Belated Yule/Christmas Blog
Dec. 28th, 2007 09:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseShawn, Mason and I had a great Christmas. Shawn’s family has always had the tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve. As she has family in town – both brothers and their families – I’ve acquiesced, though we still open stockings and eat my family’s traditional Christmas morning breakfast: coffee and “turtles” (also known as pecanettes – chocolate covered caramel and pecans.)
I got everything I wanted and more. I’d asked for an extension on my gym membership so that I can go any time I want (instead of only twice a week, which was my previous restriction). Also, Shawn added on a “personal trainer” session, which was a bonus, though she’d asked me if I ever wanted something like that. I do, if only so I can learn how best to maximize the whole Captain-America-by-Forty-Five thing. There are a lot of machines I look at and think, “Huh, I wonder how that works and what it’s good for,” and now I’ll get to know. Cool!
Shawn’s best present was one I gave her on Yule. Shawn has an incredibly stressful job and has never had the best coping methods for stress, so I bought her a hot rock massage package (for two, because she’d hate having to go it alone). We can go any time, and she’s already planning to make a day of it – hiring a babysitter to cover the hour long massage as well as dinner out. Should be a good stress reducer!
Mason, of course, got the big haul. Santa brought him Legos. His grandparents in Indiana (via a personal check) bought him BBC’s BLUE PLANET, the Ocean Set Discs, because Mason otherwise bugs me to watch bits of the show that are available on YouTube, particularly “The Abyss,” which has all the angler fish and other odd creatures found only at massive depths.
Grandma and Grandpa Rounds also got Mason a Thomas Train swing bridge, which we immediately used to make a train launcher – which provided hours of amusement of train wrecks. We also got him the marble puzzle expansion pack, which is fairly awesome, if I do say so myself. His uncle and cousin got him MUPPET SHOW, Season One, which has been kind of fun for me as well, since I have dim memories of watching most of these shows as they aired.
We also visited Mason’s other uncle on Christmas day proper. Shawn and I got a Best Buy gift card, which we’re thinking of using to buy DVDs, a luxury we rarely afford ourselves. Mason would like the next season of the MUPPET SHOW, and I would like more BLUE PLANET. Shawn might get some fun action films or whatever strikes her fancy. Shawn’s brother also bought Mason a remote controlled semi truck. Although as I helped Mason unwrap it my first impression was that he’d bought Mason a truck and a gun (the remote controller has a trigger and barrel, just like a pistol.)
My folks will be coming for New Years, as that’s also my mother’s birthday. No doubt Mason will get even more stuff. There have been years when his haul has seemed almost obscene in its multitude, but despite a good fortune in terms of my royalty checks, we’ve actually been fairly judicious this time, I think. It’s hard. There are a lot of cool toys out there, but really, how much does a kid really need? At least we’ve learned that Mason really doesn’t play with stuffed animals, so building/puzzle toys are good bets.
I haven’t written at all, although now my vacation is over and I have to start up again in earnest. I should be less distracted because my internet connection is on the fritz – well, okay, the neighbors that I usually “borrow” wireless from are on to me and have cut me off. So, now it’s back to dial-up or once a day at the coffee shop. Cry for me, Argentina.
In the continuing fish saga, Johnny/Giant-Girl built a new nest immediately. South Africa was unimpressed this time, however, and he destroyed it again last night. Perhaps he’ll try again? If not, maybe I’ll get a chance to change their water!
I got everything I wanted and more. I’d asked for an extension on my gym membership so that I can go any time I want (instead of only twice a week, which was my previous restriction). Also, Shawn added on a “personal trainer” session, which was a bonus, though she’d asked me if I ever wanted something like that. I do, if only so I can learn how best to maximize the whole Captain-America-by-Forty-Five thing. There are a lot of machines I look at and think, “Huh, I wonder how that works and what it’s good for,” and now I’ll get to know. Cool!
Shawn’s best present was one I gave her on Yule. Shawn has an incredibly stressful job and has never had the best coping methods for stress, so I bought her a hot rock massage package (for two, because she’d hate having to go it alone). We can go any time, and she’s already planning to make a day of it – hiring a babysitter to cover the hour long massage as well as dinner out. Should be a good stress reducer!
Mason, of course, got the big haul. Santa brought him Legos. His grandparents in Indiana (via a personal check) bought him BBC’s BLUE PLANET, the Ocean Set Discs, because Mason otherwise bugs me to watch bits of the show that are available on YouTube, particularly “The Abyss,” which has all the angler fish and other odd creatures found only at massive depths.
Grandma and Grandpa Rounds also got Mason a Thomas Train swing bridge, which we immediately used to make a train launcher – which provided hours of amusement of train wrecks. We also got him the marble puzzle expansion pack, which is fairly awesome, if I do say so myself. His uncle and cousin got him MUPPET SHOW, Season One, which has been kind of fun for me as well, since I have dim memories of watching most of these shows as they aired.
We also visited Mason’s other uncle on Christmas day proper. Shawn and I got a Best Buy gift card, which we’re thinking of using to buy DVDs, a luxury we rarely afford ourselves. Mason would like the next season of the MUPPET SHOW, and I would like more BLUE PLANET. Shawn might get some fun action films or whatever strikes her fancy. Shawn’s brother also bought Mason a remote controlled semi truck. Although as I helped Mason unwrap it my first impression was that he’d bought Mason a truck and a gun (the remote controller has a trigger and barrel, just like a pistol.)
My folks will be coming for New Years, as that’s also my mother’s birthday. No doubt Mason will get even more stuff. There have been years when his haul has seemed almost obscene in its multitude, but despite a good fortune in terms of my royalty checks, we’ve actually been fairly judicious this time, I think. It’s hard. There are a lot of cool toys out there, but really, how much does a kid really need? At least we’ve learned that Mason really doesn’t play with stuffed animals, so building/puzzle toys are good bets.
I haven’t written at all, although now my vacation is over and I have to start up again in earnest. I should be less distracted because my internet connection is on the fritz – well, okay, the neighbors that I usually “borrow” wireless from are on to me and have cut me off. So, now it’s back to dial-up or once a day at the coffee shop. Cry for me, Argentina.
In the continuing fish saga, Johnny/Giant-Girl built a new nest immediately. South Africa was unimpressed this time, however, and he destroyed it again last night. Perhaps he’ll try again? If not, maybe I’ll get a chance to change their water!
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-28 05:35 pm (UTC)My niece and nephew are in the same boat. When we arrived at my sister's on Tuesday morning, it looked like Christmas had exploded in their family room. I try to get them small things that they'll really enjoy so as to not add too badly to the carnage.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-28 06:42 pm (UTC)*weeps, even though she is not Argentina*
Hey, it could be worse. They could have done this to you.