Christmastime is here

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Christmas together as a staff.  We all went to camp (Egmont staff included) and had a lovely prime rib dinner together as a staff and with our Kiwi brothers.

We built a fire in the fireplace of the dining hall.  Only the second fire ever in there because the doors on the other side of the fireplace send wind through the fireplace every time the door is opened.  #designflaw

Sharon and Stacie put up a tree and set the tables beautifully for our celebration feast.

We then went as a staff to the club room for some fun...

Wii bowled

 

Wii even hunted.  Get it Sharon!

For the last few weeks I've been in Bellingham spending time with friends, going to Christmas parties, enjoying singing Christmas songs @ church and even decorating my little house for Christmas.

Tonight I am home @ my parents house in Olympia- the house I grew up in from 5th grade all the way through high school.  I am headed to Portland tomorrow for a few days and decided to come down today to break up the trip.  My parents are in Oregon for a few days with friends, so for the first time in about 15 years, I find myself in my parents house home alone...I let myself in, took my stuff to my room and went to the living room to turn on the Christmas tree lights and the reality that Christmas is just 6 days away set in.  To be here, in my childhood home, for Christmas makes this frantic season feel more real.

As I moved through the living room, I saw that my mom has hung all of our stockings (they have increased in number the last few years) over the fireplace.  It made me remember a funny thing that has happened over the last few years regarding the stockings my mom made for us 3 girls when we were little.  Behold the stockings....

My mom sewed these for us way back when and to distinguish them from each other, she sewed a little notion at the top of each.  A bell for one, a candy cane for another and the third one has a tree on it.  My whole life, I have been the candy cane.  Lauren was the bell and Jessie was the tree.  About 4 years ago, my mom had a lapse in memory and filled the candy cane stocking with things for Jessie.  That Christmas morning I went to the candy cane stocking and proceeded to open it and wondered at its contents, as some of them were things I am allergic to (you see, I'm gluten and dairy free).  My mom said that was Jessie's stocking and that mine was the bell.  Suddenly, I was the only one who remembered the correct owners of each specific stocking.  This started a heated and quite comical debate about whose stocking was whose.  The debate still continues.

I wonder which stocking I'll get this year.  I imagine the debate will continue, we'll laugh and I'll demand that I'm right.  The truth is, it doesn't really matter whose stocking is whose as long as we're together.  I think this stocking thing is a new Christmas tradition in la Casa Reynolds.

Christmastime IS here, happiness and cheer.  Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year.

To you and yours, Merry Christmas!