Weekend

 Ah yes...Where were we...? Oh yes. Wiped out after that very long Friday. I would like to say that sleep came quickly and deeply, however, after all that running around and standing on that pavement for over an hour, my knees screamed at me all night long. So I woke up somewhat tired on Saturday morning, with thoughts of second Thanksgiving on my mind, because Ally had been gone to Hawaii (Aww poor Muffin...) and wanted to have a little something with the family. Also the house needed a good clean and the girls would be coming over later. 

So to the store for some Thanksgiving fare, but this time we cheated. We bought already made potatoes, mac N cheese, Stove Top from a box, and a very small turkey breast. Plus the last of the leftovers from the real Thanksgiving, which was mostly just some olives and a untouched tiny cheesecake made with the extras of the cheesecake bites Claire and I had made. I just refreshed it with a can of cherries on top. Also at the very last second I decided to make a pumpkin pie. 

Meanwhile though, the house needed work and I wanted to rearrange some of the Christmas decorations I had previously put out.  I had set the manger on the piano, and although beautiful with it's light up holly garland surrounding it, it was kind of inaccessible. I knew the girls would want to play with the people, so I decided to make a simple vignette on the table itself. I put down the new plaid red, green, cream, and gold Christmas tablecloth, set three rectangle mirrors in the middle, and then arranged the manger in the middle of the mirrors, with the winding lit up garland all around. I moved all of the candles back to the piano, where they would normally be if the manger hadn't usurped them, and then moved the TPCC (Toilet Paper Christmas Choir) to a place of it's own on the Edison cabinet. And then I speed cleaned, because I got the text that the girls would be here in an hour, and I was not ready. Laundry. Check. Dishes. Check. Floors. Check. Garbage out. Check. Coffee made, 'cause I had a feeling we were going to need it. Check, check, check. That's one check for every cup. 

Finally I went around and lit up the Christmas train, the tree, the bulbs on the china cabinet and we were ready. They ooohed and aaaahed over the manger scene and all the lights and then went upstairs to play and watch TV. Later on we went downstairs and threw that turkey in the oven and started "cooking" if you could call it that, since it was mostly just heating up premade food. But that was OK. As a child of the seventies, premade food is comfort food. Granted it's a new generation of premade food, not TV dinners in metal sectioned off trays, but I love it. It's full of all kinds of things I can no longer have, salt and all kinds of chemicals, I'm sure. But I digress. 

We ate and the girls played with the manger again and then went back upstairs and watched some very mindless kid TV. At bedtime I went in the other room to get the air mattress so the kids could go to sleep. I was so looking forward to that moment, which I hoped would come soon. Problem...no air mattress. Then I remembered that I had loaned it to Katie...who was in Dallas. So I had the Mr. door dash us a new one, and thanked God and the man who delivered it, an elderly gentleman, who laughed when I told him that he saved our lives. He told me he has grandkids and completely understood my glee at having it. Back upstairs, Claire was waiting to show me something. She grabbed my sleeve and grinned really big and put something in my hand. It took me a minute to realize it was a tooth! So we would be tooth fairy tonight, too! I unboxed the mattress and laid it out on the floor and Claire, as she always loves to do, lay down on the floor on top of it and waited for me to plug it in and start the blowing up process. Arya wanted to get in on it, too, but I was unsure about both of them rolling around on it while it was airing up, so I made a deal that she could lay on it while it was deflating in the morning. She was very good with that. So I finally got them in bed. My bed, that is. I turned on Bluey, which is about the only cartoon I can stomach, and Arya, after moving from my bed, soon fell asleep on the air mattress. Claire took a little longer, but finally she too, was out. I sneaked up behind her pillow and eased out the tooth which I had put in a tiny box, making it easier to retrieve. I then slid the dollar under the pillow, hid the box where she would never find it, got in bed and went to sleep, praying nobody would wake up before the crack of dawn. 

And nobody did. But just about the crack of dawn Arya, always an early riser woke up and was wandering aimlessly around the room. I very sweetly talked her into sitting in Grandma's chair, removing the first occupant, which was Beau, and then I covered her with a warm heated throw and it wasn't long before she was back out like a light, much to my delight. 

Much later we all finally arose (And I didn't forget to let Arya lie down on the air mattress while it deflated, much to HER delight) to have breakfast, cereal and milk with yogurt, and get dressed for church. Problem. Mom had let them pack for themselves, not realizing we were going to church. It was cold outside and Arya had packed shorts. And Claire, although beautiful in her outfit, was struggling with a "midriff" shirt, that didn't even come down to her belly button. I say struggling because it was far too small, and she kept tugging on it to bring it down. Well this wouldn't do. So we sped up our original plan of leaving fifteen minutes before service and hotfooted it right over to Walmart instead. I ran in and grabbed a cute striped shirt for Claire, long sleeved, and a pair of comfortable and warm sweat pants for Arya. As soon as we got to church we went to the restroom where the girls went into the stalls and changed. We joined the Mr. in the sanctuary, Arya on my left, Claire on my right, and the Mr. to the right of her. The pastor stepped up and the first thing he said, well, the first two things, was that we were having communion, and there would be no children's church. Oh boy. In our old church we didn't have children's church, and the way they got around the fidgeting and rolling around in the pew was something called a "busy box". It did give the kids something to do with their hands and keep them from getting unruly during service, but they also caused distractions because they were enormous, like two feet by two feet, with large flapping lids. The kids would constantly drop things on the floor, like crayons, and puzzle pieces, necessitating me constantly scrounging around around our feet to find what had fallen. I hated them. But now we had no such distractions. This would be the first time the girls would have to just sit still and behave (which I didn't think they would have a problem with, they are good girls) and it would be the first time they had ever seen or even heard of communion. In the moments leading up to it, I tried to figure out how to explain it to them. I rehearsed several explanations in my head before I settled on one. I wondered when I would have time to say anything, being that we were in the middle of a service. However there was ample time, so I talked to them both and explained a little bit about it. I told them that it was a time for us to remember that Jesus had died on the cross but didn't stay dead. That the bread was his body and the cup was his blood. Did they believe that? Yes, Grandma. Or Grammy, as Arya has started calling me. It was only later that realized I failed one crucial element in the partaking of said elements...and that was to make sure they understood that it wasn't his real body or blood. My error came to light when Arya leaned over to me and with all the seriousness she could muster said Uh...Grandma...isn't that kind of like being a vampire? Oh. My. Lord. I thought I would die laughing. Of course I didn't give in to the mirthful urge, so as not to hurt her feelings. No sweetie, I promise it's not. Nevertheless, neither she, nor Claire were very impressed, nor did they want anything to do with that, which was perfectly fine. 

Later I realized I never did make that very crucial fact clear, because in the moment she asked, time ran out. It will need to be addressed at a later date. I want to make sure they understand that we are not drinking blood and eating flesh before we go back. I want to make sure they understand it's just juice and crackers. 

We finished the service and went home and had the leftovers of the leftovers. They went upstairs and I followed after the kitchen was clean. Today they were not watching TV, they were playing with all the toys in the closet. They were playing with the dolls...only a bit different this time. I watched them, internally laughing my butt off. Claire, this time you be the doctor, and I will be the mommy! OK! says Claire. I then watch as Arya walks over to the closet and grabs a doll and stuffs it up her shirt. Then she lays down on the floor. Claire approaches and reaches in pulls the doll out. IT'S A GIRL! She says. What will you name it? I think I will name it...Darkwinnie! says Arya. Ok, now it's MY turn to be the mommy, and YOU be the doctor, says Claire. I watch as she goes to the closet. She picks up a two inch plastic teddy bear and stuffs it in her shirt and lays down on the floor. I have a TINY baby, she says. Arya then reaches in her shirt and "delivers" the baby. What will you name it? She asks the new mommy? 

I am dying inside. They did this for over an hour, until all of the dolls in the closet had been "born". I watched Arya walk over and pick up a HUGE vintage teddy bear and stuff it in her shirt. At the end of the hour the floor was littered with castoff "children". 

But now it was time to pick it all up. Mom and Dad were almost here and it was time to go. Suitcases were repacked, shoes were on, and then they were gone. But this time I didn't feel that weird empty quiet. I was just too tired. I finished cleaning up and sat in my chair until I fell asleep. Then I was too awake to sleep and stayed up 'til midnight, which meant I slept in til TEN the next morning, which is something I never do. 

After they got home I was telling Katie about the girls playing with the Nativity, and she told me that Claire has informed her that she needs her own Jesus people. 

So guess what I am doing? Yep, shopping for Jesus people. 

We will have them again on Friday night because Jeff is taking Katie on a secret date. She doesn't know it yet, but he bought tickets to the Nutcracker at Bass Hall in Fort Worth. She is going to love it. Also that same day, Ally has a commencement of sorts. She isn't graduating, but she is receiving a certificate from Grayson College for her course work, and will be wearing a cap and gown and walking in a ceremony. Looks like Friday is going to be another very busy day. Also tomorrow I am driving to Denison to pick up a cat for Auntie that got neutered today, and bring it home from the hospital. After that I think the Mr. and I are going Christmas shopping. 

Also tomorrow I am going to set up a little photo booth to take the girls annual Christmas photos. This years shoot should be lovely, if all goes to plan. We have the dresses, still need shoes. We have the props, the lights and a place to set it up. Looks like this entire week is going to be busy. The Mr. and I may go away next week for a few days. We need some time to get away and we are free of everything, even doctor's appointments. 

But now I must sleep. zzz.