Xmas feeling
Yesterday the boys and put up our Christmas tree. It is funny how doing this kind of thing changes every year with the age of the boys. Last year they were still quite excited to help with it, and wanted to do it to give themselves a sense that Christmas really was coming. Especially since they would not have a tree in Saudi Arabia with their Dad. They wanted to bake cookies and have some of the special things we generally do.
This year, it was like pulling teeth to have them come and help put up the tree. The computer and their friends online were a bigger draw. We struggled to get our fake tree into a container and get it to stand, and all the while Didzis was complaining that a real tree would be so much better, and why couldn't it be cold outside because it would then really seem like Christmas... Teenagedom rules presently. Sigh. We ultimately got the tree into a container, got it standing straight, and with only one tip over, it is now standing. It will only be enjoyed for the next week and a half before we leave for Australia. But it is once again good to have it as we will likely not have a tree there.
The first two pictures show how big the boys have gotten in the last year.
This one shows the prevailing attitude of the day.
This one shows an attempt at a bit of good cheer after much cajoling from mamma.
Following this less than fun experience, I made the dough for the gingerbread and Christmas cookies that I will bake to put together some simple gifts for colleagues at work. I had hoped the boys would help, but realized it was not worth the effort. The piparkuka dough smelled so delicious as it was being prepared and this is the first year in a while that I was able to find molasses for it, so the rich dark color and flavor will add to the deliciousness next week when they are baked. After getting done, the boys came out and said, wait we wanted to help with that! Luckily, we will be making more of these in Australia together with vecamamma in Australia, along with piragi. They are looking forward to that experience, especially showing that they are good at doing both these things.
Today Didzis and I had to go into town for his dentist's appointment. We stopped by Bangsar Village with the goal of trying to find some clear wrapping paper and a few little Christmas plates to put under my baked cookies. No such luck - nothing at all available like this. But I think I have figured it out: a cardboard circle wrapped in Christmas paper, surrounded by a ziploc bag trimmed at the top, perhaps with snowflake patterns, and tied with a ribbon that holds a handmade small card. Living in a country where Christmas is not celebrated, one has to be willing to compromise, and creativity is the key here. I will take some pictures and post the final results here later.
This year, it was like pulling teeth to have them come and help put up the tree. The computer and their friends online were a bigger draw. We struggled to get our fake tree into a container and get it to stand, and all the while Didzis was complaining that a real tree would be so much better, and why couldn't it be cold outside because it would then really seem like Christmas... Teenagedom rules presently. Sigh. We ultimately got the tree into a container, got it standing straight, and with only one tip over, it is now standing. It will only be enjoyed for the next week and a half before we leave for Australia. But it is once again good to have it as we will likely not have a tree there.
The first two pictures show how big the boys have gotten in the last year.
This one shows the prevailing attitude of the day.
This one shows an attempt at a bit of good cheer after much cajoling from mamma.
Following this less than fun experience, I made the dough for the gingerbread and Christmas cookies that I will bake to put together some simple gifts for colleagues at work. I had hoped the boys would help, but realized it was not worth the effort. The piparkuka dough smelled so delicious as it was being prepared and this is the first year in a while that I was able to find molasses for it, so the rich dark color and flavor will add to the deliciousness next week when they are baked. After getting done, the boys came out and said, wait we wanted to help with that! Luckily, we will be making more of these in Australia together with vecamamma in Australia, along with piragi. They are looking forward to that experience, especially showing that they are good at doing both these things.
Today Didzis and I had to go into town for his dentist's appointment. We stopped by Bangsar Village with the goal of trying to find some clear wrapping paper and a few little Christmas plates to put under my baked cookies. No such luck - nothing at all available like this. But I think I have figured it out: a cardboard circle wrapped in Christmas paper, surrounded by a ziploc bag trimmed at the top, perhaps with snowflake patterns, and tied with a ribbon that holds a handmade small card. Living in a country where Christmas is not celebrated, one has to be willing to compromise, and creativity is the key here. I will take some pictures and post the final results here later.
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