Christmas Fun Has Begun

It seems that every December there is an event that kicks off Christmas for us--anyway in my mind there is. For me, it's usually a different event every year that signals the start of the Christmas festivities.

This year, going up to my dad's house seemed to start it off for me. Maybe because of all the Christmas baking we did. Or maybe it was the shopping.

I think, though, that it may have been Joshua's anticipation. He's 3 this Christmas, so I don't really think that he has much memory of last Christmas. Everything is new to him again this year--and there is so much more recognition of what we're doing.

In other words, he's really "getting it."

So, here is a rundown of our weekend up north.

It began with the car ride. As the kids get older, the car rides become more bearable--and might I say...enjoyable! We haven't driven this far with Matthew yet because he really hasn't been a very good car rider.

To our relief, he is now...

and so is William.



Here's a picture of Paul, Matthew, Carrie, and Gilda waiting for the official "GO" to pass out the presents.



Then, of course, comes play time!




With a little teasing thrown in.



And what would a picture of Paul be without his infamous bunny ears?



Joshua has just gotten caught with his hand in Matthew's Gerber Puffs. The Banana Puffs are not safe when Joshua is around!


And the lighting of the candles.

That's my dad's younger brother sitting next to him...my Uncle Rick. I have to throw in the "younger" because Uncle Rick makes sure that he includes that whenever he can. He is said to resemble Kenny Rogers, the older version of Michael McDonald and Santa Claus.

I would say that he probably is most like Santa. In fact, I was talking to him on the phone one evening last week, giving him Christmas ideas for the kids, when Josh came up and sat beside me. I told him that he should go to the other room, but he said, "No." Immediately Uncle Rick said, "Tell him that you're talking to Santa and that he should be a good boy and listen to his mommy." I told him that and very quickly he sat up straight and stopped talking. I handed the phone to Josh and Uncle Rick gave the most impressive "Ho! Ho! Ho!" that I've ever heard. Josh talked to him for a minute and then ran into the family room.



I think Dad looks pretty dog-gone good!
Dog-gone. There's that word again. I think I tried to use it once before and wasn't sure how to spell it. Oh well.

Gilda put the candles away to be used on Dad's 86th birthday! :)
Of course, we couldn't just leave it at that. The big kids had to figure out that Paul and I would be 58 years old then.
Thanks.




And, of course, a little rest and relaxation!
Much needed after all that excitement.
And eating.

I didn't even get any pictures of the wonderful hometown Wooden Peel pizza that we look forward to when we visit!

It's the best pizza ever--owned by a local family and passed down to the next generation. It's right downtown by one of only two stoplights in town and made it a great place to hang out after high school football games. Many of my teenage memories include the Wooden Peel.



And what would Christmas be without a few Christmas memories.

This is the angel that was on top of our Christmas tree when I was a kid. Dad even decorates the tree with the same kind of big lights (although probably much more advanced) that we had when I was growing up. I think the ones that we used were called "Cool Brights" because just when a bulb would get really, really hot, it would shut off. These don't do that, but they look like the same kind.

I can't look at that Christmas angel without thinking of Mom. This was our 16th Christmas without her, but when Christmas comes, the memories and Christmas traditions I follow make her seem very near.



We ended our stay with a drive out into the country to see my Grandpa's farmland. He died in May of 2006 and the land was auctioned off at the end of that summer to his Amish neighbors and friends.

So really, the land is no longer Grandma and Grandpa Bellman's. The house that I remember has been taken down and replaced with a very big--and I say typical--Amish home. I'm happy about that. It is beautiful, and I'm sure that they will be able to do some of the repair to the farm that Grandpa couldn't keep up with anymore.



A quick apology to my brother Rob. He was there! Honest. I just think he must be a really good camera-dodger!

You just wait. I'll get you when you come down here for Christmas!