I hate that my Christmas packages adorned with beautifully curled ribbon and bows got mushed in the teeeeeny trunk of the Corolla. They were so much prettier before the trek.
I hate that I get mad at Blaine for being cranky when really he's only cranky because he missed his nap because I wanted to be part of some family activity. That's so not fair of me.
I hate that the last few times I've been home I've gotten sick, so I haven't felt my whole, exuberant, energetic self. I hate that because I feel like my families see an inaccurate portrayal of me. I swear, I'm not really this lazy...
I hate watching my helpless little child yak all over his poor self and poor dad. I love the way he snuggles when he's feverish and listless.
I hate driving in snow. (See previous two posts.)
I love watching Blaine warm up to his far away family.
I love my mom's cheesy potatoes. And I love that she thinks it's ridiculous that people call them "funeral potatoes." "Why do people ruin them with a name like that?"I love English crackers on Christmas. My mum was born in Surrey, after all, so I'm practically a Brit.
I love the Cropper tradition of Mexican food on Christmas Eve. Ay, que rico!
I love that the Mexi-feast is followed by a live nativity. Turns out Blaine was a bit young to be Joseph.
I love the Croppers who were daring enough to brave the cold, wind, and rain to fish on the Chetko. I love even more that I needed to stay home with Blaine.I love that my MIL, M.A., makes us put on wild theatricals. I was particularly fabulous in our version of Cinderella as "The prince formerly known as prince."
I love the Oregon coast, even when it doesn't stop raining for 4 days straight. I love this Camelia that Taylor picked for me to don. 
I love that my SIL, Jill, doesn't even flinch when I show up at her house with a sick babe, who proceeds to yak all over her house. She just smiles and hands me the towels, plastic bags, soap, pajamas, blankets, and then later (once the babe is asleep and the party begins) the orange soda, the popcorn, the quesadilla, the clementines, the summer sausage, and the Bourne Ultimatum. (Note to self- 2008 resolution: be more like Jill.)I love watching my mom read to Blaine and help him put the same coins in the same cash register that I played with.
I love my new CHI. Thanks, dearest husband, for upping my pretty factor.
I love Blaine's retelling of our Christmas Day trip to the ranch. "Dram-pa. Ho-ses. See-al. Cows. Trah-ters. Geen. Wed. Chee-tens. Egg!" (mother's translation: "Grandpa. Horses. Cereal (what the grain Grandpa fed the horses looked like to Blaine). Cows. Tractors. Green. Red. Chickens. Egg!")
I love the whole season and who it makes me think of. I was particularly moved this year by these lyrics to verse 3 of Away in a Manger:
I love the whole season and who it makes me think of. I was particularly moved this year by these lyrics to verse 3 of Away in a Manger: Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
Hope you all had the best of holidays. Here's to 2008.
11 comments:
CHI's are the best things ever. Welcome to the world of beautifully, easy-to-straighten hair. Your hair always looked fab, so I don't know how you ever did it without a CHI.
By the way, I don't think you're a wuss at all. I would react very similarly...a car out of control is not a pleasant thing. Love ya.
Dearest, thanks for the Christmas report. Looks like a super memorable combination of happy and hard.
And reading those Blain-isms made me so lonesome for that boy!!
I'm not so smart--is CHI just a fancy name for a hair straigthener? Um, I'm sure Blaine was in HEAVEN on the farm. We'll have to come up with good fun to keep him entertained in Provo with those memories lingereing so near.
I love this post. Did you know you can now get that cash register again? Mary got one for Christmas and even Sam can't resist playing with it -- how fun to be able to choose from "sale" and "change"! Memories.
Ditto with Liz on the register as Ethan got one too this year! All because of Nana and the change! Love the post. Blaine, you can come yack at my house anytime! What cool families you guys come from. And my goodness, what great bazoonkas MaryAnn had in your "play!" What a mother-in-law!
I didn't know what a CHI was (I'm guessing hair straightener because of other comments) - but I'm sure you didn't need it to up your prettiness factor!
Sounds like a great Christmas, other than the illnesses and car trip home!
Love you!
You are looking cute as ever preggers. Blaine is adorable. Glad you had such a wonderful holiday season in Oregon!
I loved this post! It made me smile!
When I first heard about the CHI (why do you capitalize it?), I was getting my hair done and the girl was talking to a coworker about getting "cheese" for her aunt, and about "cheese" being so expensive. Luckily the story didn't go too long before I caught on that it was "CHIs" and that meant hair straighteners.
Again, so fun to read about your holiday!
Oh, the joys and pains of Christmas, no? I'm sure your joys completely outweighed your pains though! It seems like you have such a fun and close family!
P.S. I would have been freaking out about the car thing too! I am deathly afraid of driving next to cliffs, I can't imagine driving on a snow covered, icy cliff road! I'll bet you were scared, and I don't blame you!
Oooohhh such fun christmas pictures! These are the first ones I have seen of Cropper Christmas 2007! I wish we were there. And PS, why didn't I hear about that big boobed moment at the coast? Looks like fun! Love you.
To continue the theme, I will say that I love that people can find friends that they only met once in an airport who live on the opposite end of the country by blog fishing. Thanks for the tips from your Mrs. Cropper's Books site . . . I spent a full afternoon compiling all the recommendations into a list. It is great getting to know more about you.
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