Christmas Patterson Style

Well, the wrapping paper has settled and it's been another classic Patterson Christmas! Lots of delicious food. Lots of fun. Lots of family. Lots of music. Lots of chaos! I composed a little poem about this year's Christmas Eve adventure. I'm sure Clement C. Moore will not mind:

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
potty water was leaking--look out little mouse!
Buckets were hung in the bathroom with care
in the hopes that the plumber would soon be there...

Luckily the plumber was as quick as the Jolly Old Elf himself, and we are the proud owners of a new toilet. There was a mysterious BB sized hole in the back of the old one that the plumber assured me was as inexplicable as crop circles and the Bermuda Triangle. How it came to be in such an unreachable place will likely be the subject of some Twilight Zone episode. The plumber seemed hesitant to tell me about the repercussions of this "Christmas disaster," but I assured him with a smile that compared to our usual holiday mishaps (i.e. broken legs from new Christmas skis and children plunging out of 14 ft windows) that our family would take it in stride. So, the pristine potty was installed just in time for my sister April, her husband Brandon, my brother Tim, and his girlfriend Amanda's arrival.

...And laying a finger aside of his nose, and giving us a hefty bill up the chimney he rose.
I heard him exclaim ere he drove his plumbing van out of sight.
Merry Christmas to all, and now I can afford to buy that diamond for my wife!

So you see, if you stay at the Patterson's house for the holidays, you may have the added excitement of being the first to use their new loo. And nothing says Christmas like the sound of a leak-free flush.

Emma and Laura regale us with a song!

Tyler, Tim, and Amanda performing Joy to the World.

Seriously though, we are grateful this year to be spending time with family and celebrating the birth of our Savior. The best Christmas present I received this year was picking my husband up from the airport on Christmas Eve. (When my sister asked the kids if they were excited about the special visitor coming tonight, instead of thinking of Santa, my kids said, "Yeah!!! Daddy is coming home!") I cannot tell you what a sense of peace it brought me to see all of my family gathered around the twinkling tree reading the Christmas story and singing songs.

Time for a little Rock Band action! Look at Tyler go!

We are looking forward to over a week of sleeping in, sledding adventures, goodies, hanging out with friends/family, Rockband marathons, and general holiday mayhem, which I'm sure will be the subject of subsequent posts. I hope your Christmas was a merry one too. Happy Holidays from those crazy Pattersons!