paean |ˈpēən|

A paean is defined as a thing that expresses enthusiastic praise.  I am currently still resisting the challenge  to punnify this word.   It's requiring all the self-restraint I possess.  (A-peein'?  get it?)

Okay, moving on: 

Here’s my expression of praise for our Christmas vacation:

What a wonderful holiday we had!  Last week, January 3^rd, at Family Home Evening, we made a poster of favorite memories from the end of 2010.  We filled the entire poster paper and could have kept going!  As you look at the picture, ignore the part about GOALS.  Notice that that whole section is crossed out.  We were using paper which did not technically belong to us—it was a “recycled” piece of poster paper from an earlier Girls Camp meeting—thus the commentary about spiritual experiences, knowledge and social growth.  You now know about our goals for Girls Camp 2011.  We don’t set goals for the holidays (believe it or not : ).

Rudolph leads the way on the sleigh and in this paean.

I’ve posted the picture of the chart so that even the things I haven’t written about will get a shout out.  With so much felicity we got very tired and we all gained weight from over eating and unhealthy eating, but WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

Our poster

Let me begin with our beloved house guests:

I don’t know if Lola counts, literally, as a house guest, but we could not have been happy without her here.  She arrived on the 18^th.  She drove, shopped, helped out, played games, laughed, sang, danced, cooked, and was loving to all of us while she was home.  We miss her so much. 

Ben was next to arrive.  He was anxious and it took him awhile to settle in, but as usual, we have the most unique, fun and amazing memories of our times with Ben.  Besides being quirky and sleepy during the day, he is perceptive, generous and fun and we can’t wait for him to come visit again!

“The cousins” arrived on the 23^rd.  These cousins are the Andersons:  Eric’s sister Nichole and her kids Sydney, Ryan, Claire, Faith and Joshua.  We always enjoy their visits.  They are easy-going people, easy to please, undemanding and also very fun.

Lining up to go upstairs and see what Santa brought.

We played games over the holiday:  we got Farkle for Christmas (the kids thought it was from G-ma, confusing Freddie Ferkle candy from Germany with Farkle—thanks G-ma!) and played it at home and in the car whenever we could.  The kids also enjoyed playing Chess with each other, since we got another set of games which includes checkers, chess and several others in one neat little kit.  We played Whompum with our cousins in the basement.  It’s a game where each player has a “bat” made of rolled up newspaper.  The object is to try to grab the beanbag from between two lines on the floor without getting “whomped” by the other player.  It’s a great aggression-reduction exercise.  Another great indoor time was had by all as we played Just Dance 2, which the cousins got for Christmas.  It is fun to participate in and even funner to watch.  What a kick!  It turned out to be great preparation for Sarsie’s wedding reception, where we very literally danced the night away and made great memories.  We went to the church gym on the 23^rd and played lightning and family basketball.  The Anderson cousins and our dear friends the Larsens met us there.  We had a great time together, due in large part to Ben’s light-hearted and generous sportsmanship.  He never took a shot he intended to make—instead passing the ball to little kids, or big sisters or brothers in law.  He is so good at that!  Everyone had fun AND improved their basketball skills.  We only hope Ben had fun as well.

This is how we keep from doing dishes constantly when the house is full.  Everyone gets their own disposable cup with their own name on it in Sharpie.

We spent a lot of time, as usual, staring at glowing screens.  We watched Youtube videos (expanding our vocabularies and cultural understanding about bacon, Steve Nash and the joys of working with people), bowl games (none of the good ones, though) and watched Christmas movies.  The kids played Wii ALMOST to their hearts’ content.  The Monday after Christmas, we went as a HUGE group to see “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” in the theater.  The ticket to see this movie had been a Christmas present.  We also enjoyed gazing at our computer screens as we skyped with Zach and Annie and Sloanie in Peru, and skyped with G-ma from her mission in Germany on Christmas morning and on the day of Sarsie’s wedding.

We weren’t inside all the time, however.  We also had a great time tobogganing behind a borrowed 4-wheeler, sledding, and ice skating on the pond.  We skated with cousins and Larsens on Christmas Eve and that may have helped the kids get some of their Christmas Eve energy out.  It was a sunny warmish day and we basked in it.

Ouch!  I'm still learning to ice skate.

so is Uncle Benny!

George and Ben Larsen.  Ready, Set, Go!

Don't know if kids or Dad had more fun!

There was music, too!  A few days before Christmas we had the privilege of eating a lovely supper at the Larsen home and hearing the story of Santa Lucia, the patron saint of Sweden (??) who was known for generously sharing food with poor and needy people.  We went caroling to members of our ward and brought homemade rolls to share with them, hopefully in the spirit of Santa Lucia.  We LOVED that evening!  In addition to caroling, music filled our home as Sydney and Ben learned to play the ukulele.  Ben asked me to teach him how to play and Sydney also expressed an interest.  I taught them everything I know.  Either they are both quick learners, or I don’t know very much, or both.  There’s nothing quite like the strum of an ukulele to induce relaxation and a feeling of warmth.  We cherished both of those this cold holiday.  In addition, any time the ukulele was not playing, the sweet voices of Pearl and Ethel could be heard rehearsing Schubert’s Ave Maria to prepare to sing at Sarsie’s wedding.  They were nervous, but ended up performing REALLY beautifully.  When they sang at the wedding rehearsal, there were tons of tears and afterwards, many compliments.

Caroling for Santa Lucia

I guess Lola brushed up on her strumming, too!

Our road trip to South Carolina was so memorable.  As I’ve written before, such a drive is not for everyone.   We love it, even as we acknowledge the discomfort and stress that comes with it.  We piled 10 of us into the car and began our 32 hour round-trip drive—for 48 hours of visit.  The drive/relax ratio on that trip is a little ridiculous, we know, but when you’re going to a major family event in a warm and beautiful place, it’s worth it!  We ate tons of snack food, listened to music and spiritual discourses and comic routines via ipod internet access, watched movies on Charles’s ipad, played games and talked and laughed.  We stopped as often as we felt was prudent, stretching our legs and hitting the restrooms.  The people in Carolina were amazing.  Not only did we spend precious time with Uncle Dan and our other cousins, the Maycocks, but Sarsie’s in-laws are the most gracious people!  We found that even employees at the hotels and restaurants we visited were well-mannered and courteous.  We know why people live in the South!

All the Workmans  at Aunt Sara and Uncle Ryan's wedding (except Scarlett--she took the picture)

Me, Lola, Sarsie and Pearl mastering a line dance.  Left foot STOMP!

We have each been grumpy and out-of-sorts with our return to reality.  We had so quickly become accustomed to late nights and late mornings, junk food, constant entertainment and immediate access to loved ones.  Just about the time we start really “digging” the new normal, ACTUAL normalcy returns with the turning of the year--to our collective dismay. 

Me in the space formerly occupied by the Christmas tree.  I am supposed to be looking bereft over the end of Christmas.

The cousins left first, heading home on December 28^th.  Lola left next, on the dangerously icy, snowy morning of January 4^th.  Ben flew out that afternoon.  After a day of deep depression, we did manage to pick ourselves up off the floor and re-engage in school, work and church responsibilities.  Still, there’s some holiday left in us:  we play games like Farkle, Ruckus and Chess much more than we would have pre-Christmas, Abner showed some SWEET basketball skills last Friday evening at his community center league game, swishing a 3 pointer for his team, and Scarlett and Pearl “electric slided” next to and WITH their old Mama at the stake dance last night.  HOORAY!   In the words of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s nephew, “I believe that [Christmas] has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!”