No Christmas Cards for You!

For a few years we sent out Christmas cards. Then one year we didn't get around to it. Or the next year. Or the next. And we moved. This year it really, really shows. We've gotten Christmas cards from the chimney sweep, the accountant, the insurance agent and a few friends, but otherwise our mailbox sits neglected and empty -- bereft of Christmas cheer.

I am tempted to send cards. After all, we have more than a few friends that lost track of us when we only had three children. On the other hand, what with five semi-heathens running around, it is hard to find the time to write letters and explain our dropping off the face of the earth for years on end. Or I might just be lazy.

Do you send Christmas cards?

The Missing Days in Bullet Points

• My father and older brother arrived from Ohio the Monday before Thanksgiving. Shopping at stores not available in small Ohio towns ensued.
• We celebrated Thanksgiving with the aforementioned family members, plus friends. Seven adults + two teenaged boys + eight children of various sizes = no turkey leftovers, no mashed potatoes leftover, no gravy, no cranberry sauce, etc. We did have a few slices of pie leftover, but only because we had four pies and a rhubarb cobbler represented (and I might have started hording).
• On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we had a birthday party for my oldest. He's simply going to have to stop being so friendly, because we didn't even manage to invite everyone he wanted to ask and we were still over run by boys. Because I am not above copying an excellent idea, we made the boys marshmallow guns, gave them lots of mini-marshmallows and sent them outside to shoot each other for a few hours.
• Advent began. I had plans to have a lovely, simple time with lots of good books, craft making and math as our school. Ha!
• On the first Monday in Advent, I took the 3 year old to the pediatric urologist. He needs minor surgery in a delicate location.
• All the kids (except the littlest) went to the dentist for cleanings on Tuesday. It was also the oldest's actual birthday. My baby turned 10. I made a second cake, because there can never be too much cake.
• On Wednesday, the ten year old had Latin and I watched a couple of neighbor kids so their mom could go to the doctor. Then we went to the park to visit with another homeschooling mom and former neighbor who was home for a visit.
• Thursday brought gingerbread house making with our homeschool group, a First Thursday Mass that was offered an hour late because our priest tends to overschedule himself and forget that he can't be two places simultaneously, and the Nutcracker ballet in the evening.
• On Friday we got to stay home! I read the kids lovely Christmas stories, we drank copious amounts of hot chocolate and it was good.
• Saturday I did grocery and Christmas shopping. Even though I got out all by myself (the kids and Justin stayed home and cleaned the garage), the process was exhausting!
• Sunday we had Mass, of course, and then we got a tree. The oldest made a paper chain garland with 305 links (of course he counted).
• Yesterday, I took the kidlets to Belle Meade Mansion for their Victorian Christmas homeschool program. Then we decorated the tree. We own too many ornaments. Something about putting ornaments on the tree and lots of children brings out the Scrooge in me. I was about ready to chuck the children and the tree out in the cold after an hour or so, but putting on Handel's Messiah helped some what.
• Yesterday, the vet also came and gave the dog a check up. He probably has thyroid problems and if so will need to be on synthroid for the rest of his life. For a fairly low maintenance creature, he's becoming medically high maintenance.

Now you are up to date on Adams' family doings. The rest of this week brings more excursions, both of the fun kind and the doctor visit kind. Pictures of some of the events above may follow -- or not.