Chapter 9: Christmas at the Cabin.
The first few months back at school went by like nothing and the old routine proved easy to get back into. The short fall days were gone and had been replaced by the even shorter days of winter. It was a few days before Christmas and currently Alex, Mitchie, Chase, Alison and the kids were staying at a cabin at Cedar Lake in Greenville for part the winter holidays. So far they had been at the cabin for 4 days and everyone seemed to be having a blast.
"Ari, Jai, wanna go outside and make a snowman?" Alex asked as she and Alison started putting on her winter jackets and gloves. They had just received a huge fall of snow over night and what better way to welcome it than to make a snowman and possibly some snow angels?
"Yeah!" the two children shouted as they made their way to the front door and the girls helped both of them get ready.
"Honey, wrong foot." Alex giggled as Ariana tried to put on her own snow boot but put it on the wrong side. Alex put the boot on the correct foot and then the four of them went outside.
"So how big are we gunna make this thing?" Alison asked as she started rolling a small ball for the beginning of the mid-section.
"Not too, too big but still a decent size." Alex replied, helping the two kids with the bottom part of the snowman. For the better part of the next half an hour, the two mothers and their children happily rolled snowballs and combined them into a nice sized snow man body and for the final touch they added small rocks for the eyes and mouth and a carrot for the nose.
"There, all done." Alex smiled.
"What do you guys think?"
"I love it." Alison said.
"Me too." Jaiden agreed.
"Pitty." Ariana finished. With the snowman completed and pictures taken, everyone headed inside where Mitchie and Chase were waiting with hot chocolate.
"How'd the snowman turn out?" Mitchie asked as everyone happily sipped on their hot chocolate.
"Great, wanna see?" Alex said turning on her camera and showing her the pictures she had taken. The best picture out of them all was one of Ariana and Jaiden as they were both rolling the bottom part of the snowman together. Later that night after dinner, Chase got the artificial tree and the girls grabbed the decorations they brought and started setting up the tree. While putting the decorations on the tree Jaiden put a decoration on and Ariana didn't seem to be very pleased with his placement of the ornament.
"No, go here." Ariana insisted taking the ornament and placing it in the place she wanted it. The parents held in their laugh as the little girl got mad at the older boy and moved the ornament. Finally the angel was placed on top of the tree and Chase plugged the tree in for everyone to admire.
"Mommy, will Santa know we're here and not home?" Jaiden asked, not wanting to miss out on Santa's visit.
"Don't worry, he'll know. Santa knows everything." Alison assured her son.
"Including when two little kids need to head to bed." She added, noticing it was nearly pushing 9.
"Come on you two, bed time."
"But I'm not tired." Jaiden insisted.
"Me too." Ariana added, yawning at the end of her sentence.
"Nope, come on guys, you have to go to bed, its getting late." Alex said picking up Ariana and bringing her to the room that Ariana and Jaiden were sharing. Luckily enough, there were three rooms in the cabin, one for the kids and one for each couple.
"Night guys." Alex and Alison said after kissing their kids goodnight.
After a week at the cabin Christmas eve was finally here. Snow was falling softly outside and everyone (especially Ariana and Jaiden) were getting excited for the morning to come. Ariana and Jaiden were playing in the living room while Christmas music filled the air and Alex, Mitchie, Chase, and Alison were sitting in the kitchen talking amongst them selves.
"Mama,Seepy." Ariana tiredly walked up to her mother as Alex lifted her up on to her lap.
"Okay sweetie. You wanna leave some cookies out for Santa first?" Alex asked and Ariana nodded her head slightly.
"Why don't you go get Jaiden and you can both help pick out some cookies?" Alex suggested as Ariana got a little more life in her and went into the living room to find Jaiden.
"Poor thing looks like a zombie." Mitchie stated causing everyone to laugh a little. Soon Ariana reappeared in the kitchen with Jaiden close in tow. Alex took the cookie jar down from the counter and both kids got to pick two cookies and place them on a plate and they both helped pour a glass of milk.
"Okay guys time for bed." Alex said as Ariana nestled her head into her mothers shoulder and Jaiden did the same with Chase. They took the kids into one of the bedrooms and placed them in the beds
"Where story?" Ariana asked. For 2 years old, she remembered well the tradition of reading "The Night Before Christmas" every year.
"Right here, don't worry." Alex said pulling the book off the dresser.
T'was the night before Christmas
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there…
Soon both Ariana and Jaiden had fallen asleep with ease and after kissing the kids goodnight, the two parents quietly made their way back downstairs. Alex, Mitchie, and Alison stayed up a little while longer after Chase had headed to bed before calling it a night. After cuddling into Mitchie Alex fell asleep for what only seemed like a few minutes(but was really 7 hours) before she heard commotion coming from the hallway
"Mama! Mommy! Presents!" Alex heard her daughter shriek excitedly. A few minutes later Ariana climbed on the bed and Alex couldn't help but giggle. While Ariana got up on the bed Alex could hear Jaiden in the next room waking up his parents as well.
"Santa came?" Alex asked her as Ariana climbed on her lap. Ariana nodded excitedly.
"Presents." She added. Alex saw Mitchie begin to wake up and her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Morning sleepy head." Alex said giving Mitchie a kiss.
"Mommy presents!" Ariana repeated excitedly. Mitchie giggled and finally Alex and Mitchie made it downstairs.
"See!" Ariana exclaimed as she walked over to the tree, eyeing the presents happily.
"Yeah, but lets wait for Aunt Alison, Uncle Chase and Jaiden okay?" Mitchie said. A few seconds later Jaiden came down the stairs dragging his parents behind him.
"See! Santa knew where we were!" the little boy said excitedly.
"I told you, Santa knows everything." Alison said
"Merry Christmas guys." Alison said giving each of her friends a hug.
"Merry Christmas Ali." Alex and Mitchie said.
"So are we gunna have breakfast first or you wanna open stockings?" Alison asked.
"How about breakfast. That way halfway through no one's complaining of being hungry." Alex answered. Figuring out a quick breakfast, Mitchie and Alex made scrambled eggs, bacon and toast and right after everyone was done everyone was now sitting in the chairs by the tree; the two little kids were eyeing the presents eagerly.
"Okay stockings first." Mitchie announced as Ariana and Jaiden looked away from the presents and took their Stockings.
"Tank ou mommy." Ariana said
"Thanks aunt Mitchie." Jaiden followed. The kids tore through their stockings quickly, knowing that right after they would be allowed to open presents.
"Okay to Jaiden from Santa and to Ariana from Santa." Mitchie said passing the kids their presents. As soon as they got their presents both Jaiden and Ariana ripped them open in a flash. Chase had the camera running and everyone was thankful for it because the look on Ariana's face when she opened her new ballerina dress up kit and Jaiden opened his new Lego set was priceless. They wanted their parents to open it right away but they had to remind them there were more presents to open. Presents and bags were opened over the next hour and by the time everyone was finished the living room was a huge mess of bags and wrapping paper.
"Mommy, open?" Ariana asked Mitchie a little while later holding up her ballerina outfit.
"Just a second honey, I need to finish this first." Mitchie replied as she cut up the last bit of celery for the stuffing. Cleaning off her hands she took the box and got the tutu, slippers and tiara out of its packaging.
"Want help putting it on?" Mitchie asked.
"I do it." Ariana replied confidently as she walked into the living room. A few minutes later Ariana came in fully dressed in her new outfit.
"Mommy see!" Ariana said as she modeled her new clothing.
"Very cute honey." Mitchie smiled.
"Did you show mama?"
"Mama help." Ariana answered.
"Yeah, she was trying to get her tutu on and it wasn't working very well." Alex chuckled as she came in to the kitchen.
"Need any help babe?"
"Nope, every things finished. Turkey's ready to go in the oven, stuffing's made, veggies are ready to go. Got it all under control." Mitchie replied.
"Kay, me and Ali are taking the kids out to play if you need any help." Alex said giving Mitchie a kiss before she and Alison headed out with the kids. A few hours later when dinner was all done everyone was sitting around the table for Christmas dinner. Alex just loved the feeling of having all her friends and family together. That's what she had always loved about Christmas since she was little, the sense of togetherness the holidays brought. Even though it was just the 6 of them, the house was still tiny and with all the decorations and everything the house and now the table was completely full. The hours of waiting were worth it because the food Mitchie made was incredible.
"Mitch, this is amazing." Alex complimented as Mitchie smiled proudly. Complements came flying from Alison and Chase as well and Alex could tell Mitchie was soaking in every one of them. So far the vacation at the cabin was turning out to be an amazing trip. The kids had a blast in the snow, loved their new presents and a lot of amazing memories had come from the trip.
"Mommy, can we come here again next time?" Jaiden asked.
"Pease" Ariana added
"You know, we just might have to." Alison replied, looking at her husband and friends with a look of agreement. They definitely would have to do this again.
Well there y'all go, chapter 9. Sorry it was rushed, I finished it at school about 2 hours ago but ff was being stupid but now its working
Read and Review =D