Christmas Time Has Come and Gone...

Christmas vacation seems to fly by more quickly every year! This year our vacation was WAY too busy. The first week that the kids were off school were spent finishing all the last minute preparations. I did enjoy the making cookies, the last minute trips to the store, and cooking my own turkey dinner on Christmas Eve. But once Christmas Eve arrives, I feel like I need to hang on for dear life for fear of falling off the runaway train that is our Christmas holiday.

Not that I don't want to spend Christmas with the ones I love. I do! I just wish they would all come to me! That will only be harder starting next year, when we live a good 17 hour drive from most of our family. This year we spent much of Christmas day at home, heading to Chris's Dad's around 3 p.m. Can't complain there! Yummy dinner, lots of laughter, more memories made. Then the next day we traveled to Rothesay where we shared Christmas dinner with my family at my mom's. I have to admit, no one's Christmas dinner tastes as much like "Christmas dinner" to me as my mom's does! The kids had a blast with cousins, we went to a great sliding hill, and ended the day with all the kids tucked in at my sister's, and a game of "Apples to Apples". Still no complaints -- just lots of fun!

But after Christmas, doesn't everyone just want to be home, surrounded by new toys, books, and the coziness of "my own home"? Not that visiting isn't wonderful, and I am so glad I got to see my cousin and her family, and my kids got to spend another day with their cousins. But it just doesn't feel like a relaxing vacation until we're snuggled up in our own home, enjoying each other. My friend Ellen came to New Brunswick from Indiana with her family, and she enjoyed her visit, but vowed at the end "We will NEVER travel at Christmas again!"

We did have a week at home to enjoy our vacation. The kids played with their toys, and I read almost a whole book. We spent New Year's Eve with many of our closest friends, and the kids stayed up to ring in the New Year (Janelle's first time -- she was so proud!) But this year Boxing Week was spent frantically cleaning for a house showing, then negotiating an offer, then accepting the offer, then settling into the realization that we actually finally sold our house. A bit of a shock to the system! So now life is all about getting Christmas "packed away" so we can go to London and find a new house. Chris went back to work today, but the kids don't go until Wednesday. I am in the midst of taking down the Christmas tree. Christmas has definitely come and gone.

So next year we will have to seriously consider whether or not we want to travel home for Christmas. It will be a much bigger commitment! And if we don't we will have lots of time at home, playing with our toys, reading our books, and enjoying our togetherness. But will I also be writing a blog about how much I miss my family at Christmas? Probably! It will definitely take some thought...