More Christmas Festivities

Picture in front of the tree - on the very first try, WITH the self-timer on.  How awesome is that?!

There were more Christmas festivities over the weekend that I wanted to share with you.  The first was that we had brunch with Santa Claus at the Butler O' Club.  We looooooove brunch at the O' Club but throw Santa in the mix and we've got a winner all around!  We made reservations right when they opened to avoid the madhouse, but it was still crazy.  After we ate we got in line and this is where I will detour on my soapbox for awhile.

When I was a kid we went to see Santa so we could tell him what we wanted for Christmas.  These days, at least here in Okinawa, it seems to be about getting an early Christmas present.  I don't get it.  Santa doesn't deliver presents until December 24th.  Why on earth would he deliver presents early? It doesn't make any sense.  Our kids don't need a present every time they turn around!

So we're in line, and the manager walks through reminding us to have our kids wait until they get home to open the gifts, (some are $1 gifts and some are $20 gifts, and she didn't want any tears).  Two sets of parents behind us were appalled at the notion of their children having to wait. "How are you supposed to give a kid a gift and tell them they can't open it?!" they exclaimed in horror. 



We explained to Wyatt he'd have to wait until he got home.  "That's okay, I know," he said.  End of story.  Meanwhile, other kids are having a huge meltdown.... I really don't get it.  Personally, I would have just made the bawling kids march right back up to Santa and return the gift.  End of story.

So we get home, and let the kids unwrap them.  They were each given baby rattles by mistake.  Wyatt was slightly confused at first ("this is for a baby!") but when we suggested we take them to Toys for Tots for another baby to have, both kids were fine with it.  No further questions.  They even put them in the donation box themselves the next day!  I was very proud of them.


Lest you think my kids are perfect, don't worry as Olivia was in rare form during the Christmas pageant that night at church.  Wyatt was Joseph (because he was the oldest boy), and did fine.  But Olivia - dressed as an Angel, to make it that much more funny - saw baby Jesus hanging out by himself as the kids walked into the chapel and promptly ran up to steal him.   She was very upset when we made her leave him there but was fine as soon as Mary picked him up and started cradling him.  I mean, we couldn't have baby Jesus not being taken care of, could we?!

Pretty soon the younger kids lost focus and started wandering.  Olivia and another little boy, who was a sheep, wandered up toward the altar and the next thing I knew he was pushing her down and sort of semi-choking/strangling her!  I had to run up there and break it up.  Sadly, I do not have any pictures of this event because I was too busy controlling the chaos.  I'm sure one of the other moms will help me out eventually, and I'll post them later...for now, I'll just enjoy this memory :)

Holiday Happenings!

Sorry for the delay in posting lately - it's been a busy holiday season and I just needed one less thing on my plate!  Here are a few images from the last few weeks of festivities!

Wyatt's Christmas production at school was held a few weeks ago.  He had a line in the play and did fantastic.  He even sang the songs this year!  His class was all shepherds and the parents made the costumes.  Wyatt's was a little big and he exclaimed loudly during one of the songs, "My costume keeps falling off!!!"  Thankfully my friend was in the front row to fix his wardrobe malfunction - while the other parents (also my friends) turned and laughed at me ;)

Because our squadron was deployed during Marine Corps Ball season, we didn't get to have a ball this year.  Our squadron tried to make up for this by hosting a Dining Out, which is an old Marine Corps tradition.  It's a hard tradition to explain but it is a formal event with a seated dinner involving a President and Vice President of the "Mess" (Marines on hand) and funny accusations.  You have to ask the Vice for permission to speak, permission to stand, move, or go pee - even the spouses!

If you do something wrong or out of order, you are fined.  If you are accused of something and found guilty, you are also fined.  It's all done in fun and makes for a great night of laughs, especially after the guys have just spent many months living on a ship together and carrying out missions in underdeveloped countries.

Sitting on Santa's lap...I was on the naughty list :)


The squadron Christmas party was this weekend and the highlight was Santa arriving in a CH-46E helicopter!  Wyatt was very confused by this as he wanted to see the sleigh.  We explained that it was just too cloudy for the reindeer to see!

Wyatt got very nervous because he was one of the last kids to be called to get his gift from Santa and sit on his lap.  When he asked if he was going to get a turn, I asked if he thought he was on the nice list?  He answer: "Maybe...?"  He was getting pretty worried!

Olivia did not enjoy sitting on Santa's lap - she is afraid of all "characters," whether they be Sesame Street or Santa Claus.  She loved the bouncy castle they had, though and it was all I could do to drag her out of there!  Wyatt, who had a near-death bouncy castle experience awhile back when it collapsed on him, stuck to exploring the airplane inside the hangar.

 While not Christmas related, Wyatt finished up his soccer season a few weeks ago.  They had a scrimmage against another team and they did really well!  While there was no official score kept, his team won 6-0 :) 


Wyatt was the goalie and his little friend Jeffrey (who is also in his class at school) was his defender.  Together they were pretty impressive and saved at least 5 attempts, I am told!

 

 Stay tuned for more holiday festivities, including our church pagenat starring Wyatt as Joseph and Olivia as an "angel" (hahaha!)!