Overall, we had a very fun break! While the boys still do their fair share of bickering, certainly making it difficult to have them around the house all day long together, we had some really good times and great memories of it all.
Since Scott and I both had pretty heavy work schedules over the kids' break, we were fortunate to have Grandma and Grandpa come in for over a week to help out with childcare and many many other things around the house.
Scott was working the days leading up before Christmas, so Mimi and Papa also helped out by taking each of the boys on different days, which allowed everyone some one on one time and much less disciplining. It is just amazing how sweet each of the boys is when on their own, and when they do not constantly have the other one on their mind. They are both just really easy and super fun!
Christmas Eve, Scott was working, but the four grandparents and all the kids headed to church, as I was playing in the flute choir for both services. The next morning, Scott did not get home until 11:00, so we deferred our Christmas and started the traditional Christmas Eve festivities that day. Here is Mikayla all dolled up for Christmas Eve:
Santa Claus is still a major focus for the boys at this age. Everything they do in December seems to center around Christmas. They each had at least three different types of Advent calendars, so they had no excuse for asking us how many days until Christmas. On many occasions, I would catch them "ordering" their gifts for Santa to bring, and they would do so by shouting up the chimney anytime they would think of something else they wanted. Christmas Eve, they both wrote their letters to Santa to leave with the milk and cookies. Here is Luka's letter:
At times when it was hard to find contentment over the break with both boys together, TJ would go upstairs to his room for a break. On one occasion, he was gone for close to an hour, and came down with a 2 1/2 page "Christmas Story." Here is just half of the first page:
Christmas morning seemed to live up to the kids' expectations. They actually each got a bit into the giving spirit this year, which is nice to see. Luka had taken the time to wrap up a cookie for everybody and put it under the tree. TJ created a rocket ship picture which he spent hours on, and when I asked him if he wanted to frame it and give it to Daddy for Christmas, he lit up like a little Christmas tree and was SO excited to wrap it up and give it to Scott. Scott opened it with the perfect line, exclaiming as if on cue, "this is the best Christmas present I have received this year!"
Also on the list (and received) this year was a Nintendo DS (we are still working through the limits on this one) and a remote control helicopter (which always seems to break the day we get it.) Scott also surprised the kids with a trampoline after sending them on their first treasure hunt to find it, so we figure that will help to balance out the DS time...
For now, we are happy to be back in the routine, even if it does mean getting up in what seems like the middle of the night to get the kids off to school. They are ready to be back at it, and so are we!
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