Merry CHRISTmas!

Let the Sugar Rush Begin!

We enjoyed our annual "PJ Cookie Day" on Monday. This tradition started the year that Caleb was 2, and at around noon we were still pajama-clad and "half-baked." Why change a good thing?

 

Bad Mama?

Is this a sign of bad parenting? When my 5 year old daughter said she didn't know what to wear this morning, I answered, "Just go look on your floor."

Saturday Funnies

Around day 8 of a snow-covered yard (and yes, it's STILL there!), Caleb commented at breakfast: "Man. Snow sure does get boring fast." This is the boy that PRAYED for snow in Texas, and couldn't wait for it to arrive in Colorado. Human nature, right?

This morning Meghan prayed at breakfast: "....and Jesus, please make the days go faster so we get to Christmas sooner. Amen."

What DOES a camel say?

As we unloaded our Christmas paraphenalia this year, I thought about giving our Little People manger scene to a friend down the street with a younger daughter. Glad I didn't follow through too hastily on that idea! Meg has played with that set EVERY day since. We love reenacting the Christmas story with our own special embellishments: the three kings arrive caroling and wake the just-settled baby Jesus; Mary sends Joseph for take-out; Mary asks the three kings if they brought any diapers... God has a sense of humor, right?

Well, we have a little hitch. The cow goes "moo," the sheep goes "baa," the donkey "hee-haws"...

What DOES a camel say?

For now, ours says, "camel-camel-camel."

Sledding!

Our town gained about 6-7 inches of snow over the last few days. Today dawned clear and sunny, and our friends invited us SLEDDING! They were even gracious enough to share their sleds with us, as Caleb and Meghan are still waiting on their own sleds from Santa this year. By the time we reached the park, warm sunshine already had grass peaking through the snow here and there, and had us shedding our coats soon after!

Caleb = DETERMINATION

Part of the fun of living in a smaller town: 

running into school friends at the park!

Meghan = COZY free-loader!

Poor thing; she got pretty whiny and clingy late in the morning. 

After an afternoon nap, she woke with a fever of about 103o!

The kids can't have ALL the fun.

Do we stop playing because we get older? 

Or, do we get older because we stop playing?

SNOW!

Meg and I met our friend Amy for coffee and some shopping this morning. When we walked out... well let's just say thankfully we had our emergency blanket and engine heater.

OK. So it's really one of Caleb's hot-wheels on the handrail of our back deck. But we did THOROUGHLY enjoy our first Colorado snow day, complete with temperatures in the 20's! 

Caleb's long awaited moment: SNOW!

Clowning around with next-door friends Trinity and Paul. The kids tried (unsuccessfully) making snow bricks using a shoebox, and "sledding" on Caleb's skateboard ramp in a trash can lid (the plastic variety). They were quite successful, however, in pelting me with multiple snowballs in the face! (Thank God for soft powder!)

"What is this white stuff?" Keeper was mystified, then quite frisky!

Nap Time Celebration... and subsequent deep thoughts

Yes. We'd like to take a moment to thank our sponsor,

"Meghan-Who-Is-Currently-Napping-For-The-First-Time-In-Weeks,"

for making this blog session possible.

Ahhh. Naptime. My ?th cup of coffee for the day (at least it's decaf), washing down a single, savored square of Dove dark chocolate. This beats watching Oprah and eating bon-bons any day in my book.

Something struck me earlier today. It's so ironic all of the stress we create getting "ready" for Christmas. Don't get me wrong -- I love the sights, sounds, smells, and traditions of the season. Many of these hold special symbolism as well. Sometimes, however, there's an added 

pressure -- a sense of needing to get everything "right" for the season. But when baby Jesus came, there was none of the song and dance we have created today. There was not even "room in the inn," much less a room decked in boughs of holly. 

I am so thankful that rather than me having to get everything in order for Him, He came to put everything in order for me. He brought the Light of His innocent Presence into the darkness of my life, illuminating the Way to the Father. Thank You, Jesus.

Decking the Halls

For several years, our family had a tradition in Texas of going to Mainstay Farms in Burleson with our friends, the McDaniels. Mainstay is an awesome place -- a tractor ride to a tree-cutting area, a 3-story tree house, a ???-ft. corrugated slide (gunnysack highly recommended), pedal cars, kettle corn... Our families followed up the outing with dinner at Babe's Chicken House. You don't get much more Texan than that. We are really missing our friends this year. And transitioned to an artificial tree as well! [gasp of horror]. Still, Darin, Caleb, Meghan and I enjoyed decorating our tree in our new home this year, with carols on the radio, and "winter"-scented wallflowers almost making up for that fresh pine scent. It was Caleb's turn to have the honor of placing the star on top.

Even with all my mind's wistful reminiscing that night, when the kids were in bed and I sat in the dark looking at our tree, I found myself feeling rich in all of the right ways. The Lion, Lamb, and Dove ornament that Darin and I bought at our first house, 9 years ago. Ornaments "stolen" from friends at our Edge Sunday school Christmas parties. Kid-crafted ornaments, some with precious handprints or photos. Gift-ornaments from family and friends. Alot to be thankful for on that tree. 

And even though ours is now artificial, it still made me mindful of God's evergreen life, delivered to us that night long ago. And all of the little extras -- the special love-touches -- with which He goes above and beyond, adorning each season of our lives with so much love...