It was a Merry Christmas

All is well at the Cruze-Benroth household. We survived the day quite well. There were only a couple of minor meltdowns.
Christmas Eve was busy, we baked most of the day. Whoever said the Mom is the heart of the home wasn't kidding. There was more than once when I was surrounded by many children, all just following along. I made roll-out sugar cookies, Toll House with mini-M&M's, and Madeline baked her first cake. Later (much later- 1 or 2am) I finished the Pumpkin Roll I promised Katy, and some Snickerdoodles I promised Joey. Come to think about it, that was about the same time as my one and only meltdown. Anyway, I regress. Throughout the evening, Sam checked the computer on the NORAD tracking Santa. It is a real kick if you have little ones still in the house. At 10pm we read the Nativity story from Luke and then Bari asked who wanted to go and see the live nativity in Mt Healthy. The kids liked it. I was dissapointed at the behavior of some adults there. We got back home around 11 and sent Sam and Madeline right to bed. I finished baking and got to bed sometime around 3.
Christmas morning was fun. We woke all the left-over sleepy heads at 8:30. It was fun to see how excited the kids got when they shared their Secret Santa gifts with each other. At the end of all the presents, I was going to send the kids downstairs and then realized that I had forgotten to give Josh (the boyfriend) his gift. It was sitting in my bedroom because Madeline had started teasing him that I had gotten him a bird (or some pet) for Christmas. Bari, Katy and Madeline were all in on the joke. They ran to my room and kept whispering back and forth, 'don't hurt it! Don't shake the box!" When they finally brought it back out, Katy had punched holes in the box to make it look like there was something live in it. Josh was really suprized to find a double cd set of Harry Potter! (And I think a little relieved, too). We had all of us and 2 Elders for lunch. It was nice. I had gotten a Honey Baked Ham from work and was able to make a nice lunch with it. After all of that, we cleaned up the dishes and started building the corner desk Madeline had gotten. I took Joey back to Eastgate around 5, came back, finished the desk, put together Sam's Rock Drilling kit (I love Grandma's) and finally crashed at about 10:30.
I didn't have to work today. Our store was closed (we always stay closed the day after Christmas. Madeline has been waiting for friends to call all day. It is 5:15, I don't think it is going to happen. I was able to finish a watercolor painting of a house for one of my assistants. I wanted to give it to her before Christmas, but that didn't happen. I 'm really pretty happy with this one. I think it turned out well. My camera is broken at the moment, I'm hoping to get it fixed soon, so I can get a photo copy of it. Sam and Madeline have been fighting all day. Lovely.
I was just asked what we were having for dinner. I don't think it's going to be ham.
Love you all!!!!

Christmas-----

Well, my Christmas is finally beginning. Yesterday (Sat) was my last day of work until next Thursday. It's just the luck of the draw that I don't have to work New Years Eve.
I've been shopping with Bari the last 2 nights and it has been a bear. I know all about having Christmas be about more than gifts, BUT there are still gifts to be decided, found and bought. I did this with a stressed out, depressed spouse after I worked 60 hours this week. Lovely. Yes. We ate dinner in the car in the Loew's parking lot. (Actually, this was at my request-dark and quiet atmosphere was the goal). So, we had a great many hours together with thousands of other couples experiencing the same thing. It would be nice if Bari could TRY to enjoy shopping, for maybe just a store or 2. I understand the stress and depression of money at the holidays. I was a single mom for a couple of years. Now, I have never been excessive about gifts for any occasion, birthdays to christmas. But it is really hard with so many children and in-laws. Next year I'm sure we'll be done with ol'Santa, and I'm going to stress (EARLY) about gifts of the heart and service for others. I don't really think my mother-in-law would mind a day of free labor from my kids sometime, instead of another gardening trinket that she really doesn't need.
So- there, I feel a bit better having vented that to my sisters who I dearly love, and not my Eternal Companion who I love with all my heart and soul. I leave you -all with my testimony of my love of the Savior. He lives. He is my constant companion-wherever I may be. I will love Christmas Eve when we sit together with candles lit, and read the nativity story. I love that Christ walked the earth, just as we do, he had relationships, a job and trials, just as we do. I am grateful that he spent time here on earth being a Man, preparing to be a God. Just as we are.
I love you all. Merry Christmas.