Christmas #3: Redding

Did you think I'd wait until February to finish posting about Christmas, like I did last year? You know me so well! You probably also knew that Matt would wait until February to take down our Christmas lights (assuming he does -- we could always hold off until March).

A few days after Christmas, the boys and I flew to northern California to spend about nine days with my side of the family. Matt had to go back to work in Midland, and though it was NOT FUN traveling with both kids by myself, it would have been less fun if my parents murdered me for not bringing their grandbabies home while we were on that side of the country. 

Our third Christmas morning was full of Angry Birds gifts for Josh, including this shirt saying "I need anger management." (Maybe a little bit true, but probably the same for a lot of three year olds.) Here he is giving his best Angry Birds face, which I think is pretty dang good.

"Christmas" morning in Redding wouldn't be Christmas without my dad holding a video camera. This year he brought out a special one with a head strap, and if you were lucky like Jude, he'd attach it to your noggin and watch you squirm.

In case you're wondering what we're all smiling at, Mike introduced us to these YouTube videos called Kid History. Have you seen them? Really funny. Especially if you like kids.

We had to take pictures of Jude sitting in a box with a bow on his head (or several bows) because we have the exact same pictures of Josh at his first Christmas. Same outfit, even.

Jude's favorite thing to do when I'm trying to take real pictures is to chase the dangling lens cap. And he is so fast that the only pictures I usually end up with are like this:

The boys seemed to play pretty well together, for being each other's only playmates the whole trip. By now Josh is used to Jude constantly hanging on him and trying to get at whatever he's doing, so he usually keeps one arm up for blocking purposes. Jude thinks it's a game. I think it's hilarious.

Steven and I were bored and tired of waiting for everyone to get going one night, so we busted out Julia's new origami set and taught ourselves how to make paper cranes. Just shows that anything can be fun when you have willing participants who just want to spend time together. I love that boy!

Josh was lucky enough one day to help my dad and Mike clear a bunch of debris out of the creek bed by our house. He got to ride the tractor and watch the chainsaw in action, so it was pretty much the best day of his life.

Jude got his first skateboarding lesson from Uncle Steven. Many more to come, buddy, so you better start liking it!

I love being able to get outside any time of year. The whole family took a run/ride on the River Trail. It has become one of my favorite things to do when I go home, because everyone can participate and the little ones love it so much.  And of course, it wasn't complete without somebody peeing in the river.

I have been a really super lame New Years celebrater ever since we got married. I think I'll make a goal to have at least one crazy awesome New Years experience by our tenth anniversary. That gives me a few more chances. This year Josh and I decorated a cheap gingerbread house, and I think the next day we hit a sale at Kohls. There, Jude got overly excited about hosiery, and Josh guarded a ten dollar bill with his life so he could pay for a new game all by himself. 

This cupboard was one of Jude's favorite spots to play.

If you're wondering about that bottom right picture, my mom jumped into my shot at the end and said "Here! Get my legs in there too!" Seriously, she said that. When I asked why, she said something about showing that Jude likes to play right at Grandma's feet, always one step away...but I'm pretty sure she's just proud of her little booty spandex and the ten pounds she recently lost.

That also explains why she sent out this picture with the Christmas cards, even though my husband was NOT in it. Apparently she was too fat in the one we took all together as a whole family this summer.No Mom, we will probably never let you forget your vanity on this one.

Oh boy, this post is getting long! Here we are at the mall. The picture in the bottom left is one my mom insisted on taking and sending to Matt. Do you know why? Because she could not believe that I was actually wearing regular clothes and looking somewhat presentable. Like it was a super special occasion or something. I guess she still sees me as my twelve-year-old tomboy self. Or she's just used to seeing me around the house in sweats all day when I go home for vacation. (Because it's vacation, Mom!)

But even on vacation, I am constantly in the kitchen. Only at this time, I usually have no children climbing up my legs or screaming for apple juice because there are other people to help. Slightly more enjoyable.

Do you see what my sisters are doing while I slave away making their dinner? They are having a secret card game, even going so far as to turn my son against me. This is offensive because I am the one who loves cards.  My favorite game is the one they are playing. Several times during my visit, I caught them playing without me, intentionally excluding me. RUDE! I guess some people just really don't like to lose. Because the one time they did let me play, I spanked them repeatedly. They deserved it.

Okay, I think that little bitter streak is over.

Here we have Uncle Mike making his famous "Mike Dip", Grandma Mae enjoying some homemade chicken noodle soup. and Steven contemplating the meaning of life. He looked like this a lot that week, actually. Probably nervous about moving to Idaho to start college in a few days. 

While Steven packed his truck, some of us tried to enjoy the nice day before the sun went down. California, if I could pay to have your weather all the time...there are a lot of things I'd trade for that.

Josh has started a tradition in Redding of sitting on the back of the truck and eating popsicles while playing "I Spy". It's a special place. If he invites you, you're pretty lucky.

Before Steven and the Parkers took off, we had to make my mom's some sugar cookies to send with them. It was a tearful goodbye, and cookies always make us feel better.

The next day, the rest of us (minus my working father) went to lunch, stopped at a funny little thrift store where Josh really wanted a picture of himself hugging a tree, and then spent the warm sunny afternoon at the park.

I call this one JU-squared. (Jude and Julia)

Steph was extremely persistent at getting Jude to eat a pretzel out of her mouth like a baby bird, just so she could sneak in some precious little mouth kisses. You can guess how he felt about that...

A crazy fun fifteen hour day of straight travel, just me and my boys, and we were finally home to Matt. My family is already talking about the next visit, but for me it's still too soon after the marathon of traveling home to get excited. If they want to see these babies again soon, they will have to come here. I'm holding 'em hostage!