A Perfect Last Day

On Saturday, before the cold front moved in, Brett proposed taking the dogs for a swim in Rocky Bayou. Although it was cloudy, it was relatively warm. The sun peeked out of the clouds a few times, and it turned out to be a very pleasant morning by the water.

The boys had spent the night at Oma's house the night before (the night of Brett's work Christmas party). I knew the boys would want to come with us, so we called them in the morning and told them to hurry over and join us.

The six of us (Brett, Becca, Todd, Ryan, Sandy, and Copper) loaded into Brett's truck and drove down to the State Park. The dogs were in the water before Brett reached the bottom of the stairs. And it didn't take long at all for the boys to take off their shirts and start wading in the water and digging in the sand.

Todd and I walked along the shore looking for pirate treasure, with no success. Later, Todd tried digging for water, with good success.

Brett threw a "dummy" for Copper and a bright yellow Frisbee for Sandy. Occasionally the boys gave a shot at throwing the dummy as well.

No, this is not some new dance the boys are trying out. They are just animated in the cheering they are doing for the dogs. "Go, Sandy!" "Go, Copper!"

We tried to capture Copper's running jump into the water when he goes after the dummy.

Ryan played at being a retriever, and did a pretty good job of it.

I'm sure this next photo looks cruel to those who were not present. Actually, it was quite funny and did not produce the tears that one might expect. Ryan was bending over to get his hair wet. Brett lightly tapped Ryan's bottom, sending him off-balance. It produced a nice laugh from us all, including Ryan.

Todd was really getting into his hand-digging.

Sandy also enjoyed digging in the sand. In fact, Sandy enjoyed everything about the day. It was easy to forget that she was ten years old. Brett threw the Frisbee rather far, and she swam out and retrieved it every time. Brett said he thought Sandy would have kept going longer than Copper that day, and I think he was right.

While at the park I thought what a perfect day it was. It is not often that our family enjoys a nice outing all together. Everyone was happy. Everyone had a great time.

Sandy died late that night. Looking back, we feel blessed that we had one last perfect day with her doing something she loved more than anything else.

In Case You Were Wondering Where I've Been

I don't know about you, but I have had a hard time keeping up with all of my December activities. I had high hopes for doing special Christmas readings and activities with my kids each night. Unfortunately, I feel like I have been gone every other evening this month and have not been able to do half of the things with the boys that I wanted. On the flip side, as Brett reminded me, everything I have been doing has been fun. But while I have had fun and have enjoyed visiting with friends, I have felt over-scheduled this month and look forward to staying home more this coming week.

Here are some of the fun photographed events I have participated in.
Five choral performances this Christmas season--that's quite a few for our small group!


Playgroup graham cracker tree-train-house-or-whatever-you-like decorating activity. Ryan decided to go for the less-complicated graham cracker tree. I couldn't tell you how much candy he ate that morning, but it was at least as much as he put on the tree.

After finishing his tree, Ryan got to do what he was most looking forward to: dressing up like Darth Vader.

Anne and I hosted our annual cookie exchange, and had a huge group! I think everyone who attended had a pretty good time.

Yes, there are at least 1,368 cookies on those two tables. I realize that 6 dozen cookies is a lot to take home. But, if you were making Christmas cookies for you family, you would probably end up making two batches of cookies--that's about 6 dozen cookies. Also, with more than 19 types of cookies you may only end up with 2 to 4 cookies of each type. What a disappointment if you only ended up with ONE of the very best cookies you had ever tried. It's bad enough that I only ended up with about four of the Dipped Cherry Cookies (and, no, I didn't share).

Caroling at the Pavilion with Ryan's preschool class.

Isn't this about the cutest thing you have seen? Nobody told me that the "uniform" included jeans and long-sleeves.... As always, I let Ryan pick out his own outfit. I was just grateful that Ryan was willing to wear the Rudolph shirt that he made with his class that morning instead of his beloved Speed Racer shirt.

Ryan, smiling with his best preschool friend, Claire.

Ryan had to stop by the "Popcorn Tree" in the cafeteria. Ryan informed me that last year he ate some of the popcorn off the tree last year when we sang with our playgroup. If I can get my act together, I may try to string popcorn chains for our tree at home. I still have three days, right?

I couldn't believe that Ryan actually gave a hug to some of the residents we sang to. Little Amber was the best example of unconditional love, happily giving hugs and saying Merry Christmas to everyone. It was nice to see a little of it rub off on Ryan that morning.

Todd's teacher graciously allowed Ryan to participate in their gingerbread house decorating. Again, I couldn't tell you how much candy those boys ate compared with how much ended up on their trees. (Okay, I popped some candy in my mouth too while I watched them decorate.)

Caught you, Todd! You're not supposed to lick the knife. Fortunately, each child had his own container of frosting.

Beautiful temptations.

We went back to Todd's kindergarten class for their Christmas party. Again, Ryan was allowed to participate in the activities. The teacher split the kids by gender and had them pass around a multi-layer-wrapped gift while she played some music. When the music stopped, the child with the gift opened a layer of paper which revealed a small surprise (candy, for the boys). That child left the circle with his surprise and the music started again. Todd and Ryan were the last two boys left. I was worried that Ryan might be the last one standing. I didn't want that happen, since he's not even a part of the class. Fortunately, Todd was the winner instead. He peeled off the last layer of paper to reveal a package of two Transformers Robot Heroes. What fun!

As if I had not seen enough cookies this month, I made some Pecan Puffets to include in a little Christmas present for Todd's teacher. I was making those cookies close to midnight on the night before the last day of school. But, I got it finished, and I thought the final result was quite darling. It included some packages of gourmet hot chocolate, some apple cinnamon herbal tea, and a sweet Christmas ornament that Todd picked out from our local Hallmark bookstore and signed on the back.

Back at school again for the Kindergarten Christmas program on the last day of school. This time Oma and "Missy" Hall, a long-time neighbor/family friend, joined me. They gave the parents a chance to take photos at the end of the program before the kids left the risers. I managed to snap a photo of the craziness with Todd actually looking at me. (He's wearing the red and white striped polo shirt.) I was happy to see that Todd sang the songs even though he was kind of shy about it.

My favorite part about the Christmas program is probably the practicing that Todd did in preparation for it. They learned "Silent Night" in sign language. Todd sang it quite a few times at home and taught me how to do the signs with him. I loved singing and signing "Silent Night" with him or just watching him sign the song in our quiet house just before bed. It warms my heart.

Just this weekend I attended a birthday party for my friend, Anne. Happy 30th, Anne. You're still a Spring chicken as far as I'm concerned.

In addition to the above photographed events, I also participated in various Relief Society activities, weekly piano lessons, Brett's work Christmas party (unfortunately, without Brett, as he was stuck in Pensacola working until late and had to miss the boat for our dinner cruise), a neighbor's Christmas party, church choir rehearsals and performances (this week and last week), and a little bit of Christmas shopping thrown in just for fun.

On top of all these activities, after an emotional night last night, I was in need of some good down-time. I found it in the way of hanging out with Mark and Donna. Brett suggested that we go over there earlier in the afternoon. We all sat around in the living room watching Kellie and Todd play Mario Kart on the Wii, followed by a little Mythbusters. Brett went home to try to get some more rest, but the boys and I stayed, ate dinner, and watched The Incredibles with the rest of the family. It was so nice snuggling on the couch with everyone. Mark was on the recliner with 12-year-old Kellie asleep in his lap; Donna was on one side of the sectional couch; and Todd, Casie, Ryan, and I were snuggled on the other side. Ryan and I took turns being a pillow for the other, and it was just what I needed.

I hope to fit in a few more evenings like that this week.

I Told You We Had a Fall

The boys love it when Uncle Mark is outside doing yard work. They have fun keeping him company. Unfortunately, Mark doesn't get as much accomplished with them around. He usually gives in a little and ends up playing with them, as he did with Ryan the day Mark was raking leaves.

I LOVE this photo of Ryan. Thanks for taking these pictures, Kellie.

The New Toy Bucket

I like having a specific home for each of the toys in our house. I am a little OCD about this. Some toys and games sit in a certain spot on a certain closet shelf. But most of the smaller toys and especially toys in sets are sorted in buckets. Please don't put the toys into one bucket when they clearly belong in another. I will have to go behind you and fix it, so I'd appreciate it if you did it right the first time. Can you tell I have a little problem? At least the boys always know where to find things.

I realize that someday I will have to let my children clean their rooms with zero help from mom. They do a pretty good job of putting things in the right places, but I still find myself cleaning up behind them probably more than necessary. I am not sure what I will do when they are teenagers and I have to allow a certain amount of freedom. I hate the idea of keeping their bedroom doors closed all the time so I don't have to see their messes. It makes the hallway so dark. What will I choose: sunlight or mess? I'll have to cross that bridge when I get there. For now, I choose sunlight and the peace that comes from clean rooms. Now, if I could just get my desk and craft/linen/junk closet organized in the same way!

I recently noticed that due to some additions to the dress-up bucket (including those from Halloween and Ryan's belated birthday presents from Grandma Donna), we were having a hard time making everything fit. I recognized that we needed a better system for storing some of the larger items. I found an empty toy bucket in the attic that would work perfectly. It wasn't until I gathered the like toys, and again when I explained the change to the boys that it hit me. I have become the mother I swore I wouldn't be. You know, the mother who encourages violence by allowing her children to have toy guns and the like. What's sad is that I heard myself telling the boys, "This is a new bucket to keep all of the fighting toys in." Yikes! Did I really say that??

I have never even bought the boys water guns; they were all (we have maybe 6+/-) given to us. For quite some time, the water guns have been ostracized from the rest of the toys. Their home has been in a spot in the garage next to the other beach and pool toys. Who am I kidding? The boys know where they are kept and just go into the garage when they want to retrieve a gun. I constantly reminded them that we only shoot water with water guns (never pretend bullets or "fire"). I sill remind them that we never shoot them at people (pretend hunting had to be allowed, as that is what they know from Brett).

Our collection now includes: two pool noodle light sabers, two ball guns, two marshmallow guns, two light saber flashlights, two Indiana Jones swords (with sound), two homemade whips, one Indiana Jones whip (with sound), and two Indiana Jones shooting daggers (came with the swords).

As they have gotten older, the boys have become more aware of superheroes and other characters, and they have also become more interested in playing these characters. Ryan, who doesn't spend much time with most of the toys in our house, will almost always reach for one of the "fighting" toys before anything else. He was thrilled to get the Indiana Jones sword and the "real" Indiana Jones whip from Grandma Donna. I'm surprised that the batteries still work. We heard the theme song for about three days straight after he got it.

I know that this is typical boy behavior. When Logan comes over from next door, he usually goes straight for one of the swords and runs back outside so they can play pirates. And most of the other boys we know of similar ages are the same way. But for a mother who just wants to have sweet boys more than anything else, this is a little hard for me to accept.

The Sugar-Plum Tree

This is a poem that I remember my Grama reading to me as a little girl. Eventually, the collection of children's poems that she read from was given to me. I think I was the grandchild that showed the most interest in it. However, the book is not in the best condition, and I found that I had to store it on a high shelf to prevent the boys from making it worse. As a result, I don't pull it down as often as I should. Two of the other poems I remember my Grama reading to us were, "Over the River and Through the Woods" (which she would often sing as well) and "Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod" (a poem that I need to go back and start reading again to my boys).

A couple of years ago I committed "The Sugar-Plum Tree" to memory. I used to recite it to Todd quite often as a quick bedtime story. I would try to be animated as I recited it, and I would point out things in the illustration that would help him better understand the poem.

A few Christmases ago, I got the book "Believe: A Christmas Treasury," illustrated by Mary Engelbreit. I love it. I love the sweet and colorful drawings. I love the way the textured red cover feels in your hands. I love that the collection includes some of my Christmas favorites: verses 1-20 of Luke 2 (King James Version), "Dear Virginia," "A Visit From St. Nicholas," "Over the River and Through the Woods," and the lyrics of a number of Christmas songs. But the thing that excited me most about the collection was that it included "The Sugar-Plum Tree."

It has been about a year since I have read the poem. I pulled out the Christmas treasury last week, and I have been trying to read some of it to the boys every evening that I can. I was so delighted to read "The Sugar-Plum Tree" with them again. We have already read it a few times together. Last night Todd was anticipating what would happen next in the poem and was using his hands to act it out. I think he is trying to memorize it with me. After we ended the poem, "And I'll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum Tree In the garden of Shut-Eye Town," he asked me to rock him (holding him while I stood up!) and sing, "Rock A-Bye Baby." I love that this poem can inspire such sweetness.


THE SUGAR-PLUM TREE
by: Eugene Field (1850-1895)


Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?
'Tis a marvel of great renown!
It blooms on the shore of the Lollipop sea
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;
The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet
(As those who have tasted it say)
That good little children have only to eat
Of that fruit to be happy next day.

When you 've got to the tree, you would have a hard time
To capture the fruit which I sing;
The tree is so tall that no person could climb
To the boughs where the sugar-plums swing!
But up in that tree sits a chocolate cat,
And a gingerbread dog prowls below--
And this is the way you contrive to get at
Those sugar-plums tempting you so:

You say but the word to that gingerbread dog
And he barks with such terrible zest
That the chocolate cat is at once all agog,
As her swelling proportions attest.
And the chocolate cat goes cavorting around
From this leafy limb unto that,
And the sugar-plums tumble, of course, to the ground--
Hurrah for that chocolate cat!

There are marshmallows, gumdrops, and peppermint canes,
With stripings of scarlet or gold,
And you carry away of the treasure that rains
As much as your apron can hold!
So come, little child, cuddle closer to me
In your dainty white nightcap and gown,
And I 'll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum Tree
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town.

Small Town Christmas - Part One

Our weekend of local Christmas activities began at the city community center last night. A year ago they started what I hope will become an annual tradition. I think that is the city's hope as well. They set up lights around the city center, including around the children's park, the community center, the police station, the library, the chamber of commerce and city office buildings. On the weekend of the tree lighting they have some food and craft vendors, musical performers, children's crafts hosted by the library workers, storytimes, and other displays by miscellaneous organizations.

We didn't get a chance to see everything, because the boys ended up spending more time on certain activities. The first things they wanted to see were the electric trains in an indoor display. The boys also enjoyed watching an outdoor train set up by the husband of "The Christmas Lady." The Christmas Lady is a local celebrity who always sets up an unbelievable amount of lights and figures and decorations of all sorts. In the past, she always set up these displays in her yard and home. She opened it up to the public for the month of December. Last year she collaborated with the city to set up her Christmas decorations at the city center. It was great. Although she did not set up her things this year, I hope that she will do it again next year.


The stringing-Fruit-Loops-on-a-necklace craft was a huge hit with the boys. We dropped about half the Fruit Loops on the floor, but the boys still ended up eating most of them anyway.... They also enjoyed decorating a folder like a reindeer.
We made a short stop at the "Reindeer Games" where the boys tried out a ring toss and bean bag toss.

We posed in front of a fake Santa, and Ryan posed with the real Grinch.

We craned our necks trying to see the top of the big Christmas tree. Ryan tried out a pair of glasses that I splurged on (for $2.00). They are these cool "prism" glasses. When you look at the lights of a Christmas tree the glasses make the lights appear as a particular shape. There were three styles to choose from: snowflakes, the star of Bethlehem, or a snowman. The boys agreed on the snowman. They work on other lights too, including the moon--a great big snowman moon. Quite fun.

Todd took a somewhat blurry photo of me. I kind of like the idea of someone else helping to take the family photos.

Merry Christmas!