We had a banner year for Christmas at the Beagles' house this year. It all started around October 25th when my mom fell and broke her hip. This started a series of unfortunate events that were the beginning to our strange but fun Christmas season!
Long story short my mom flew home with me after Thanksgiving to recover and recuperate at my house. As much as I would like to think that I am the center of the universe and that all of the many family guests we have had in the past 3 weeks have all come to see me....I know it isn't true, they have been coming to see Mom! So here is the short version of all of our house guests and the fun events that followed.
My sister Carol flew in for Christmas so she wouldn't be all alone in Seattle for the holidays. We had a lot of fun and she was super helpful with mom and filling in for me while I was working or doing other things like Christmas shopping and generally getting ready for the holidays. Brad's parents with Brad's brother Kevin in tow pulled in on Wednesday night and so our house was very full for the actual holiday. Christmas eve we spent at Jeanette's house, for which I will be forever grateful. She fixed a beautiful meal and her decorations.....well, you will just have to see for yourself in the pictures....it was spectacular! We got to watch cute little Josh and Jessie preform in a Christmas pagent at their ward just before dinner and they were sooo cute! Jessie had the starring role of Mary and she had a real baby to hold and he went fast asleep with her perfect mommy touch! So fun! Then on to Jeanette's, Brad brought all the grandparents over just in time for dinner and we had a delicious meal with lots of good company. After dinner we decided to play games and that was hilarious. We tried playing signs and after Amanda made us laugh so hard our sides hurt by helping out both of her grandparents that she was sitting in between by taking them by the hand and doing their signs....it was toooooooo funny! We finally gave it up until the old folks left and then we got down to the real game of it. Lots of laughter and craziness, including the handstand, headstand duel between Karen & Zachary!
Christmas day was full of surprises. We had to walk Mom around outside to come in the basement door so she wouldn't have to go down the stairs. We always have our Christmas downstairs. I was surprised that she was willing to do it! She was a trooper and when it came time to go upstairs she actually went up the stairs with a cane! Yeah for Mom.....I told her she should do this once a day and she would be turning cartwheels in no time! She told me to back off.....well, I think it was something like, "You're pushing me too hard Karen!" Okay, mom! The rest of the day was very fun, Carol came over after spending Christmas morning with Jeanette and we had invited Brad's aunt and uncle and some of their kids for dinner. Later we got a call and Diana and Ralph were on their way down to visit mom and so we made them stay for dinner! What a treat! I rarely get to see any of my sisters on Christmas day so it was a treat to be with so many! Later on Jeanette and kids came over to bring a present to mom and so the fun continued!
The next day Carol flew out and another sister Margaret from Boise flew in to come and spend a week here with Mom. On Sunday we were all sitting around the kitchen table eating dinner and my girls said we should all go to temple square to see the lights. To our great surprise my mom said she would like to go and see it! As Margaret put it we about fell off our chairs so of course we all said okay and we loaded everyone up into two cars and preceded to make the trek to Temple Square and see the lights. Seriously comical! Brad volunteered to drive the car around and drop off and pick up the old folks as needed....good thing too because none of them lasted too long. I ran in and found a wheel chair for mom, we dumped her in and raced around looking at the lights....she was freezing and ready to go back to the car in about 3 minutes flat but we did take the tour around and she said she enjoyed it. Brad's parents didn't last much longer and the funny scene was when Brad came around to pick up mom and he parked in front of the horse drawn carriages. The guy yelled at him to move the car and Brad jumped out and screamed back at him, "Can you see I have a lady in a wheelchair here? Give me a break!" Dead silence from the horse cabbie.....soooo funny....seriously Christmas Vacation funny! Well at least I know that our car load chuckled about it all the way home. Oh, isn't it moments like these that we treasure forever??? We got everyone home safe and sound and Mom back into her chair that fits her like a throne and a hot cup of tea and all is well with the world once again. Good times....no, seriously good times....I just got a call that Sarah Barlow and her five kids are driving up from Vegas to see Grandma tomorrow.....more good times on the way!
