Jagger Rocks and You Can Now Eat the Kisses

Ania and Christmas had a love/not-so-love relationship this year.

She loved that Christmas exists. "Woo-hoo!"
Not-so-loved that it kept not arriving. We decorated the tree. "Is it Christmas?"
Well, we're decorating and starting to celebrate, but it's still 25 days until Christmas.

She loved that presents were wrapped and put under the tree. "Is this for me?"
Yes!
Not-so-loved "Can I open it?"
Not yet.

She loved that we got to sleep under the tree on Christmas Eve.
But I still had stocking stuffers to wrap and I kept not not-so-loved coming to sleep under the tree. "You coming, mommy?"
Pretty soon. Not yet.

Can we start sleeping under the tree if I do this?

Ok. How about I sit by my bed under the tree, close my eyes, and deny that you all aren't coming?

Maybe if I get in my bed you all will come?

Yay! Her people finally showed up for the sleeping party! 

 Earlier on Christmas Eve, the relatives started arriving. Even the Seattle ones. 

Pizza potluck. Organized by my mom, but at our house. Here's who came:

Mom. Dad. Caroline. Brian. Lakya. Jon. Ronee. Jagger. Jaxson. Aaron. Jenny. Lynn. Madelyn. Julia. Ryan. Tony. Sandra. Darren. Caroline. Landon. Kohl. Chance. Tom. Janet. Kelsey. Eli. Hannah. Tessa. John. Nancy. Cody. Melissa. Kati. Matt. Kylie. Kaisha. Collin. Alissa. Mia. Ania. Me.

Forty-one of us.

Meet my new favorite relative, Jagger. My cousin's son. I fell in love with this 8 year old. Really, I thought Mia talked incessantly because she's a girl. No. It's because she's related to Jagger! I learned more about my cousin, Jon, in 40 minutes with Jagger, than in all my 40 years hanging out with Jon.

Do you have any hideous ornaments that you have to put on the tree anyway because they represent the world to you? Meet yellow angel. I still think she's beautiful, but my kids have mocked her, to my face, for so many years, I'm getting the picture.

When I was in 3rd grade my family moved during the school year from Vashon Island back to Bellingham. I thought I was going to die. I was so sad. Not long after the move, my sweet old lady neighbor from the island, sent this angel to me. I can still remember folding back the tissue paper to see what was in the package. I don't remember the neighbor's name, but, ahhhhh, this angel tells me that maybe this sad world just might be ok after all.

 I love these gingerbread men because Aunt Blondy made them.

And now that Christmas is over, you kids can eat the kisses!