Holiday

We had a quiet and restful Christmas day together; wrapping, cleaning, cooking.  We will host the kids tomorrow so today was just for us and it was nice.  We took off and went to a movie this afternoon and then grilled steaks for supper.  I just finished a chai tea and a hot bath and am drowsy but comfortable.  Tomorrow we'll get up early and I'll start a pan of cinnamon rolls to go with the breakfast casserole and other brunch foods.  Then the kids will begin to arrive.

When the kids were little, Christmas was hectic and exhausting.  It was fun but we were all pretty spent by the end of the day.  We would wake up early, open gifts, then off to each grandparents and often a great grandmother's house.  Usually at least one kid was sick with something.  There was food all day but the kids weren't usually into eating.  It was all about the presents and playing.  By the time we returned home, we were all tired and needing a bath because we all smelled like smoke.  We'd get the kids to bed and we'd collapse.  It was a great time, but I've gotta say I'm not minding our quiet Christmases either.

I guess that's the evolution of a family, and I'm finding it's okay.  I'm happy my kids are having their own times and doing their own things.  I like that we're finding new paths for ourselves too.  On the way home from the movie we noticed the bowling alley was open and thought we'd try that next year.  We probably won't, or at the very least we won't remember to, but it was fun to toss it out there.

That's it for now.  Merry Christmas!