Cassel Crew: Two Christmases

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Two Christmases

Since we were going to Adam's for Christmas, we celebrated our own Christmas here at home on the 22nd. It didn't feel like Christmas, and we didn't have any decorations up.

I put a wreath I made on the door and we set the gifts on a table near it. That was it. But the kids were good with it. It has been hard on them too coming home to huge debris piles all down our street since it's a small street and the city didn't bother to clear the debris like they did on the bigger streets. The condition of the house has been discouraging too. But Christmas is about hope, and we all need hope.

Although Kaleb knew the plan was to get everything done we needed to so we could celebrate, he decided to make life miserable for Rick. That's his usual Saturday behavior. Ty and I have been traveling to a flea market 90 minutes away on Saturdays, and the others have been working on the house. Kaleb likes to do the opposite of everything he's told, then act innocent.

After coming home and hearing about his consistently poor behavior, I told him that he had to write what he should have done instead. He decided not to do it thinking he'd ruin our celebration by his stubbornness.

Instead, I removed him until he decided he could do what he was told. Then he'd be allowed to join us. Any other day that would not have been an option. He would have given up the activity.

I miss the years of having everyone here for Christmas, but times change and children grow up and go out on their own. Normally everyone who can joins us here on Christmas eve, but the condition of our house didn't allow for that this year. We didn't want the babies where there is black mold, and most of our shop contents is still in the house.