Merry Christmas Eve

We have an Advent Calendar that is a house with a door for every day of the month. Couple that with the wily elf we call Kirby who hides some place different every day checking up on things for the Claus and an entirely separate countdown calendar, it seems un-possible that Christmas would sneak up on the boys.

Noah asked me today if tomorrow was the "real Christmas". Not as smart as he looks.

We've had a few flubs this year, what with all the magic we are charged with making every night, one can hardly blame us! Kirby has forgotten to come back once, while on another day that lazy spy was just in the same spot. Totally forgiven for the time he was hanging like a trapeze artist from a plant hook, causing Noah to squeal like a girl and his brothers to melt into peels of laughter.

Then there's the advent "calendar". I had to run out one night when I realized that I had only planned out 3 days. Important to know that each boys get a day in rotation, so that after Aidan got a piece of gum and Sam got a piece of gum, they collectively called foul when Noah got a matchbox car. We just lost steam at the end, plus we were out of order and what to do 6 days later about the inequity? Does Noah get his gum the day before Christmas? In the interest of Christmas Eve sanity, I leaned the game "Bananagrams" against the house with a note from Kirby the Spy Elf. They were so unhinged with excitement that they cheered and Noah and Aidan ran to the tree, from which Kirby was dangling and called out thank yous!

Four days ago they drew up a cookie menu for Santa. And today Noah produced this, and Sammy edited the emphasis.



MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope this holiday season finds you among loved ones and blessings!

In full force

We took the boys on the Santa train this past weekend. It was fantastic. From the strolling musicians to the picturesque backdrop and of course the company!








waving at the train




we're excited!!!!








sure, I'll smile but I'm not taking the orange pop from my lips











checking out the "nice list"


what's that I see???






trying SSSOOOOO hard to be good waiting to see Santa






I defy you to find a non-believer in this crew.












High fives for the man!

Failed

There are books written about the topic.

Careers have been ruined because of the subject.

It is the annual hot topic on management blogs.

It is: the company holiday party.

The basics are clear:
1. Don't drink too much.
2. Don't bring a new date.
3. Don't wear anything that you wouldn't wear to work.
4. Don't talk about work, politics, personal issues, or any other zesty topic.

In short, don't do anything that will cause you to be the topic of conversation on Monday. Pretty much my motto for life. I don't want to be the topic of conversation. I never want to embarrass myself. I don't even like to see other people embarrass themselves. Not a huge fan of being the center of attention.

Last week the boss gifts and accompanying cards were purchased and returned to the office about 15 minutes after I left. I declined the offer by the admin to sign them for me after she said she was signing them from Frank, our project manager "Love, Frankie". At the party the next day, she slips me the cards minutes after I said hello to her. I get the cue and excuse myself from our banquet room to sign them at the bar.

Returning with them, I slipped them into my purse just before walking back in. Glancing down at my purse, I failed to discern the glass partition to the banquet area and WALKED INTO IT!!!!! And gonged like the steeple at Notre Dame!!!

Needless to say, if my goal for the night was NOT to embarrass myself at the company party, I failed.

Penance

Raise your hand if you have ever repeated yourself, with total clarity, to a precious child.

This game isn't restricted to parents. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, babysitters. We've all been there.

Don't do that.
or
Stop.
or
Knock that off!

The maddening repetition, waiting for it to sink and and stick, once!

Well, if I've told Aidan and Noah once, I've whisper-told them 150x, "don't touch the rack" (that holds the hymnals in church). Since they've continued to do it at least 149x after the first time I've told them the first time, they clearly still do it. Usually pulling themselves up off the seat, sometimes just swaying on it while waiting to sit again or I'm sure, to have their prayers answered and leave! Aidan snapped one finally. His face dropped. I was waiting for another "shhhit". But there was silence. He was just stunned. Probably petrified. I quietly, firmly, and, I hope also lovingly, told him to stand and be respectful and we would take care of it.

Fast forward.

We agreed to have Aidan help out with something since he couldn't exactly fix it. He agreed to the suggestion that he help clean something. Today he made good. I think it is safe to say that he will not be dangling from the pew again soon.

it snowed and snowed and snowed and.....

It did not stop snowing today. It hasn't truly let up in nearly 24 hours.

We've made national news largely b/c the interstate is closed for a stretch and has been for about 18 hours. The boys are blissed out and played and played and played through snow in the boot, glove, coat until we finally had to drag them in.

The front walk here shows about 3 hours of accumulation. Please note that two days ago it was 55 degrees.




Anyone who knows my neighbor, knows that he never moves his car. The lump here is his car at about 3:00 this afternoon.







Sam is about to run the sled off the side of the porch.


This is a two lane road with a full parking lane on either side.



ATV in the road




Sledding off the shed roof.

Welcome Winter!

We've had an extraordinarily pleasant fall.

That's over.

Lake Erie 45 degrees, which means we will be susceptible to lake effect snows for quite some time. Like yesterday and today and maybe tomorrow.

Let the digging begin. Because the snow blower broke last night, we're doing it like the pilgrims.

itchy.

Again this week, we got a lice alert from the boys school. These insidious little critters are simply not letting go of our sweet community. Thus far our blond heads are thankfully unbitten. Weekly checks generate as frequent notes in backpacks and mirror emails. For concerned parents, these information updates typically include tips to avoid infestation, some suggestion for how to talk to your children about the subject, and what to do if your child brings some friends home. [No problem: skip a few hair washings, lice like really clean hair, and we'll have a trio of Uncle Festers]

This week the PSI include pictures! Really?? Necessary??? The description is sufficient, I thought. And with very frequent checks, the odds are in favor of Nurse Dana spotting them over me. In any case, do I need to see this??




This got me thinking. If you are discerning enough to want to identify one bug from another, this might help.

While staying in a hotel in NYC, here's one you want to keep an eye out for:






Skip a month of Advantix and:





Step into New England or be my little Noah:




Pick up some pre-teen reading and watch out for :




Stumble into a pre-K playroom and this guy is sure to get you:







Now I am itchy as sin!