Wow…we survived Christmas!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend with friends or family…or both!  What are your traditions?  Our traditions got a little mixed up this year.  For the past few years I have hosted at our house.  I feel like sometimes it’s actually easier.  Both families here.  No traveling for us.  Everyone pitches in with food and cleaning up.  It’s great!  And equally, for the past few years we’ve had my brother spend the night (he’s Santa’s helper, actually) and my family would come up in the morning for breakfast.  This year I made a French Toast Casserole that you make the night before.  DELISH!  You can find the recipe here.

This year we switched things up.  We had Christmas Eve dinner at my parents after the children’s service at church.  We opened their gifts and had a great time!  The kids, however, didn’t get to bed until about 9:00.  They slept in until 8:00, though!  Then, breakfast here, with lots of fun time outside.  The weather was perfect on Christmas morning!  I’m really regretting not getting a picture of my dad riding Mason’s bike around the neighborhood.  I really dropped the ball on that one.

In the afternoon, we went to my in-laws for Christmas dinner.  Not before Emma had a meltdown.  I actually can’t remember what it was about.  I try to block those things out.  Some food helped her calm down (things can get out.of.control. when her blood sugar drops).  We headed to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, the kids played outside some more, and we ate dinner.  After dinner, more gifts.  And we came pretty close to another meltdown about her new helmet for horse back riding.  It’s difficult with her because she gets so excited about her gifts, and if the size is not right, or we have to exchange and she’s not able to play with her gift, sh!t can hit the fan.  I don’t know how to control situations like that.  What she can comprehend is limited.  And so while it looks like another temper tantrum thrown by a spoiled brat, rather it’s Emma not understanding the situation, and not being able to appropriately control her emotions (for a seven year old).  When she’s at home, she can go up to her room, remove herself from highly stimulating situations, and give herself the time she needs to calm back down.  It’s not always easy when you’re not at home.

This break hasn’t been the dream-like break I was hoping for.  It’s been pretty challenging.  And therefore I fear the wrath that summer break will bring.  Eeeek!!

I do have pictures.  And they are still on my camera. My bad.

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