Christmas Break 2025
It's February 1st as I just now begin this post detailing our time having the children home from Bing over their holiday break. I don't like when I take so long to write posts, but sometimes it takes me time to sort through all the emotions that go with a joyful time. It's hard when they go back to school. Having them home feels complete and right, even though having them go away to school also feels right.
Someday when you read back over these, children, I hope you remember the delight of being at home, and also your excitement at getting back to school. That would be my hope for you, though you are very much missed.
As was told in the post about Babs' visit, she and I drove over to Bing to gather up the children and all their necessary items for their 5 weeks at home over the holidays.
A week with Grandma and lots of Christmas joy wrapped up in that time.
We had time with Buddie's side of the family.
The kids continued the annual gingerbread house tradition. As per tradition, some enjoyed the frosting and the cookies, some enjoyed the decorating to the full extent, some were in the middle.
We had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, laid out in full in their own post.
When Yessa is around, there is often organizing and sorting, and this break was no exception.
Buster and I got to play our Undertale game.
Monkey finally received a shipment of some beautiful clothes she'd been waiting for a long time.
Yessa and I had our trip to Virginia.
Back at home, lots of time spent enjoying the beautiful gifts we had all received.
In addition to Buster and me playing video games, other people had some time for that, too.
These three below played a game called "Overcooked." I'm posting these videos both because you can see the terror in Buddie's eyes as it becomes very clear that he can no longer hang with his progeny when they are in full video game mode. These children who watched him play Super Mario Galaxy with awe and hero worship in their eyes when they were little, now coach him through new games. It's a fun era of transition.
Please notice how the dog cannot stand to not be in the center when there is lots of big emotion happening.
She'd rather be perched on a millimeter of couch than be left out of the fun.
There was also a lot of CrossFit for 4 of the 5 of us.
One session when Buster and Yessa were doing open gym in front while Buds and I were in class in the back, Yessa got photos and video of me, which happens seldom, and I'm very grateful for that.
I'm jumping, Buds is pumping.
There was cooking and baking and laughing. It was so GOOD to be together.
Even going to the grocery store together was a grand adventure.
Very, very quickly, the 5 weeks disappeared. We'd done lots of what we hoped to do; not all, but lots.
We're 3 weeks into the new semester. We're all back into our routines, but the house still feels very large.
Love you, Binghamton Bearcats. You are missed.
