The Change in Seasons

It is not just the change in the seasons this year....it is the change in the season. Each year we have been growing to this point where the holidays would take a dramatic change. A change that naturally and expectedly would occur as the kids grew up. I wish that we could just freeze time....okay maybe not really.

We have some pretty strong memories of our Christmas mornings through the years. Our first Christmas was back in Stillwater and we had a construction paper tree stuck to the wall.  Our son could draw the ornaments on the tree....FUN. Okay so that wasn't the morning story....that belonged under the heading of Christmas tree....watch for that blog coming soon.

First Christmas in Allentown PA. I had graduated that May from Architecture at OK STATE and we had taken a 3 month traveling tour throughout Europe (13 countries) with our 2.5 year old son and our 4 month old son. Got back and went to work for a firm that I had worked for over the previous summer. (OK, that was to set our financial condition....none) We lived in a row home in the downtown area and had the second and third floor. First floor was rented out by the Grinch. The bedrooms were up on the third floor. My wife and I woke up early and waited down stairs to be ready for the kids and watch their expression. We waited.  And Waited......and waited...and waited. Whats wrong with these kids! Don't they know it is Christmas Morning! We could hardly stand ourselves......amazing how much $40 bought back then for little kids. Yes, they played with the boxes mostly. So much stuff the kids had to take a break in the middle and come back later to open the rest.

We had some great Christmases in the old School house. Our bedroom was in the loft and we could look down and see the kids as they got up and scoped out what Santa had brought. An Awesome aerial view of Christmas morning.

Many of the traditions started to really form once we moved to Virginia Beach and the kids started helping more. Most of the time it involved making sure all was in bed so Santa could bring his presents. Each year, the kids would first go get their stockings....usually a crazy hour in the morning... and then take it back to their bed and play with what they found until everyone else began to wake up......wasn't long until the stocking opening adventure would take place in MOM and DAD's bed.  All the kids would grab their stockings and come to open them together. Even the dog joined in......that was the only time he was allowed in our bedroom.....the dog that is. He got a big bone for Christmas each year which kept him busy while we all opened the presents. We even got to the point where we ate some breakfast first before opening the presents.

This will be the first year that we don't have everyone home for Christmas. Our oldest son lives locally but not sure if he will stay overnight. I imagine that he may want to be with his girl in the morning....(not planned yet). The next one is now married and will spend time in Colorado with his wife's family. The dog passed away two years ago so now he is replaced by little Mav.Rick. He is the "little one" this year. No way he could eat a big bone.  I can see the mess he will be making while we open presents.
Gone is the days of massive presents.  The presents got expensive some how.....bigger toys for bigger boys.....what do you get them all?

All is good.....this is why we had kids and why we enjoy them growing up. My dream is to add on to this old house with suites for everyone.....each kid (family) can still have "their own" Christmas in the morning before coming down and joining the rest of the gang.....Grandkids.  I guess that will be the next chapter in the coming years. Pretty amazing thing. TIME.  I am glad it isn't frozen.

Be safe my friends and enjoy the little ones before they get big. It happens in a twinkle of an eye.