Guest Blog: Sample December Weekend

This is a note written by my dear husband to our families. This is what happened since Friday at 5pm. He neglected to mention the family photo session at 8am Saturday, movie night in with pizza on Sunday, and staying up until 11 last night to finish photo books and calendars in advance of the 50% off deadline. Or the great meeting with my oncologist and radiation oncologist who are both stupendously proud of my recovery (of course he wasn’t at those!)

But I thought you would appreciate a glimpse into the life of our family this busy, joyful season – with another voice.

Our goal is to create as many opportunities for joy this holiday as possible without wearing anyone out. And with that, I am off to take a nap and copy in his note below – FROM DAVIS 🙂

Just wanted to share a couple fun things from this weekend ….it was busy, but fun

* Henry had his first basketball game on Sat … and scored!  A couple of things made this remarkable (Dad had tears in his eye) … he was playing on the “A” team of which most of the others on the floor were 2nd graders who had played before …. he is still learning body control with a wide range of shot outcomes (airballs, bricks, and the occasional make) ….and the team he played against was tough … his team only scored 12 points, including his 2.  He also played a smothering defense, when he remembered to stay on his woman who was a very tall second grader with a nice long range shot.  He also had a nice assist on an inbounds pass under the basket.

* We all went to a Bday party of Henry’s friend in school … it was a Estes rocket building/launching party.  I had told Henry a couple weeks ago about the Space Shuttle that G and I launched at Austin Elementary and landed on the school roof (I blamed G) …. so like father, like son …. Henry’s second attempt landed on the school roof near the field we were launching from.

* We went to see Santa … which Henry now wants a new Estes rocket (see bullet above) ….and Carter and Emmy want Star Wars Angry Bird stuffed animals.  Emmy wants the Princess Leia one with a sling shot.  Emmy with a sling shot makes me nervous.

* We have our Xmas trees up that the kids picked out … one small one in our family room and a taller one in the game room.  Kinda odd shopping for trees when it’s 79 degrees out. Lauren scored big …. somehow getting them to only charge us $100, which was close to the marked cost of the little tree.

* Santa sent an “Elf on a Shelf” and the kids have been enjoying waking up seeing what mischief “Little Red” has gotten into overnight …. one night he built a bunch of paper airplanes and crash laded one into our fireplace, the next night he had a tea party with his stuffed animal friends, and last night he rolled our Xmas tree with toilet paper

* We went ice skating with friends…. Henry tore around the track unassisted … and Carter and Emmy had a blast holding onto Mom and Dad’s hands for balance (or was it us holding onto their hands for balance).  We celebrated with some hot chocolate at Starbucks even though it was 79 degrees out.

Davis

And So the Season Begins – In Sickness and In Health

This will be a special holiday season for our family. Every holiday season is special, but made even more by the events of 2012. Last year at this time, Davis was on a 12 week stint overseas – returning only for a week at Thanksgiving and a week at Christmas. I thought that was a hardship. He received the promotion to Dubai and we argued – I was utterly exhausted, resigned and sure of the calamity that awaited the outcome.

How much things have changed.

Life altering experiences are just that – a new lens through which you see the world. And if you are lucky enough to have one of those experiences using it is up to you. (another favorite quote – this one from the movie Overboard – are you sensing my complete lack of culture at this point?)

You, on the other hand Madam have had the rare privilege of removing your bonds for just a spell to see life from an entirely different perspective. How you choose to use that information is entirely up to you.

Yes, that’s from the Butler to Goldie Hawn.

I am using this year to enjoy the moments. I am sinus infection sick, exhausted from the treatments, and carry some extra weight I’m not used to, but reasons that this doesn’t matter to me too much are many:

1. We leave tomorrow to head to Houston and embark on a Disney cruise. The excitements in our house is at fever pitch – Mickey called last night and you would have thought it was God himself from the heavens. “That’s so funny! I didn’t know the characters talked like they do on the TV all the time,” says Emmy.
2. In direct correlation to the excitement about the Disney cruise is the excitement about the new Angry Birds: Star Wars. My three kids have been playing it since we downloaded it Wednesday night and they are already to the Piggy Death Star level. Obi Wan bird has the force, Han Solo bird has a laser blaster. It makes me laugh so hard I want to cry. And play. Brilliant.
3. I have hair. I don’t have a lot, but I have enough that people think this is intentional. Now, I did have someone say “thank you, sir.” to me this week when I moved out of the way at the movies, but I will take that as a misguided observation and instead embrace the comments from the lady who said “you look so cute with your hair and that outfit – like a teenager.” I’ll take it.
4. I’m cancer free. I feel like someone has a vice grip on my head and I’m wobbly from the mucus in my ear canals but I don’t have cancer. My throat is sore from pot nasal drip but I’m not in treatment anymore. The cancer bugs are gone – did that. Now, snoot bug? No biggie.
5. My children are freakin’ hilarious. On the Disney cruise you can leave an item at Guest Services and the characters will sign it. I have made placemats out of flexible chopping boards. I let the kids decide what I would draw on them. Emmy wanted “Minnie Mouse SCUBA diving under dolphins” Henry wanted “Mickey SCUBA diving with a friendly shark – not a scary one” and Carter wanted “A turkey driving the boat wearing a captain’s hat.”

My attempts to fulfill their dreams are here.

This year, there will be appointments missed and presents not made. Thank you notes written and confused, cookies and bon bons aplenty. It will be about love and family and traditions.But most of all, fun.

I mean, you have to laugh when your spouse is trying to convince you that “box wine” would be a viable alternative to bottled wine on the Disney cruise because they have come very far in ten years. Let’s carry on some Franzia! Maybe some Zima and Boone’s! (And you have to laugh that you are packing wine to drink in your cabin before dinner like some teenager!)

You have to laugh when your five year old daughter looks up at you and says “I’m going to ask Santa for a Princess Leia Angry Bird stuffed animal with a slingshot.”  Or her twin brother comes flying across the room to give you a giant hug for “Getting me Angry Birds underpants.” (I’m serious.)

And you have to laugh when your super amazing friend and photographer Erin (here) sends you a lookbook for family picture outfits and you realize there is absolutely no way your family could look that cool. Ever. Davis in a cardigan? Henry in a tie?

And you have to laugh when you take your swimsuits to Nordstrom’s to get pockets sewn into them for swim boobs and realize that the suits are haven’t been washed since August.

And, you have to laugh when you are drawing a turkey wearing a Disney cruise captain’s hat driving the ship.

Count your blessings everyone and enjoy the ride. See you on the flip side of turkey day.

I’m sure we will all be doing some power walking in December. But I will have tested out my swim boobs. SO there.