Odds and Ends

When I left the blogosphere for a while, I was sure that I'd come back brimming with inspiration. As usual, I was wrong. (Rhett, if you're reading this, I never admitted that. Okay?) Even though I don't have a parade of words dancing in my head to entertain you, I did accomplish my original objective of spending some quality time with quality people - and that is better than a million witty blog posts in my book. So, in lieu of something spectacular, here's a sampling of the ordinary, but actual, happenings over the holiday break:

1. On Christmas Eve, we told the kids that they could retrieve their stockings whenever they liked, but that they were not to wake us to open presents until 6:00 on Christmas morning. Unfortunately, we didn't realize they would get up at 2:17 in the freaking a.m. Next year, the rules will be oh-so-different.

2. Waking up at 2:17 to the sounds of children scurrying around playing with stocking stuffers and not getting back to sleep until 4:30 or so makes Mommy a little cranky by the time 6:00 rolls around.

3. Guitar Hero III totally rocks!

4. Evidently, there is a precise combination of sleep deprivation and my mother's pancakes that can make me pass out cold at the breakfast table on Christmas morning. Seriously. Like one minute I was saying, "I feel a little funny," and then, what felt like days later, Rhett was slapping my face, calling, "Deanna! Are you with us?" Not something I would like to make a Christmas tradition. No, sir.

5. I found a game that Rhett remembers fondly from his childhood: Scotland Yard. I wish you could have seen the twinkle in his eyes and the utter joy he displayed as we taught the boys how to play. It was almost as good as watching the kids open their presents.

6. Really - Guitar Hero III is the most awesome game ever.

7. I learned a new term. Oldest informed me that December 30 is New Year's Adam, because, you know, Adam came before Eve.

8. We spent New Year's Eve with my parents, and some family from out of town. My college age nephew and nieces have an amazing gift: they can make me feel incredibly old and so much younger again all at the same time.

9. You can learn some really interesting things about your extended family by playing a few rounds of Taboo or Scattergories. Of course, some of those things might be a little disturbing, but they make good blackmail fodder for the future, so it's okay.

10. Did I mention that we got Guitar Hero III for Christmas? Rhett and I might even let the boys have a turn.

11. I said might.