For the second year in a row, Barkernews had Christmas off. Wow, do I love his job. Unfortunately, he was also on call which meant that we had to stay in town in case someone burned their home down with a turkey fryer/forgot to turn off the space heater/smoked a cigarette in bed/lit fireworks in their bathroom. It was kind a weird conundrum. We couldn't go to Seattle for family Christmas and we couldn't ski, so what the heck were we supposed to do?
We mulled it over while we visited my family the weekend in Seattle before Christmas. It was the usual eat-drink-sleep-presents-eat-drink-sleep round of activities and it was fabulous. As much as I dreamed of having my own bathroom as a child, I love having so many siblings (and in-laws and nephews) now. In fact, there are so many of us, it may be time to start thinking about miniaturizing our stockings just to fit them on the fireplace.
One night, Ailey showed up in her footie pajamas and Marissa decided that she and I needed some of our own RIGHT THEN, so we hopped in her car, ran to Target, located some that fit in the boys' department and rushed home, all in the space of about 15 minutes.I have a message for Target: You Scare Me. I bought boys' size large footie pjs and they fit. The women's sizes were huge. Really, really huge. People! A small should not mean you are a 6 foot, 250lb. woman. Just sayin'.
Everyone got lots of presents, ate lots of food, collapsed and then drove home to Portland in a coma.
Oh wait, that was just Barkernews, The Hizz and I.
That weekend was the start of my two week winter vacation and OMG OMG OMG I love vacation. I started with week with a powder day with Barkernews and continued with lots of workouts, last minute shopping and even (hold on to your seats) baking a cake from scratch.
See, Barkernews' birthday is on Christmas Eve (he and Baby Jesus are the same age or something), so not only do I have to buy everything for Christmas, but I have to buy his presents as well. It makes for a dry year for him, but a very expensive month for me. And also a little overwhelming, because I? I am not a housewife. Far from it. I don't clean, I sorta cook and I don't even know what one does with an iron. Also, I don't fix things. I am the antithesis of "handy".
This year, I was feeling especially relaxed and I did something completely crazy: I baked a cake from scratch. The frosting, too. You can just call me Betty Crocker now. Hazel and I ate half of the batter and we can report that it was delicious. The (double layer!) product was just as good. Excuse me while I puff up my chest.
I probably won't be repeating that act anytime soon because time is of the essence around here and baking a cake takes a lot of time.
Back to the whole Christmas thing:
Barkernews wanted to play in the snow for his birthday. So we did.
After dinner, his birthday was over (OVER! I say) and we did our small family Christmas thing. I surprised Barkernews with this hipster beauty and he was so excited and happy, I was pretty sure I hit a home run. A cake and a hipster bike? I rule.
The next morning the girl-I-want-to-be-a-tomboy-but-who-is-turning-out-pretty-damn-girly woke up to a "blue ballerina baby doll" (long story) and a tea party set under the tree, which led to endless rounds of tea parties. Luckily, she has a dad who is happy to participate in tea parties for hours and hours and hours. Unluckily, that is not real cake.
To work off our cake and birthday dinners and Christmas dinners and holiday treats, we went to the climbing gym where Hazel spent her time bouldering and playing hide and seek. We are excited that she is old enough to maybe enjoy a little climbing and we plan to take her frequently from now on. If we can just teach her not to walk off cliffs and avoid fallings rocks, we'll be set for some rad excursions to Smith Rocks and the Tieton this spring.
Consider that your Christmas card from me to you because while I may cook like Betty Crocker, that is about the only housewifey thing I can fit in to 2010.Merry Christmas!
Now, excuse me while I pack for my super rad annual Colorado trip.
