Happy Belated Christmas!

Isobel Opens Her Stocking
Originally uploaded by Ernesto and Kristen Burden.

Yes, I've been stuck in the time warp that is the Christmas season...preparing for the big day, traveling, cleaning up the aftermath of the big day, dismantling the Christmas decorations and so on and so forth...

Well, the house is finally clean, things are mostly put away and the children are enjoying more than enough toys and books, puzzles and games and all things good. They have played quietly together for more hours than I could have ever dreamed. We're all getting a break from school but as ever, still learning.

This Christmas was really nice. I was very anxious during the days leading up to it, as I usually am, and then a couple days prior this calm overtook me and I felt great. I enjoyed visiting with family and friends and relaxed. And I am more than ever convinced now that a phony Christmas tree might be the way to go. I would be breaking with a long held tradition of a fresh fir or other evergreen each year, but heck, even my own mother has a pre-lit, store bought beauty that honestly, is pretty darn spectacular looking. So I'm not a purist. Who knew. It's just that I'm still sweeping up needles from last year's tree and that's not for lack of sweeping on my part.

Anyway, here is a pic from Isobel's first Christmas ever. I think she had herself a merry old time.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

December break down

Seems like lately things have been falling apart on me. It's funny, but I had a dream in which a broke a big mirror and someone reminded me that was bad luck, and since everything I touch seems to fall apart. Of course I also dreamed I was a martial arts expert and could beat up bad guys with a flick of my wrist. So needless to say my dreams don't usually come true.

So first the lights on the tree stopped working and I had to replace them. Now half of the lights on the new strand are out as well. Do you think I'll replace these as well? Hell no! If the tree wants to be all moody like that it's fine with me.

Then my windshield wiper broke. No big deal.

Now the washing machine is broken. REALLY broken. Broken to the point of "it will cost over $400 to fix this" broken. And I got to shell out seventy bucks for the privilege of having a surly man tell me that. But hey, when it gets too cold outside for the kids to play in the snow they can just sled down the growing mountain of laundry in my basement. It's soft and warm, if not a little covered in baby spittle. See, I can always find the silver lining, I just have to dig down really deep.

On a much brighter note, my mom came to visit and cooked us a fabulous meal as she always does upon arrival and then the next night Ernesto and I got to go out for another fabulous meal while she watched the kiddos. A couple glasses of wine and some foie gras can really help you forget about all the dirty laundry you'll have to do on Christmas Eve.

A pleasing paralysis

What better way to spend a Sunday blizzard than to sit inside in front of a warm fire, drinking wine with your neighbors while snacking on homemade brownies? Well that's what I did. I could have spent the day shopping and freaking out about how much I have left to do before Christmas but instead I looked out the window, realized I wasn't stepping foot outside all day and resolved myself to a day of leisure. I played with the kids, did some baking, drank some wine, watched some science program, drank some more wine...hmmm. I forget what else I did after that. Perhaps I need some more wine.

Being house bound isn't so bad when you've got the right elements at hand. If only every day were a snow day.

When it rains, it pours...

...and when your washing machine is broken you can pretty much count on your cat to accidentally get trapped in the family room and have a raging case of the runs all over the couch, leaving you unable to wash the cushion covers.

David discovered the mess first, declaring that the baby had "pooped on the couch". I'm generally pretty good about keeping a diaper on Isobel so I was certain it wasn't baby poop he'd found.

Anyway, it was pretty gross. And then we discovered more of it, in other places. All in all, not a pleasant ending to the day.

Then today I re-strung a new set of lights on the tree since the set we've had for over six years finally decided to die two weeks after we put them on the tree. It's really hard to take lights off a tree without removing all the ornaments in the process. And knocking the tree down. Yes, it's been a banner couple of days.

On the bright side I've taught the kids to sing the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and they are doing splendidly. They make up their own lyrics, like most people tend to do. I overheard something about "Five golden big butts" and "Three French doofus heads" or something similar.

We are all doing our part here in the Burden household to make Christmas just a little bit brighter.