Christmas - Part 2

I just got back from The Big D for my second Christmas. My dad is on his 4th marriage, and I really hope this one sticks. I really love my step-mom Linda. She's really sweet, she's a great cook, and she came with 5 adorable grandsons. I get to spend more time with Hunter and Zachary because Brennar, Graeme, and Lleyton live several states away. I think it's a really fortunate thing when there's a blended family and everyone gets along. My step-brother and step-sister and their spouses are great, and I enjoy spending time with them. They're all funny and smart and interesting, and they have those great kids.

Hunter and Brennar are both almost 10. They play games on the PSP against each other when they're both at their own houses and I was asking them about it. Of course it's all above my head, because sometime in the last couple of years, I've gotten old and out of it when it comes to computery things. Kind of, anyway. Anyway, Hunter said that someone inappropriate tried to join one of their games. I asked how they were being inappropriate. Brennar said the person said a swear word, and Hunter added that the person had the A-word as part of his screen name. I asked what they did about it, and Brennar said they just turned off their PSPs. I was proud of them for the way they handled it. They recognized that this might be a person they might not want to associate with, they did what they needed to do by getting out of the situation, and they weren't total geeks about it. I kind of loved that they told me the story at all.

The boys gave me some great presents. I got a fantastic smelling Yankee Candle, some Christmas decorations, some soft fuzzy socks (which I love!), some tea from India in a hand-carved box and a sterling silver tea infuser (I'm sure Diane would be jealous). Obviously for two 9 year-old boys, two 5 year-old boys, and a 3 year-old boy, they have terrific taste and gift-buying skills! My sister-in-law was India during the terror attacks back in November and was quarantined in her hotel for 2 days, so the fact that she was able to get the presents her boys asked her to get for me while she was there is really quite amazing! Also, we're glad that she's okay.

Here are some pictures of the boys:

Brennar, Zachary, and Hunter playing with Legos at my Dad's house.

Zachary

Graeme

Lleyton (he's got a little scraped nose from where he fell last week)

Naturally I spent some time with my nieces Alex and Brianna while I was there too. It was pretty much a Camp Rock day on Saturday. If we weren't listening to the soundtrack, we were watching the movie. I'm uploading a video I made of them doing their version of "This Is Me" to YouTube right now, and I'll post it here when it's all done because it's too cute. Alex has memorized every single move from the movie. Brianna has really tried, but she mostly spends the time running in circles around Alex. If only I had that kind of energy! They're sharing a room now (they got bunk beds), and what was Brianna's room is now a play room. Here they are peeking out the end of their bed.