December 28, 2007

  • More Christmas

    So Jess and Leighton had to leave on Christmas Day to get back for work, and that left us four to have our own Christmas Day fun.  We lounged around and played with our new toys, then decided to go out for dinner.  We called a few places (a surprising number were actually open) and decided on the Green Mill.  I had a gyro for my Christmas dinner!  It was fabulous.  Then Jon came up with the idea to go bowling.  We went home for the camera, and somehow both children fell asleep between Green Mill, the apartment, and the bowling alley.  If you've ever been to or by any of those places, you know they are about a stone's throw away.  To get to the bowling alley we drove our car out of the parking garage and directly into the parking lot of the bowling alley.  Literally.  Green Mill is about three blocks down the road.  I can't believe they both fell asleep!

    Anyway, we woke them and and went into the bowling alley.  At first Livi didn't want to wake up, but the second she and Jon stepped in the door her eyes lit up and she was in.  Norah and I walked up to the counter, and Livi continued on to the arcade, but suddenly stopped, turned around, said, "OH!" and then turned to the fellow behind the counter and said, "Merry Christmas!"  His jaw hit the floor, and he turned to me and said, "That is the first time anyone has said that to me today!"  Then he gave us free shoe rentals.  How sweet!

    We sat down to put our shoes on, and of course Olivia finished first because she was so excited.  As Jon and I put on our shoes, Livi watched the couple next to us as the man bowled.  As soon as the ball hit the pins and knocked them over, she Jumped up in the air and SCREECHED for Joy.  We're talking earth-shattering, high-pitched, I-scream-like-a-girl screech.  They laughed so hard!  What was even funnier is that she did that EVERY SINGLE TIME any one of us bowled--herself, Jon, me, Norah, or either of the two people bowling next to us.  It never got old for her.

    We found a six pound ball for her and taught her how to bowl granny style.  Her feet slid easily on the floor, so one of us had to stand spread eagle, then she would spread her feet so they were braced against ours.  Then four hands would grip the ball and swing back and forth.  "One.....two.....THREE!"  Then we would both make every effort to throw the ball with as much force as we could, which was usually enough to make the ball hit the pins in about ten to twenty seconds.  We stood there, silently watching, until finally..."YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"  What a hoot!

    So I mentioned we stopped for the camera, and we did.  We also took pictures.  But then the battery on my camera died, and we think the charger is already packed.  So sorry, no pictures!  I promise to put them up in about a week and a half.

    That's right, we are officially one week from Arkansas.  The truck will pick us up on January 2nd, and unload us January 4th.  It is getting so close.  We are finally at that point where we want to pack everything, but can't because we still have to live here for a few more days.  It's so much harder with kids!  They have to have somewhere to sleep, good food to eat, and somewhat of predictable routine.  Luckily they are resilient as well.  :)

    Merry Christmas again!