Hello Kitty Coma and Star Wars Bliss

Merry Christmas everyone (3 days late)!! What a nice nice week we are having...I am just loving this week off (thank you university closure and holidays!) I have been off work since Friday, and we have been goofing off almost all week.



Monday afternoon the kids opened up their presents from grandma K from Arizona--mostly clothes, but my kids love getting clothes so they were happy. Monday evening was my family's Christmas party where we went to my oldest brother, J's, house and had a Christmas dinner and presents for all the cousins. Simon and Gwen have ten cousins from my side of the family, so he had fun playing with all of them and being silly all night.

This was the first year we actually went out and bought presents for all of my nieces and nephews. My older sister and I always try talking everyone into picking names or adopting a family or something but no one else E.V.E.R. wants to do this, and we usually opted out of the *buy-something-for-every-kid* part of Christmas due to limited funds. However, I guess I was feeling guilty about not buying presents for people who have been buying presents for my
kids every single year and decided to try to find something for each cousin that they would like this year. I think we did ok--except for my nephew, S, who is 13 and some kind of mad scientist. :) The remote control airplane we bought seemed pretty lame after we saw the *lightening machine* he built in the basement. I'll have to think more high tech next year.

Tuesday morning Santa had delivered presents to our house and the kids were happy that Santa got them EXACTLY what they asked for, and not some extra stuff Santa thought they might like but then never use. So, this year Simon wanted an inflatable solar system (which was a lot bigger than I expected, but he loves it!), the latest 3 Star Wars Movies, and the strategy guide for Star Wars Lego: The Complete Saga (which, btw, is actually useless to us since we don't have this game nor do we have the proper system to buy it, however Simon insisted he get this particular strategy guide--ok!). All Gwen wanted was a doll house and a teddy bear, however Santa did bring her a Hello Kitty blanket because we have a thing about blankets around here. The kids also opened up their presents from our attorney ;) and they loved the card game and Beatles lullaby CD. (Thank you also for the cool T-shirt, game and chocolate!! Oh, how I love the chocolate!! It rocks!!!)

After opening up presents from Santa, we loaded up the car and made the long drive to Grand Rapids where grandpa I and Aunt S gave the kids even more nice things, so they were having an extra special spoiled Christmas. Gwen is officially Hello Kitty and Disney Princessed out. I never ever thought in a million years I would have a princess girl. I know I say this over and over, but I have given up and let the pink side take over. The girl has never even SEEN a Disney princess movie, but I tell you whatever evil mastermind at Disney decided to combine the likes of all princesses and market it to little girls better have received some really big bonus (and have a special dark place in he77 reserved for him/her) because I haven't been able to get the girl out of the pink pajamas in 4 days now. Sigh...I give up. Hello Kitty is cool, but princess? I just give up...she loves it...she is 2...I will just keep repeating those things over and over again.

Simon watched all three Star Wars movies already and read most of his strategy guide...and our house is full of planet beach balls...he is a very happy boy.

As if this wasn't enough, Aunt M from Georgia and their other cousins from Georgia sent a bunch more presents for the kids which they opened on Wednesday morning--mostly clothes again which is nice because then I don't have to buy any new clothes this year :) and again the kids really love clothes...this is so weird to ME since I remember being horribly disappointed at Christmas if Santa brought me clothes instead of a toy...ha ha ha....oh, well!!

But presents aside, this has just been a nice nice nice week. The presents are nice (but unnecessary--but GREATLY appreciated) but just having time to wind down and rest and relax and do absolutely nothing except watch bad movies and eat gobs of chocolate (I received a lot of chocolate this year--woo hoo!) is all I care about. Not having to work, write papers, think, etc...I am really thankful and amazed at what a nice week this has been. I am glad we opted to be pretty darn lazy after Christmas because last year was a bit too chaotic for me trying to make sure we saw every friend on the planet. This year it is couch potato week and I am enjoying every bit of it!!

Tomorrow is gaming day for the guys at our house, so the house will be filled with gaming buddies and what not...however, it is also my older sister's anniversary and I had already agreed to babysit before this game day was planned so the kiddos and I will be over her house tomorrow night. But then I still have 3 more days off after that, so I will be enjoying every lazy minute of it!!!!