The Night Before Christmas

I took Mary Kate and her friend Ally on a little outing the other night. Over dinner, the girls discussed the fact that now that they were getting older, they were finding it much harder to feel the same excitement about Christmas that they used to. I could completely relate to what they were saying. So much of the fun stuff about Christmas is really for young children. As you get older (and wiser, wink-wink), Christmas becomes something altogether different. Better…much more meaningful…but certainly different. Mary Kate and Ally are starting to feel that shift.

I made that shift years and years ago, but nevertheless, there really is something about Christmas that instantly transports you back to the memories of your childhood.

Instead of being read too, I’ve been reading Christmas books to my boys before bed. Some of these books take me back a few years. When I was young, “The Night Before Christmas” illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa was a particular favorite of mine. I mostly love the pictures. I spent many of my December hours carefully studying the illustrations in this book.

My favorite was always this one…

I don’t know why, but I could not tear my eyes away from this picture. (Maybe it’s because there is a set of twins boys right next to a red-headed girl, smack in the middle of that row of sleeping children. Maybe I was sensing my future somehow). I used to sit pondering and imagining how each sweet would taste if they were real. I remember wishing so badly that I could have a dream just like that…floating on a pink cloud with sweets bobbing and dangling around me.

(The closest I ever got to a similar dream was one I had years ago where I was seated at a huge banquet table that was laden with a delectable assortment of desserts and confections. What’s sad is that I woke myself up from this dream by literally sitting up in bed to take a huge bite of a ginormous, chocolate frosted, Texas doughnut that turned out to be merely a figment of my subconscious. I was sorely disappointed to find that I was only dreaming, and more than a little humiliated to be sitting upright in bed trying to bite the air between my imaginary doughnut, grasping fingers.)

Anyway…I also loved this illustration from the book…

I still want that cottage and everything in it…so sweet and charming.

Tonight is the night before Christmas. Mary Kate just informed me that she is headed over to the neighbors house to borrow a couple tablets of Melatonin to help her sleep tonight. Apparently she hasn’t quite lost all that childhood excitement just yet. Thank goodness!

Me, on the other hand…I will not be requiring a dose of Melatonin to assist me to sleep. I’m certain I will find my way to la-la land as soon as my head hits the pillow. (Christmas is a lot more work when you’re a grownup and I’m exhausted!) Gone also, are the days of longing for visions of sugar plums dancing in my head as I dream. In fact, after weeks of eating mostly sugary holiday treats, I’m really craving a nice bowl of bran flakes and a grapefruit to scrub out my system. I’m so looking forward to cleaning up my diet once the new year starts. (I would never dream of eating a Texas doughnut now!)

Grown ups are so boring!

5th Annual Neighborhood Bonfire

What would the Christmas season be like without our annual neighborhood bonfire?

We’ve been holding this event for five years and now it just wouldn’t be right not to have it. It’s tradition! I’m just glad that every year we have such fantastic neighbors to celebrate with.

The early birds

Even the Bishop’s cat Bunter came to party---scarf and all

My good friends---Kathy, Shauna, and Tiffani

Baby Nyla--- the marshmallow

We’re going to add a second, and possibly a third fire next year---there is never enough room around the flames

Last year’s bonfire was a bit of disappointment due to weather. There was no snow and it was bitter cold. People tried to be brave, but the fire and hot chocolate where no match against the artic-like wind chill. Needless to say, our bonfire was short and sweet last year. This year I wanted things to be different. Our neighborhood needed the bonding time. I prayed for snow and warmer weather and sure enough…

…it seems the snow fell just for us and it was a fine, soft evening. Perfect for a gathering of all ages.

Mary Kate is an avid supporter of our annual bonfire tradition for many reasons, but mostly she shows up for Colette’s Belgian cookies. Colette makes them every year and MK can’t get enough of them. Colette was a bit late to the festivities this year and MK started to worry, but Colette pulled through and MK’s night was complete…

Yeah for Colette…and all our wonderful neighbors. What a blessing to be surrounded by good people. Hanging out with them is part of what makes our holidays complete.

Squeezing In Some R&R

My life is so crazy busy these days that there is little time for entertainment or any other types leisure activities. I know myself well though, and I will most certainly snap like a dry twig if I don’t take some time here and there to unwind. When I’ve been lucky enough to find a moment or two that I could rub together, these have been a few of my indulgences…

Tonight, after all the must-dos where complete, Mike and I left MK with the boys and went to the movies. There is seldom anything in the theater that I’m even slightly interested in spending good money to see; but Mr. Spielberg went and made a movie about one of my favorite people to ever live…Mr. Abraham Lincoln. What a fantastic film. I loved it!

Daniel Day-Lewis was phenomenal as Abe. He should win an Oscar for this role. I’m with my 8 year old niece Bryn…Abraham Lincoln is one handsome guy. Go see this movie people!

Awhile back, a friend on Facebook mentioned how excited they were to watch the new season of Duck Dynasty on A&E. I remembered reading something about this show in a magazine at the dentist office. I also heard about it in a few other places and decided that the universe must be trying to tell me something. So I checked it out. I’m so glad I did. I haven’t laughed so hard in months. This show isn’t for everyone, but I’ve been trained by my brothers to have a healthy respect and sense of humor for the ridiculous. The Robertson’s are ridiculous and I have a hankering to pick up and move down south and be their next door neighbors, just for the entertainment value. I wouldn’t join them for squirrel stew though. Disgusting.

A few nights a week I manage to get myself to bed just awake enough to get through a few pages of a book. My latest read is Malcolm Gladwell. Love this guy…

…he can make reading about ketchup interesting. Too bad I can’t force my eyes open long enough to get through more pages. I shouldn’t ever read with a pillow under my head.

 

I spend all kinds of time in my car…carpool, errands, trips to visit family, etc. If I had a nickel for all the times I drive to the Jr. High in a week I’d be independently wealthy. Good thing there is Garrison Keillor and the fictional (but very real) folks from Lake Wobegon. My parents introduced me to Mr. Keillor and his stories many years ago and they have always been a favorite of mine. Santa may or may not be bringing me some new Lake Wobegon CDs for Christmas this year. (I love shopping for myself!) I’ll keep them in my car and all that driving around won’t feel like such a drag.