The most amusing reminder this season that we're raising secular children came when I was setting up a small, colorful nativity scene from Mexico, which once belonged to my grandmother. Henry watched me carefully set up the tiny figures and commented, very solemnly, "I like your Whoville, Mommy."
At Home
It's time to get ready for Christmas! Henry reacts:
Henry and the Christmas tree train:
Jack and Mom decorate the tree:
We tried to break away from the somewhat depressing pandemic Christmas of 2020 by making some measured plans. The boys were excited to get out of the house.
Since our wonderful petsitters have retired from the bunny-watching game, we prepared to bring Bruce the rabbit with us on our journey.
Jack tests out Bruce's crate:
Jack is thrilled:
Steve tries to be reassuring, but Henry is not a fan:
The boys watch Dad run the test:
Waiting for results:
All negative, so off we go!
We stopped at the dive-y Castro's Surf 'n' Turf Taco Shop in King City for what turned out to be an absolutely fantastic lunch. Fun decor too. The boys heartily approved:
Upon (eventually) arriving at Eric and Gail's, I was stressed and exhausted and failed to get any cute pictures of Gail doing story and art time with the boys, but here's Henry wrapping up some artwork:
The Night (and Day) Before Christmas
The drive was rough. There was absolutely torrential rain, including flooding that left us sitting in stopped traffic until we figured out how to go around a Highway 101 closure in San Luis Obispo.
Heaven is other people who will play with bored kids who've been cooped up in the car all day.
Gail also fed us a great meal, including a Very Hungry Caterpillar-inspired sandwich roll:
Visits are always too short, and before long it was time to return to the stormy roads. Luckily, the rest of our drive was uneventful (though somewhat terrifying) and we arrived in Lakewood to my parents waiting up to help us get the boys to bed and Bruce set up in the living room.
Boys making sandwiches at my folks' house:
My parents work hard to make the boys comfortable when we visit, which we all appreciate. They had a lovely room set up for the boys and a collection of vintage toys at the ready. Admittedly I was less thrilled about the drum and cymbal provided to the boys, but they were loving it.
Not-so-little-anymore drummer boys:
When Henry runs out of things to do, it must be dance time. "Do you want to watch my action!?" Henry says.
The boys decorate cookies:
One highlight was venturing out into the neighborhood to enjoy the decorations, especially the many light tunnels on display.
The boys show off their "light wands" from Grandma and Grandpa:
We were careful to emphasize that these aren't swords. Twins fight enough without being armed. Fortunately, though the boys didn't believe us for a second that those aren't swords, they did seem to understand that the wands would break (or be taken away) if dueling ensued.
Christmas Morning!
Henry helps Steve make traditional Spritz cookies:
Jack digs into his stocking:
Henry and Jack raiding stockings:
What the heck is this!? (It's jacks, Jack)
More stocking action:
Henry is not sure what to make of Steve getting a bunch of kitchen tools for Christmas:
He's hard to shop for, what can I say?
Jack, in a fury of unwrapping:
Ooo!
Henry opens a big box with his name on it:
It's the fuzzy pillow he fell in love with at Kohl's!
Look, it's Mom! With socks!
Grandpa and Grandma get in on the unwrapping action:
Jack and Henry show off their remote control monster trucks from Mom and Dad:
Little monsters:
Steve got the big gift this year, in a really, really big (and heavy) box:
No worries, there are many helpers available to deal with all that wrapping paper:
It's a folding miter saw stand! Henry isn't sure what he thinks of the payoff on this venture:
Wait, more stockings!? Jack opens a second stocking (from Grandma and Grandpa, the previous stockings were from Mom and Dad):
Henry, "I don't think I was that good, but I still got so many presents!"
A little family on Christmas:
The Living Desert
The day after Christmas, we met up with the Loveridge family at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert.
Don't we look excited?
Mom appearing as though she's in witness protection, boys squinting into the sun... somehow Steve always looks good in pictures, though. It's maddening.
The boys got a great show from almost all of the animals.
Watching the leopard:
Henry's not sure he's loving the attention from this hyena:
Watching the mountain lion roam:
Henry meets a goat at the petting zoo:
Jack and Henry, be-vesseled:
Jack, skeptical of relatives taking pictures at lunchtime:
Cousin Perry, Dad and Mom, peripheral, as always, to dramatic Henry:
Exotic animal carousel! Jack astride a hummingbird, Steve riding a frog:
Henry and his festive mountain lion:
Another highlight of The Living Desert, the extensive model train setup! Jack and Henry watching the trains go by:
Steve poses with his mom and three of his five siblings (Natalie, Lee and Ed) as we leave the zoo:
Enjoying an activity kit from Grandma with cousins Camdan and Rosey:
Back in Lakewood
Jack and Henry watch more trains with Uncle Ed, Cousin Jake, Dad, Cousin Perry and Mom:
We went back to the family's time share in Palm Springs to hang out and have some dinner.
Jack and Henry play catch with Cousin Camdan, while Grandma and Mom look on in the background:
After our day in the desert, we returned to Grandma and Grandpa Pool's house for a couple more days before returning home to Santa Cruz. After Christmas, there's always plenty of fun new toys to play with.
Henry and Jack play with an interactive steering wheel from Mom and Dad:
Jack with his beloved steering wheel and magnet building toys from Grandma and Grandpa, enjoying a cozy fire:
Grandparents get in on the building fun:
Once we arrived home, we rapid tested Jack, who was very symptomatic, including with fever.
The time came for us to return home, and the boys weren't feeling well. We scrapped a planned additional visit with Eric and Gail and returned home as fast as we could.
Oops.
To be continued...
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