Christmas Day 2018!

We usually open presents, then eat breakfast, but this year with the kids being older, we slept in and then made a big breakfast and then opened presents...















We made an agreement with the kids that rather than giving them gifts this year, we would take a family vacation to the mountains after Christmas. But I couldn't help but get a little something for each one to open. Also, since the Bushes gave the girls each $100.00. They bought themselves gifts and wrapped them. Ellie bought herself the Sims game, a bunch of books, and a play station game. Emma bought herself a Hoverboard! Oh, and the girls went around the house and found silly things to wrap for each other so that they would have more gifts to open, lol!

















After breakfast, Tyler and Emily left to visit Emily's family. Then Alex and the girls took the dogs and cat home. Then later that afternoon, Keith, me, Alex, and the girls went to the movies.







The movie we chose was Mary Poppins Returns. Christmas Day one year ago, my mom passed away. During her last visit with us, she insisted on going to Walmart and buying the girls the movie, Mary Poppins. It was funny to me that she was so adamant about wanting the girls to see the original Mary Poppins. So we went to Walmart, picked it up, and we all sat on the couch and watched it together. I had completely forgotten about that until I was sitting in the theater on Christmas Day with my family watching Mary Poppins Returns. In this movie, the children from the first movie, Michael and Jane are all grown up. Michael is recently widowed with 3 children and they all feel lost without their wife/mother. Mary Poppins returns to help them through this tragedy. She sings a song called, The Place Where Lost Things Go. Here are the lyrics:

Do you ever lie
Awake at night?
Just between the dark
And the morning light
Searching for the things
You used to know
Looking for the place
Where the lost things go

Do you ever dream
Or reminisce?
Wondering where to find
What you truly miss
Well maybe all those things
That you love so
Are waiting in the place
Where the lost things go

Memories you've shed
Gone for good you feared
They're all around you still
Though they've disappeared
Nothing's really left
Or lost without a trace
Nothing's gone forever
Only out of place

So maybe now the dish
And my best spoon
Are playing hide and seek
Just behind the moon
Waiting there until
It's time to show
Spring is like that now
Far beneath the snow
Hiding in the place
Where the lost things go

Time to close your eyes
So sleep can come around
For when you dream you find
All that's lost is found
Maybe on the moon
Or maybe somewhere new
Maybe all you're missing lives inside of you

So when you need her touch
And loving gaze
Gone but not forgotten
Is the perfect phrase
Smiling from a star
That she makes glow
Trust she's always there
Watching as you grow
Find her in the place
Where the lost things go