Merry (cough, cough) Christmas

I know that I sing the praises of my hometown each year, but golly,  it really does hold the heart to Christmas for me.
I adore going home and being around my family and familiar places.   I love the anticipation that I see building in Kaelan’s small mind as she counts the days until we are back in Cloudcroft.   And snow.   How can you go wrong with Christmas snow?
This year it was nearly the death of us being there.  Seriously. 
The week before we left for the mountains, I developed another form of the deadly plague (possibly the flu stuff before it became a national craze) and though I did everything I could to fight it, including seeing a doctor literally on our way out of town, the nasty stuff followed me all the way to the Lincoln National Forest.
Ugh.   My biggest worry prior to leaving was my ear.   If you recall, I had the worst ear infection ever a few years ago.  Yes, I am referring to the one that blew out my ear drum during Seth’s delivery and made me beg for an epidural needle to be stabbed into my ear.  Labor pain? Bad, but  tolerable.  Ear drum explosion pain while in labor?  They say you forget the pain later.  Uh, not so much.  I am still not convinced I did not actually birth Seth through my ear canal, but that is another story.
Anyhow, the doctor loaded me up on meds and told me to take it easy while making the elevation change.  
He didn’t tell me I might experience the feeling of impending death a few days later.  The crud hit me hard once we got to 10, 000 feet.   I felt like I couldn’t breathe and the sinus pain was so intense, I thought I would pass out every time I stood up. 
But that wasn’t the worst part.  
While I was in the doctor’s office, I heard the faintest little cough from Seth.   I immediately panicked.  Please, please, please don’t let that be a cough.  He seemed perfectly fine, but it comes quick with that one.   The doctor laughed me off when I expressed concern and he even looked Seth over.  MY doctor and MY appointment.  Nice guy, but I still blame him for nearly dying four days later.
Well, it was an “oh no” kind of cough.  The day we got there, the cough came more frequently, and by that evening we were doing breathing treatments and debating a trip to the ER for both Seth AND me. Ugh.  Ugh. Ugh.
So, Christmas 2013 went down something like this.
Sandra sick.  Seth sick.  Doug (early stages) sick.   Kaelan well.
Snow storm hits.   Snowed in.   Have to warn family to stay away (most of them could not  do that, bless their hearts).  
Sandra really sick.  Seth really sick.   Doug  sick.  Kaelan well and bored.
I hated missing so many of the things I loved.   One morning, I could not take it and I suited up heavily  and headed out to sled with my nieces, nephews and Kaelan.   We had a super time, but I paid dearly later with chest pains and coughing.

Thank the Lord, by the end of the week, Seth and I started to improve!  I started seeing a little less of this…

…and a little more of this.

I did a lot of pouting because when I looked out the window, this mountain kept taunting me about the skiing I was missing out on.


But on Christmas morning, the scenery was much more beautiful.  I got to look at these shining little faces light up over and over and it was better than the finest fresh powder that the sweetest of slopes could ever offer.



Once again, we had just our little family of four together early in the morning and then we had the whole family gathering later in the day.   The kids loved their gifts from Santa and each other.  Kaelan and Seth had a special book made for daddy.  Seth got Kaelan a new squinkee tower of some kind (aka stuff to get stuck in my vacuum), and Kaelan gave Seth Bulls eye and Buzz to add to his collection.

Santa was also a sucker and gave into Kaelan’s big wish for a fish.  
Let’s just say “Santa”  better enjoy cleaning fish poo, because mama was not 100% sold on this gift.  Now I have to keep to kids, a cat, AND a fish alive.  Ugh.
I got my wish, too!   The sun came out, and TA-DUH!!!!  


We were well enough to enjoy the mountains.



And despite getting a late start, WE DID ENJOY IT!
Except for ice skating…..I don’t think Seth enjoyed that entirely.

On a totally random note, we did some shopping while there, and during one outing my little artist stopped to admire some art in a gallery.  She walked around and pointed out a few of her favorites and when I took a closer look at one she liked, I was just as shocked as she was to see my mom’s name on  it.  I wasn’t shocked that my mom is an artist, I knew about that, just shocked it was hanging there and I did not know about it or recognize it. 
Kaelan is so inspired by her “Noni’s “ art.  This really impressed her.

Minus the loads of pictures I would have liked to have taken if I could have been a little less high on medication, this pretty much sums up our Christmas vacation this year.  
It may not have been my favorite, but being trapped in a snowy mountain cabin with three of your favorite people is not a bad place to be. 
Besides, it gives you a good excuse to wear your Star Wars slippers all day long. 
And what a gift that is!

Strike 2 with Santa or Beware of Mrs. Claus’ Cleavage

The night we pulled into my little hometown for Christmas vacation, the town was hosting their annual Santa Land.   We just had to go stop in and see old friends and let the kids visit with Mrs. and Mr. Claus for a bit.

 

 

Kaelan took care of business like a pro.  She had a list (by priority) and informed Santa she would not be in OK, but to please make all deliveries to her Cloudcroft cabin.

On a side note, is that not the hottest Mrs. Claus you have ever seen?  Hello, Cloudcroft?   This is Austin.   We would like our Mrs. Claus back.  You should have seen the tattoo she was toting on her exposed shoulder.   She looked like she had been working that North Pole!….. And as soon as I typed that, I realized just how bad that sounded.    Seriously though, I saw A LOT of Mrs. Claus that night, and I think she made the naughty list.  I should probably hit backspace.  Nah.  I am leaving this paragraph as is.

Once again, we tried to convince Seth to go chat with the Big Guy, but he opted to latch onto my neck and say, “No Thank You” about a thousand times.

Mrs. Claus in her cunning ways (there I go again), was able to convince him to at least come close enough to get some goods.  I promise.  I will stop.

After he grabbed the bag, she bent down and asked for a little hug.   He did not hang around long enough to respond.  He ran off the stage area and headed to the woods.  I tracked him down about 5 miles deep within the forest.

Good boy.  Always  run from those type of girls.

While we chased down her brother, Kaelan stayed close to the bonfire and enjoyed making smores.  This is something I LOVED doing back when I was a kid going to these same Santa Land events in this same little town.  Back then we sang carols around the fire and took hayrides through the snow.  Oh, and Mrs. Santa DIDN’T WEAR SPIKED HILLS NOR DID SHE HAVE A TONGUE PIERCING!!!

Okay, I am really done.

Tubing at Redhawk Stadium (Another Advent Adventure)

One of the perks of being married to The Prez, other than the gaining the title of First Lady of Food Service, is we get invited to a lot of cool VIP events around the city.  

Now, most of those events involve loud music and loads of booze, which don’t get me wrong, are lovely things, but I would rather shelter my kids from the frat party atmosphere for a bit longer.

However, every once in a while, the events are kid/family friendly and we JUMP on those events.

Since US FOODS is one of the major sponsors for the Redhawks, we were invited to a a corporate night of snow tubing at the stadium.   The tubing is offered throughout the holiday season for the public, but this was a private night with far less people and more VIP type treatment.  The wait was nothing, the runs were awesome, and there was a huge buffet room set up for us to go in and warm up and eat and chase the Redhawk mascot around.

Which I would like to take this opportunity to personally apologize the the Redhawk mascot for the blows he (and I am pretty sure you are a “he” based on the quick reflexes and protective cup movement you made) took to the (ahem)  lower portion of his body from my  head ramming, rock hard-noggin,  rambunctious boy.   I hope our meeting did not leave you sterile. 

Seth actually went down the run all by himself in a tiny tube.   Think large sausage stuffed into a small donut.   We jammed him down in there and sent him gliding.   It was hilarious to hear him coming down the hill laughing and giggling with this HUGE smile on his face.  

Again, again!!!  he cried after each run.

It was a little slice of home in OKC.  

 

Christmas Train (Another Advent Calendar Adventure)

For the last few years, we have taken a ride on the Polar Express train as one of our advent calendar adventures.   This has become super special, as I now have a train crazed fan in the house.   This year, a little mishap nearly caused us to miss being able to ride the train.   The Polar Express only runs two nights here in OKC, and we knew we were going to be out of town one of those nights, and we had super sweet seat tickets to the Thunder Game on the other.   I was totally willing to miss out on the game, and Doug was too…..after a few hard elbows to the tummy, but we figured out a way to smooth it all over and not have to miss out on anything.  

It seems there is a “Christmas Train” that runs at the same train museum, same exact train actually, as the Polar Express.  Only it runs during the day.   Basically, the same special ride, just during the daylight hours.   Some kids still wore their jammies, but because we were on the go that day, and just coming in from a trip that morning, we passed on that.   Minus the pajamas, the whole ride had the same feel of the PE.  Heck, I may even stick with this one in the future just to avoid getting home late and “I need to go to bed” meltdowns!

Upon boarding the train, we ran into The Man himself.   He actually invited the kids to come sit with him.    Seth is still not 100% on this guy’s team.  He likes him.  Tolerates him from a distance.  Will occasionally give him a high five, but sit with him?   No thanks.

The meeting went down like this:

Ah!  Who invited him on this train?

Hug?   Are you crazy?   You are totally violating our ‘touch on my terms”  treaty.

 

Okay, you will hear from my lawyer.  I am out of here.   Keep your presents.   I will see you in court.

At least I have one kid living in my house that hasn’t filed a restraining order against Santa.

There were bells handed out and cookies and candy canes and carols.   There was a reading of “The Polar Express” by Mrs. Claus and dancing elves throughout the car. There were clowns and balloon artists and sweet little old ladies dressed in their flashy Christmas sweaters passing through, smiling, winking at babies and refreshing drinks and cookies (my personal fave). 

And about that hot chocolate…..right here in this shot you see Kaelan’s face as she asks the rest of us, “Is it me, or does this hot chocolate taste a little like foot?”.   

She drank almost all of it.  Not sure what that means.

Green cookie in his teeth.  Not mold, for the record.

After our ride, we explored the grounds of the museum.  I love that they are so open to just letting kids get on the trains, explore, play.   Great place for my boy who doesn’t do “No Touching” museums. 

What I remember most about this day, is that after all the other things we did that day, I felt like I had been hit by one of those trains.

Great times, though.

Memories in Lights

Soooooo many fun things happened in December.   The advent calendar did not disappoint the adventure department.  This has always been my goal in having the treats revealed in each day be more of a fun activity as opposed to a thing.   Whether it was cooking together, riding a horse sleigh through the park or taking a train tour of Christmas lights, the memories far out weigh the goodies I could give them.  Besides, they have enough junk/crud/toys/games and if I give them sweets, I will just end up eating them after they go to bed and blaming it on the cat (or dad) and that would mean I would hit the naughty list.

This system is much better for everyone.

One of our great adventures took us on a night trip to Kingfisher.   We took a wonderful train ride through a little magical winter wonderland of lights and then drank hot chocolate and ate cookies while running around the light fest.

This night so reminded me of being a kid and running under the lights in the trees in the park.   My kids had a blast.  My husband/boyfriend and I did a lot of handholding and strolling behind our kids as they raced from light exhibit to light exhibit.  

Even if they don’t remember this night, I will, but I feel strongly they will.  Or at least the cookies and hot chocolate part.