Christmas

Christmas was so much fun this year. Oliver left a whoopee pie for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. He also left them red and green lights to help guide their way to to the tree and set out Rody to hold the stockings. On Christmas morning Oliver, amazingly, slept until 6. My family always had the tradition that everyone had to be awake before heading down stairs to see if Santa came - but I had to let this tradition go this year. Oliver was up and Henni was fast asleep and really she wasn't fully aware of the day - so we left the Badger to sleep and the rest of us headed down stairs and began the fast and furious present opening. When Henni did wake up she did love her presents, but did not relish the day as much as Oliver who was so sad at the end of the day when he realized it would be another year until Christmas.

Christmas...

Home Ec

I am not sure if I have yet mentioned the "Unrealistic List."  This list is a list of all the things around the house that really do need to get done.  It includes things like "go through the 4 large boxes that have been in the guest room for a year and determine what, if anything needs to be kept and if it does, where should it actually go," and "paint the interior trim" (an item that has been on the list for 5 years now).   Davis has the next couple weeks off so we decided that the best way to tackle this list is to make a list of other things to do - and the more fun and crazy the better.  We have started with being crafty.

I have been coveting a fabric for several months.  So as to put something on our new list (make curtains) I ordered the fabric.  The fabric, called "Home Ec," was just as fantastic as the picture and thanks to my domestic diva of a husband in just under an hour we managed to make and hang our fancy new curtains.

I am so excited about our first team sewing project (I call it a team effort; however, Davis contends the conditions were sweat-shopesque (what sweat-shop allows a worker a break to play Angry Birds?!).

Note the purple painting - a portrait of me done by our little Rocket

 And the domestic diva - he is almost finished with stocking making for this year...

By the end of the week we will have hopefully transformed our living room from purple to gray (the trim will, of course, not be touched) and we will have a beautiful new (Bahamas water color (challenge time for the local paint store)) blue toy storage cabinet.

I so love procrastinating.

Peace Festival

Every morning Henni and I walk Oliver to school and then spend about 5 minutes doing our good-bye routine (it includes a kiss, high-five, pound, exploding pound, squid, hot dog, blow kiss, hug, wave, and some daily additions).  Then we leave and three hours later return to pick up a swirling ball of energy, attempt to direct the ball of energy towards the stroller (bike,  scooter...whatever method of transportation we brought -God help us if we brought the car - that always brings the little Rocket to tears) and then spend the next bit of time trying to coax any bit of information about his day out of him.  Some days I am lucky and learn what he ate for snack, or what work he did at school, but most days - silence.  Needless to say I am not really sure what goes on when Oliver is at school.  I was, therefore, so excited for the Peace Festival  -- an all-school event where each class performs (his school's alternative to a holiday pageant -- focus on peace rather than the holidays).

Seeing Oliver with his friends and teachers he looked both big and little at the same time.  Part of me was so proud of his independence and another part of me wanted to scoop him up and go back to our pre-school days - the "carefree" days.

Oliver's class sang a song and then his class participated in two songs which the whole school sang.  It was super cute and I know the kids and teachers put a lot of time and effort into the event.





One thing I did glean from the event, Oliver's friend throughout the whole event was one of his teachers.  Davis and I speculated (read hoped) that the reason was he loves his teacher and wanted lots of snuggles, but the reality was that our peaceful little cherub wore his crazy pants and needed a little extra attention.

Speaking of needing a little extra attention - Davis and I chose the balcony seats as it afforded us the best view of the performance - bad idea.  Little Miss. I-Love-And-Seek-Out-Danger spent the entire performance trying to throw herself over the balcony (I think she wanted to get down and sing and dance with Oliver's friends).



performance trying to throw herself over the balcony.

Holiday cheer

I have been trying to get everyone in my house to board the holiday spirit train; however, I have not been very successful to date.  Whenever I put on holiday music I am begged to "turn it off- we want LMFAO!".  And our Christmas tree...well, Oliver is very much in to turning the lights on and off and he's quite interested in jumping from the couch on to the tree; our poor tree may have no pine needles by the time Christmas arrives.

This past weekend I decided it was time to break out...the gingerbread house.  A gingerbread house is sure to get young and old into the holiday spirit - right?  Instead of the holiday spirit emerging, candy monsters emerged.  The little folk were so shocked to see our table covered with candy that they decided to shovel as much as possible in the shortest amount of time possible into their mouths -- probably thinking (rightly so) that a table full of candy only happens once in a long long while.  Bellies full, sugar racing through their bodies, gingerbread houses not really decorated - we went for a family run and get all your wiggles out trek.



Attempt #2.  Yesterday the craziest thing happened.  Both kids napped.  At the same time.  For 2 hours.  Never ever ever has this happened.  Unfortunately their timing was horrible - they woke up at 5:30.  Just as I was beginning to wonder what we'd do given they would clearly not be going to sleep at their normal time - I saw that there were seats available on the twinkle trolley ride - joy!  I called Davis so excited at our great fortune (Davis was skeptical).  After a quick dinner I put long underwear on the kids, bundled them up, grabbed extra hats and mittens and we headed off to enjoy an evening of holiday cheer and to get ourselves in the holiday spirit.  Moments after arriving at the event it was clear I had not fully read the description - while my kids looked like the State Puff Marshmallow Man, the other children were wearing their jammies.  Oops.

We pealed off a few layers and handed Henni to Santa.


Oliver was unsure of sitting on Santa's lap, but at the last minute decided he would like to approach the big man in the red suit.  So we did.  Oliver asked for a bag of snakes.

Then we headed off to the trolley- the enclosed, heated trolley.  We drove around for a half hour singing and looking at lights, or at least attempting too - seriously, in our little area (four of us in a bench big enough for maybe 2 people) it was so steamy we couldn't see out the window.  Davis swears he lost 30 pounds on the trolley ride and Henni's long underwear was damp (from sweat) by the time exited the trolley.  BUT Oliver said he had fun...so, I am declaring the Twinkle Trolley ride at least one feather in the holiday spirit hat.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

Please say hi to your reindeer.

I have been nice.  This is my Christmas list:

1. A bag of snakes
2. An airplane
3. Light up Pumas (The white ones with the blue Pumas on them.  Blue and red and white are my favorite colors.)
4. Red sneakers with white stars on them.  Tie shoes. (Converse)
5. A puffer fish
6. Two sailboats.  One big, one small.  For the bath.  Henni can use the small boat.
7. The fire truck from Thomas.

Henni has been good.  I think she wants a photo album and barrettes.  And maybe a polar bear for us to share.

Regards to your reindeer,
Oliver