Honesty...

It’s been rough. Life has been crazy and busy. I miss my husband. He's mainly been working nights due to the holidays. We've been two ships passing in the night. I desperately need normalcy if such a thing exists. I need a leisurely stroll with my husband and daughter on a cold winter’s day. I need to wake up sleepy and warm from an afternoon’s nap. I need to watch a movie with my husband. I need to hang out in the living room with Daniel while we play and laugh with Morgan. I need to order a pizza and try my hardest to only eat 2 pieces even though I know I’ll probably reach for a third. I need to relax. I need to sit still. I need to just be. I’m hoping for at least a couple of these things this weekend.



So far, this week has started out great. Our good friends Lee and Fran are visiting us right now and we were able to enjoy some good conversation and good wine (okay it was actually cheap wine but who cares, right?). I hope for the same tonight. Tomorrow, we're attending a New Year’s Eve party at a friend's house and then I hope to not do much Saturday and Sunday. Cooking and cleaning and planning and working can wait because this momma needs a break!

What Really Matters

Our Christmas plans this year were that we were going to spend a little "pre" Christmas together a couple of days before Christmas with my brother's family, my sister and nephew and parents at my sister's house. We were going to spend actual Christmas day at Daniel and my house with my sister and nephew and parents. This would have been Daniel and my first time hosting Christmas at our house. I was really looking forward to it and had put a lot of work into planning our menu and decorating our house. I couldn't wait for Morgan to wake up and run into our living room to see the tricycle that Santa brought her.

Things changed Tuesday night when I got a call from my sister telling me that dad was going to have emergency eye surgery again. In one of my father’s eyes, the retina keeps trying to detach which would cause him to go blind in that eye. He’s just recently had 2 different surgeries that were absolutely horrendous. He’s missed months of work because right after each surgery he has had to lay flat on his stomach face down 24/7 for 2 WEEKS STRAIGHT and then he has to lay on his side 24/7 for weeks after that. Throw in the fact that he has back issues and can’t sleep on his stomach! Poor guy! Usually the surgeries are successful but they aren’t working for my dad for some reason. I can’t imagine how frustrated he must feel. He’s also not the type of guy to sit around. When he’s not at work, he likes to play golf and go fishing. Also, he was really excited for Christmas and getting to have his whole family together again. My heart broke for him. I know that bad things happen sometimes and we all have to just deal with it but I just feel awful for him. Please pray that the surgery works this time.

One good thing is that having to drop all my plans and just rush up to my parent’s house for Christmas has made me take a step back and remember what is really important. Time with family and appreciating what we do have is part of what makes Christmas so great. Changing my plans made me slow down and focus on what really matters. I probably got to spend more quality time with the family because I wasn’t focusing on all the little things I originally had planned.


As one wonderfully cheesy country song says, "You're going to miss this." Someday I'm going to look back and desperately wish things were the same. I'm going to think back to all the amazing memories with my family and I'm going to remember Morgan as a little girl and my heart will yearn to have it all back. I won't remember what dish I served or what the tree exactly looked like but I will remember spending time with family.

Since my brother was already in California, my sister-in-law and 2 nieces flew in to be with him for Christmas. Below, cousin Nicole and Morgan play on the couch together. They stayed with us in Fresno one night before we all headed up to Sacramento to be with my parents.

The girls really enjoyed each other.

The first thing they all did when they got to Nana and Papa's house was play in the backyard.

Why is cousin Chase on the jeep?

Jumping on the daybed!

They're pooped!

Nana and Allyson.

Chase joined in.

Coloring was a favorite activity during their visit.

Nana helped me make some of these cute little marshmallow snowmen I saw in Parents magazine.

I thought the little ones would enjoy them and I was right.

Thursday night we opened some gifts with my brother's family since they would be spending Christmas day somewhere else.

Allyson cracked everyone up when she put this bag on her head.

Siblings!

It was great to be together again!

Christmas Festivities

I think having Morgan there helped Dad take his mind off his surgery a little bit. Below, Papa is laying on a special bed that allows him to keep his head face down. Morgan laid underneath to entertain him.

She would bring him toys and crayons. She kept asking, "You okay Papa?"

Since our original plans were to have Christmas at our house in Fresno instead of our parents' house in Sacramento, they didn't put up a tree or any decorations. When we offered to do this for them they said no because it would be so much last minute work for everyone and extra stress for them.

Of course my sister and I had to have a tree for our children so when Mom and Dad were napping we went out and bought this tree. We snuck it in through the back door and decorated it without them even knowing about it. They came in once it was finished and were surprised!

Chase and Morgan helped us decorate.

Chase is so great with Morgan. He truly is a big help.

Morgan got lots of treats this weekend.

We're a big "chocolate" family so since we didn't have chocolate for Thanksgiving, we made up for it for Christmas. I made mint chocolate chip cookies and chocolate peanut butter pie.

Morgan set out cookies and milk for Santa.

Morgan's tricycle from Santa...

Morgan spotted her stocking first thing.

She found chocolate in her stocking.

Next she discovered her tricycle.

She loved it.

Daddy helped her figure out what to do.

It was very cute and fun to watch.

We open gifts one by one. We like to make it last as long as possible.

Morgan read to her doll, "Leah".

She also fed her a bottle.

And for some reason, Daniel did too. I looked over to see him feeding the doll a bottle while he ate his breakfast.

Cousin Chase looked studly in his new beanie.

Morgan was exhausted from all the present opening!

Morgan and Daddy watched a Christmas parade.

They have the same expression on their faces.

Chase shows Morgan how it's done.

This was not at all what I brought her to wear Christmas day but this is what she ended up in anyway.

My beautiful girl...

True to tradition, she played with her new toys all day.