I love that my parents always go all-out for Christmas: great food, great desserts, a comfortable home and great big laughs all around. We traditionally tell favorite Christmas memories, open gifts in a circle(always starting with the youngest member), and always finish up our celebrations remembering why we get all this wonderful time off: the birth of a very special babe. My dad, the patriarch, reads off the Christmas story as we sit around the tree, and each year I find my understanding and thoughts on that story change and mature as I grow. My mom makes sure everyone is cozy and well-fed. My sisters and I giggle and the men talk about electronics... I guess.
Baby sister distributed presents and almost took the role of "Santa" a little too literally. We told her to put up the pillow before she looked too weirdly lumpy.
Then she made this face whenever she got anything she liked. It accompanied an "awwww" sound that communicated to all of us: "I feel validated that you guys all get me."
Here's the best parents a girl could ask for:
A present/victory fist pump caught in action.
That's my brother in law and sister opening my wrapping--brown packaging paper and Target fancy tape. It looked like ribbon, but without the hassle of ribbon! No pocket knives needed this holiday!
Mom got Condi's book, signed by Condi herself! American history teacher heaven.
I, too, had a moment of intense and unexpected joy.
Every year, there is some "joke" box--a box within a box, a box within ten boxes, a really odd shaped box, or those socks that are packaged really tiny and you have to soak them in hot water to make them grow. I got the joke box this year--this massive cutting board was cleverly wrapped in a Christmas tree box. For all of three seconds I was really worried my parents got me a Christmas tree. Hooray, a gift I can't use for a year... but it turns out I got something that I've been using quite a bit already... :)
My Nana has always wanted a "Yoda doll." This year, she finally got one! (And immediately held it like a baby.)
Pictured: American history teacher heaven (again!)
A great time with family, altered a bit by weird weather, but nothing too disastrous. There's always kind of a moment after Christmas when everyone gets really bummed out--it's over and we have to go home to reality. We offset that, however, by driving straight towards the snow to the great white north! To the in-laws!
Part 3: His Parents
We didn't have to drive through a lot of snow, but we did have to take a whole day to get up there! The trip was definitely worth it, and we had a great time having our third Christmas with the Kopfs.
Of course, living where we do, we lack real snow gear. Here is Mr. Kopf in a stylish dads-borrowed-shoes-sock-tucked-into-sweatpants look. I think it will be all the rage next fall, but remember: you saw it here first.
Winter walks in the snow were paired with stop sign target practice.
Oops! Mr. Kopf's mom nailed her own husband on the head. That'll teach you to stand a considerable distance behind stop signs!
Pictured: He's taken ladies.
Mr. Kopf learned how to use the snow blower and was promptly put to work!
We did some antiquing, ate delicious food, discovered Red Robin, worked on a puzzle, and generally just hung out together for three days. (The puzzle took all three days, but we finally finished it!)
Our ride home had clear roads and beautiful trees:
Now that we have been home for some time, I am getting back into the swing of crafting and teaching, and I can't wait to update you on both!
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