Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

This is going to be a catch-all post. Just bear with me here. I promise to do better work next week when I'm no longer on vacation. So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  We here at House of Hondo have done the holidays up right this year. Santa Claus found us and was very generous, we've spent great time with friends and family and we've eaten gluttonously. I think that's all that any of us had on our Christmas lists.

Madden football. We've spent  HOURS pretending to know how to play this game this week.

We've really outdone ourselves in the last week doing, well, basically nothing.  And? It's been heavenly. We dressed for church on Christmas Eve and since then...not so much. 

We've eaten lunch in pajamas, we've played with new toys for hours on end, we've gone days at a time without leaving the house and I think it's safe to say we've loved nearly every minute of that. In fact, I think we needed it.

They reported that they were getting dressed for work. Thomas was supposed to be Mark
and Andrew was supposed to be dressed as me, which apparently means
he thinks I'm an enthusiastic Jayhawk fan who robs banks.

All of this together-time has provided the opportunity to overhear dozens of little conversational gems.  Some of my favorites follow:

• "We are kids and we need for the grownups to give us a little piece of quiet around here." - Thomas, at Christmas Dinner in Kansas City while concentrating on a pretzel decorating project.

•  "Can someone cut my donut in half, please? But, I want Dad to do it really because he cuts bigger halves than you do, Mom." - Thomas, in reference to the daily donut that Dad has been delivering from the grocery store.
• "Thomas, put on your coat. We're going to walk to the mailbox." - Me, just being a nagging mom.  "NO! I don't need a coat. It's HAPPY! NEW! YEAR! and that means I'll be warm no matter what!"
• "Wyatt, it looks like we'll just have to play baseball in the basement. I guess you should just cross your arms that we don't break anything!" - Thomas to his cousin after Mark declined to take them in the backyard to play baseball in the dark.

Tomorrow brings one more celebration where we'll exchange gifts with my sister's family. They arrived tonight with a large U-Haul, which Thomas initially hoped might be full of presents. I assured him that it's just all their worldly posessions instead, which is much more exciting because it marks the beginning of their year in Kansas. If that isn't a great start to a new year for us, then I don't know what is.

That brings me to resolutions. Last year I made a bunch. This year's list is shorter. In 2011, I resolve to exhibit more grace and more patience - with my kids, with my husband and with my family and friends.

Madeline after her visit yesterday to Pawsh Wash

I even resolve to be more patient with our stinky dog. Everyone deserves a fresh start at this time of year.  Happy 2011!