This has been a very memorable Christmas. I think the kids will mostly remember this year because of the shock they got when they didn't see the usual stockpile of gifts. That was because last month, Corey and I talked about it, and I suggested that the Savior only received 3 gifts, so it would be good to limit it to 3 gifts too. No reason why they should get more than Jesus got. Also, I really liked this quote from Elder Patrick Kearon:
"Young fathers, and the rest of us, where is your focus? Perhaps this year you have a simplified Christmas with more homemade gifts and gifts of service because the pressure and cost of trying to buy it all is too great—and unnecessary—and it will take away some of your ability to focus on the Savior and feel His Christmas peace."
So again, it was not the usual pile of presents, but they are not deprived. I shall use this post to properly record the day lest their memories of deprivation increase as the years pass.
So I know this was a good Christmas because:
1) We got to talk with Joseph!
And yes, sure we talk with him every week now, so what's the big deal. Yes it wasn't as magical as last year, but it was still good. And I'm glad we talk to him every week, I'd prefer that and less magical Christmas call moment over the only twice a year video calls that it used to be.
I'm glad they made the change in 2019, cause I would have been really bummed if they started the weekly calls AFTER Joseph was done with his mission!
The kids jokingly/ kinda seriously kept bugging me to finish talking with Joseph so that they could play Smash Brothers. As if video games were more important than their brother that they havne't seen for 18 months. That's the true spirit of Christmas. Sigh. I know they were mostly joking, but still I was shaking my head.
Ethan said he's putting it on his wall, so maybe I'll get a better picture later when it's up there...
He read it again and said "She's right! ... and I can't even complain about this present, cause I don't need presents - Love is all you need!" It was super funny, especially Ethan laughing. I'm gonna miss his laughs when he's on his mission.
After presents at home and talking to Joseph, we went to Corey's parents house. That was where I cried of laughter the second time. We were having a later lunch/early dinner and the older boys were reliving their morning. Their comments, which I will quote below, had me in tears with laughter. So, as I mentioned yesterday, I did a lousy job wrapping. And the stockings weren't great either cause I woke up by myself to do them, and after an hour Peter woke up crying, so I just called it good and went back to bed. They only had like 3 bags of cookies (the Costco snack packs of Oreos, Nutter butters, and Ritz with cheese) and the boys each got a pair of socks, the girls had 3 scrunchies. And like 5 hershey's kisses. And that was it. Much less than in previous years where the socks are bursting with body wash and a whole candy cane tube of kisses. Hyrum woke up first this morning, and came back to report to the other kids about the meagerly stuffed stockings and small pile of gifts. (My picture of it at 3:15 am)
Hyrum: "We were awake talking about all the stuff we got last year, and it was sad."
Ethan: "There could not have been a better Christmas for Natalie to come up with that inspiring quote."
Corey: "You guys are going to have such fond memories..."
Hyrum: "Yeah, but I had fonder memories of previous Christmases." then after a pause.... "I fully expect a light saber from Grandma..."
Aunt Nancy: "I heard Grandma isn't doing presents this year."
Ethan: "Ah. Awesome. It can't get any worse from here. Help me Grandma Hibbert, you're my only hope"
I had told them several times in the weeks before Christmas that we were doing less this year, but we've said that before and then dished the gifts out, so the kids didn't think we were serious when said it this time. But I was resolved to be serious about it this year, especially after their poor showing at "beat the parents". Several times over the past few weeks, both Corey and I have been cleaning up after dinner BY OURSELVES after having asked for help several times, and we're like "What is the problem here? Are our kids entitled?" Even on Sunday, as Corey and I cleaned up, he told the kids "Santa's watching! ...and she's not happy!" So again, they had been warned. At dinner, Eth shared "Previous years, mom and dad say 'Santa's watching... yeah yeah who cares...' This year 'Santa's watching... Woah....'"
Ethan: "I like how the wrapping paper fit the mood..." Oh our poor under privileged children. Honestly, we do so much for them and give them so much time and money for them for food, fun, music, school, lessons, tours, there is no reason why this should be a day for them to cash in.
One reason why they might think it was a bad Christmas will be because of the "block of wood" story. So, Corey bought Wesley a new mouthpiece for his trumpet a week or so ago, and as he gave it to him, he said "Merry Christmas" and it was expensive so yeah, that really was going to count as a gift cause we can't just throw out money like that for no reason and not get credit for it. So Wesley knew that was a Christmast gift, so he was only expecting 2 more, but we didn't know for sure of that, so I thought Corey wanted me to get the mouth piece and re-wrap it. BUT when I was finishing up gifts at 2:30 am, I didn't want to go find it, so I just grabbed a block of wood that happened to be on my floor, and I wrote on a post it note "mouthpiece" and I put that on the wood and wrapped it. So when Wesley saw he had a third gift, his hopes got up "wow they got me 3 presents after all!" only to have his hopes dashed to find a block of wood with a post it note.
So, lest anyone think our children only got coal, I will now list their gifts:
Joseph: Ties, rocks, letters
Mel: Perfume, Painting of Eiffel Tower, and black pants
Ethan: Eternity Cologne, $25 bowling gift card, $50 Visa gift card
Hyrum: Drone (he wants to return it though, it was a beginner level - how insulting!) more socks, and Piano Books. Ethan teased "Congratulations Hyrum! For Christmas, you get to learn Piano!" (Corey said he and Hyrum had talked and Hyrum said he wanted to learn piano, so I don't know, that was something from Corey.) Hyrum really wanted a lightsaber or Minecraft.
Wesley - Battle Bots, Socks, Mouthpiece/Block of Wood
Abigail - Glass Dolphin (like her hummingbird) Paint by Number, Little Piano jewelry Box,
Lily - Hawk girl, paint by number, metronome
Sophi - BumbleBee, Big plush unicorn, paint by number
Natalie - Katana, Paint by number kitty, hair chalk
Owen - Red Death Trooper
Daniel - Hot Wheels set
Peter - hugs and kisses
After typing that up, it does look like it was not a lot. Maybe next year we'll give 4 gifts. Or atleast I'll start earlier and make sure all 3 things are something they really want. But the kids got lots of great stuff from Corey's parents.
"Young fathers, and the rest of us, where is your focus? Perhaps this year you have a simplified Christmas with more homemade gifts and gifts of service because the pressure and cost of trying to buy it all is too great—and unnecessary—and it will take away some of your ability to focus on the Savior and feel His Christmas peace."
So again, it was not the usual pile of presents, but they are not deprived. I shall use this post to properly record the day lest their memories of deprivation increase as the years pass.
So I know this was a good Christmas because:
1) We got to talk with Joseph!
It was a good Christmas because 2) the 3 little girls were all happy with the dolls that they got and they were busy all afternoon playing.
It was a good Christmas also because:
3) There were lots of homemade gifts! Here was Sophi's gift to Corey - Christmas trees!
Melodie made some gifts for us and her siblings:
Cardinals remind me of Virginia <3 p="">
Lily did this drawing of me. The kids joked that this was me being Santa and seeing them when they are sleeping and when they are awake, and laughing at the revenge she will take upon them.
And the last reason why it was a good Christmas, in my opinion, was because they had me laughing so hard that I cried - twice! This is kinda a continuation of the homemade gifts - so the first time was this morning as the kids opened their presents from each other. The little girls did presents for everyone, so it was funny to see what they came up with.
They have really been into DC Superhero girls for the past few months.
It was a good Christmas also because:
3) There were lots of homemade gifts! Here was Sophi's gift to Corey - Christmas trees!
Lily gave Ethan and Hyrum pillows she made out of felt squares. She asked me if she could take some of the couch stuffing to fill them up and I said no. (The couch is ripping on the corner and the fluffy interior is exposed) So instead they used toilet paper. And they never asked me for needle and thread, so it was stapled together instead of sewn. Super Cute and funny. Ethan's pillow said "World's Best Brother" and Hyrum's said "Muscle Man". Hyrum commented "I'm not sure what that means... but ok". It was fun. Soph made them both prayer rocks. Ethan's rock said "Do you Pray?" and Hyrum's said "Do you Love to Pray". Again, really funny. The gift that made me cry with laughter was Natalie's to Ethan. It was 5 sheets of paper taped together with a great quote written on it in her cute first grade handwriting: Love Is All You Need. Ethan read it and laughed out loud (he has a great laugh especially when it makes him throw his head back with laughter!) Sorry that was the only picture I had of her paper. Here's a still shot of Corey's video of it - I'll try to upload the video he took. We need to figure out how to use all the pics and videos he takes.
After presents at home and talking to Joseph, we went to Corey's parents house. That was where I cried of laughter the second time. We were having a later lunch/early dinner and the older boys were reliving their morning. Their comments, which I will quote below, had me in tears with laughter. So, as I mentioned yesterday, I did a lousy job wrapping. And the stockings weren't great either cause I woke up by myself to do them, and after an hour Peter woke up crying, so I just called it good and went back to bed. They only had like 3 bags of cookies (the Costco snack packs of Oreos, Nutter butters, and Ritz with cheese) and the boys each got a pair of socks, the girls had 3 scrunchies. And like 5 hershey's kisses. And that was it. Much less than in previous years where the socks are bursting with body wash and a whole candy cane tube of kisses. Hyrum woke up first this morning, and came back to report to the other kids about the meagerly stuffed stockings and small pile of gifts. (My picture of it at 3:15 am)
"Santa hates us. I counted 25 gifts, and there are 10 of us.... so we get... maybe 2?" As we ate, the reflection continued:
Hyrum: "We were awake talking about all the stuff we got last year, and it was sad."
Ethan: "There could not have been a better Christmas for Natalie to come up with that inspiring quote."
Corey: "You guys are going to have such fond memories..."
Hyrum: "Yeah, but I had fonder memories of previous Christmases." then after a pause.... "I fully expect a light saber from Grandma..."
Aunt Nancy: "I heard Grandma isn't doing presents this year."
Ethan: "Ah. Awesome. It can't get any worse from here. Help me Grandma Hibbert, you're my only hope"
I had told them several times in the weeks before Christmas that we were doing less this year, but we've said that before and then dished the gifts out, so the kids didn't think we were serious when said it this time. But I was resolved to be serious about it this year, especially after their poor showing at "beat the parents". Several times over the past few weeks, both Corey and I have been cleaning up after dinner BY OURSELVES after having asked for help several times, and we're like "What is the problem here? Are our kids entitled?" Even on Sunday, as Corey and I cleaned up, he told the kids "Santa's watching! ...and she's not happy!" So again, they had been warned. At dinner, Eth shared "Previous years, mom and dad say 'Santa's watching... yeah yeah who cares...' This year 'Santa's watching... Woah....'"
Ethan: "I like how the wrapping paper fit the mood..." Oh our poor under privileged children. Honestly, we do so much for them and give them so much time and money for them for food, fun, music, school, lessons, tours, there is no reason why this should be a day for them to cash in.
One reason why they might think it was a bad Christmas will be because of the "block of wood" story. So, Corey bought Wesley a new mouthpiece for his trumpet a week or so ago, and as he gave it to him, he said "Merry Christmas" and it was expensive so yeah, that really was going to count as a gift cause we can't just throw out money like that for no reason and not get credit for it. So Wesley knew that was a Christmast gift, so he was only expecting 2 more, but we didn't know for sure of that, so I thought Corey wanted me to get the mouth piece and re-wrap it. BUT when I was finishing up gifts at 2:30 am, I didn't want to go find it, so I just grabbed a block of wood that happened to be on my floor, and I wrote on a post it note "mouthpiece" and I put that on the wood and wrapped it. So when Wesley saw he had a third gift, his hopes got up "wow they got me 3 presents after all!" only to have his hopes dashed to find a block of wood with a post it note.
So, lest anyone think our children only got coal, I will now list their gifts:
Joseph: Ties, rocks, letters
Mel: Perfume, Painting of Eiffel Tower, and black pants
Ethan: Eternity Cologne, $25 bowling gift card, $50 Visa gift card
Hyrum: Drone (he wants to return it though, it was a beginner level - how insulting!) more socks, and Piano Books. Ethan teased "Congratulations Hyrum! For Christmas, you get to learn Piano!" (Corey said he and Hyrum had talked and Hyrum said he wanted to learn piano, so I don't know, that was something from Corey.) Hyrum really wanted a lightsaber or Minecraft.
Wesley - Battle Bots, Socks, Mouthpiece/Block of Wood
Abigail - Glass Dolphin (like her hummingbird) Paint by Number, Little Piano jewelry Box,
Lily - Hawk girl, paint by number, metronome
Sophi - BumbleBee, Big plush unicorn, paint by number
Natalie - Katana, Paint by number kitty, hair chalk
Owen - Red Death Trooper
Daniel - Hot Wheels set
Peter - hugs and kisses
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