yes, I would because I tested it today. You know what? Those dished got washed .....with MY HANDS! I understood every word I said. I'm a very good listener and I think I explain things quite well and I'm very easy to get along with as long as PEOPLE DO EXACTLY AS I SAY!! I got along with myself splendidly today. I am my new best friend.

Anywaaaaaay.

Our biggest gift to the kids this year was a trip to Crown Center in Kansas City to go ice skating. We also took them to Kaleidescope and then to The Cheese Cake Factory for some yummy dessert. It was a very fun day. Oh, and Levi had so much fun he peed his pants. So, I ran into the Gap and bought him a new pair on sale for $16, not bad. I might pee my pants next time so I can get some new clothes. That kid's no dummy.

The kids want to make the ice skating/Cheese Factory an annual tradition and I hope we can. The lights were beautiful and the weather was grand. We didn't tell them we were doing anything until the day before, so they were surprised.

We bought all the kids three small gifts each and some stocking stuffers. I think it's just the right amount.

This year I've tried to make gifts that people can use or will appreciate. I've enjoyed not rushing from store to store to find the right 'thing' for everyone. Next year I need to get an earlier start because these last couple weeks have been nutty and that's the reason my house was such a disaster.....and it's not easy getting people to help me when I don't speak their language. Yes, I will now be calling my children, the four foreigners in my house.

From Coal Creek Farm, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. The Four Foreigners are waving their hands and making a lot of noise, whatever that means...... dumb foreigners.

24 comments:

idreamicanfly said...

Merry Christmas!

Deb said...

I know exactly how you feel about the house cleaning thing. They are very gracious, tho, here in my house; they lift their feet up so I can get the vacuum under them. They also very willingly pile the stuff that's on the floor onto the bed, so that socks and jeans do not get sucked up into the vacuum. Merry Christmas. Your family skating/Cheesecake FActory outing sounds perfect.

Norma said...

Ah, the memories of speaking a foreign language to my children! Great post.

Melody said...

I think we had the same day!

Merry Christmas!

Jean Martha said...

My parents owned a hotel. My Mom thought all the French Canadian tourists were deaf so she would talk to them REALLY LOUD. We always knew there were French Canadians in the office (attached to our house) when we heard Mom talking loud. Try that with the kids, maybe they're just French Canadians...

Danielle said...

Merry Christmas April!

Gladys said...

Merry Christmas! I'm so glad you now have heat.

As for the four foreigners I used to do the same thing to my kids back at them. Kids "Mom we are hungry." Me "what?" Kids "Mom can we go to the mall?" Me "Uh?" Kids "Mom I think Billy cut off his finger!" Me "I'm sorry I don't understand what your saying. Ich verstande nich, no comprende...:)

Anonymous said...

Happy Christmas April!

Mrs. C

Rhea said...

sounds like a wonderful tradition to begin. And the perfect amount of gifts. We scaled back this year too.

Most of all, I'm glad y'all are healthy, happy and WARM.

Merry Christmas, April!

jean said...

What a great new tradition. Well, not the whole peeing in the pants but the rest of it. And could you please tell Clay to put down the pitch fork and stay away from the chickens? He's making me nervous. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Updated by Lila Huggins (grandmother) said...

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
I just asked my 10year old grandson to empty the dryer for me and he asked,"where's the dryer again Nannie?" Now keep in mind he lives here. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLO

Just wanted to let you know I read your blog everyday. I don't always comment, (Iknowmebad!)
but you make me smile. If you don't post, I'm in a bad mood all day. (No pressure there)
SSo just inow that I'm here with you everyday and holler at my grandkids if you don't post.

Hope you have a loving Holiday!

Miss Lila in Atlanta

Anonymous said...

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too April. Make your own family traditions--your idea with skating and eating--can't get much better than that. Go get some new clothes. Joanie

Kim said...

Mmmm, Cheesecake Factory. I did get to eat a piece of cheesecake yesterday, which was one of the highlights of the whole day, as I chose yesterday of all days to quit smoking.
Yes, I'm very smart.

Leila said...

That's a good picture!

If you got out of your house to have fun with your family before Christmas, you are fraud! You pretend to be all chaotic-like but you have it together!

I would never think of having fun with anyone before a major feast, because I'm too mean!

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

What a beautiful rooster! Barred rock is he? Or something like that? Great photo. We used heating oil in our furnace when when we lived in Oregon. I am glad we left that behind.

Linda said...

My kids too don't understand my language. Sigh.

But hope your Christmas was wonderful ... full of fun memories and warm hands and happy hearts.

DesertHen said...

Merry Christmas to all of you. Love the photo...hope the rooster survived!

Anonymous said...

I love that, I stinkin' love it..."the four foreigners in my house". I myself have only one foreigner, but I feel your pain. Plus at four years old, he wouldn't be too much help even if he did speak my language.

Oh, and I took your advice, and still have not messed with my hair. Well, I've done my hair, but I still don't have bangs. Just thought you'd like to know.
Happy Holidays

Karen Deborah said...

Merry Christmas April/Lirpa and so glad you are thawing out! It get's pretty cold in Kansas. The deafness gets worse with the kids, so sorry. By the time they are teens they are totally useless, as far as chores go, but gotta love them anyway. It's a stage they'll outgrow it. Like when they finally leave home.

Marilyn said...

Sounds like a wonderful Christmas, April. Someday, the foreigners will remember it fondly, and it will all make sense. Happy New Year to all of you, too.

muddywaters said...

Merry Christmas. I've enjoyed reading your blog this year, and I look forward to future posts.

Mitzi said...

April -
Did you write a Christmas letter this year? Where is the post that has the Christmas letter from last year? I thought that was so funny and wanted to read it again.
Thanks. Don't ignore me, either.

April said...

Mitzi,
No, I didn't write a Christmas letter this year.......yet. I don't know if I'll get around to it, I'm thinking NOT.

I think if you go back to my archives and look in Dec 2007 you'll find what you're looking for, I'm not sure which one you're trying to find. I'll go back and look too.

Lisa said...

April,

I found your blog by way of The Milk Man's Wife. I was going to comment on your post about missing summer (with all those wonderful summer pictures) to tell you that your pics are feeding my spring fever! It happens to me every year in January and I have to wait 2 agonizing months to see any sign of spring :(.
Anyway, my kids are younger than yours, but still go completely deaf when I start talking about cleaning. They learn the art early I guess.
I was laughing all through this post. I will be sure to visit again!
~Lisa