Coming down from the holiday high

Always during Christmas break, when the kids are home and Nathan is off work, we say, "Ah, this is the way life should be."  We fantasize about family vacations that last a month or two and we go far away and don't take any screens.  We'll rent out a beach home or a Colorado cabin that holds 20, so maybe we'll bring some friends.  Life will be slow while we're there.  We just think the soul needs that, just like we needed this Christmas break.  We just want to do it more often.

The kids are still home, but Nathan is back to his normal routine.  We're officially out of food, so I'll go to the grocery store AND Sam's today, with all the girls.  So, I'm sure that'll supply me with blog material.  Made my coffee extra strong this morning.

Here is some preciousness from our Weber Christmas Eve.  Kay worked with Lola and taught her the first couple of verses to Twas the Night Before Christmas and Lola surprised us with this.  Lola reciting things is my favorite. 

Cousin Eve with the girls.

Grandma dressed them all up as Shepherds and angels to act out the Christmas story while we sang Christmas hymns.  It was adorable.  

Riley got some good Baby William time.  So did I.  He's oh so precious.

 We had a "Sibling Night" since all the Ramey kids were in town.

This is the only picture I took of Shannon the whole time.  Sorry Shannon.

Angie and Bobby :)

 Christmas Morning, Riley read about Christ's birth, with her new glasses on.  Really cute.

We could have gotten them nothing but these silly, accessorizing glasses, and they would have been this happy:

Kate says, "I think that when I wear these clothes with these glasses, and smile like this, I look really pretty."  She's too cute for words.

Christmas day at my parents'.  Zach is majorly sarcastic and makes me laugh until I have to wipe my nose.

Zach also makes good food and drink.  He made this kale, hazelnut salad with gouda.

He made hazelnut milk and almond milk for us to put in our coffee.

And of course, what's a family get-together without a little hair braiding? :)

I was just really bad about taking pictures this year.  So that's all I've got.  We went to my Grandma's too, and sang songs with the cousins, and ate deer chili while the girls played in the Barbie room.  

For the first time in years, I did stay up to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve.  So glad I did that.  Ha. Ha. Ha.  

I usually don't make any resolutions for the new year.  I just say, I'm going to keep trying to do what I've always tried to do - the best I can.  I used to say, "no coffee!"  or "wake up before the kids!"  Well, I couldn't do either of those for longer than 2 weeks.  The kids wake up too darn early, thus the need for coffee.  

I think I will try to go to bed earlier, set the alarm, and pray that they sleep in until 6 to give me a few minutes.  

I like the saying, "Never stop re-starting family devotions."  So, we'll keep re-starting those.  And I'll say the same for my own devotional time.  Christmas break has been great for staying in bed while the girls mill around, pour out cereal, and cut 49 papers into tiny snowflakes.  I don't mind waking up to that kind of thing if it gives me 30 more minutes in bed. :)

But here we are with a cold, clean slate and the hard, cold truth that those 30 extra minutes will be a thing of the past.  So I'll try to embrace that and get up before the little boogers so that I can prepare my heart for the initial rush of the day that usually drowns me immediately.  

So, here's to joyful breakfasts with a grateful heart and no cranky moms. :) *raising my coffee mug*