Santa

Now that I am a parent of a preschooler, I am realizing how strange Santa really is. Why is it that we teach our kids that this strange, jolly man brings gifts for no apparent reason other than you've been good all year (which is a real stretch, isn't it?)? Believe me, I am not going to stop doing Santa at our house, but it has just got me thinking this year. Then we load the kids up and take them to see Santa. Oh, won't this be a gloriously fun event. Elliot will be so cute and tell Santa she wants a swim baby and a ballerina doll just like we have practiced. And Grey will be so handsome and a little angel. Both will smile at the camera and we will all rejoice. This what we actually got:
My lovely daughter would not put her hand down and smile and Grey was just "Sweet, I've got something to put in my mouth. All is good with the world." Elliot barely squeaked out her requests and I had to interpret them after the fact. This got more thinking going...why do we make our children sit on some strange guys lap that is pretending to be Santa? It's a little weird when you think about it. Our past Santa experiences have been interesting too. Last year there is no picture because Elliot refused to do it. The year before when she was about a year and a half, we had Elliot all in a dress looking cute (because that was what I was going to do every year...note what my kids were wearing in this year's picture...the tradition didn't last). And this is the picture we got:


Still Elliot's first picture with Santa is my favorite. We met my mom in Tacoma and they had the best looking Santa ever and Elliot was so pleasant that afternoon. Plus she is just my little butterball in this picture. I love it!
I hope everyone had a good Santa experience, even if it is only good for a laugh!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday and I wanted to give a shout out to her. Justin and Elliot made a cake with candles and all. For some reason, he let her pick out the flavor so we ended up with strawberry cake with rainbow chip frosting. Not my favorite...or my mom's for that matter, but I think it was an excuse to enjoy a cake this afternoon. So thanks for having a birthday, Mom, so we could celebrate over here.

I am thankful so much for my mom and all she does for me. She is my best friend and a terrific grandma. I love her so much and am excited to see her and the rest of my family for Christmas.

Christmas Questions

So my good friend Heidi tagged me with these Christmas questions. I'm usually game for a good questionnaire so here is my stab at it. I'd love to see them on anyone else's blog!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. Bags are way easier, but wrapping is still fun to do and to tear into on the big day.


2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I grew up with a fake one and we did the real thing the first few years of marriage, but when you can get a decent artificial one for the price of a fake one with a LOT less work, I will sacrifice the ambiance and smell of a real one for a plastic one.


3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime early December. I am actually getting a little anxious this year.

4. When do you take the tree down? A couple days after Christmas. This year probably after the new year because we are out of town so long.


5. Do you like eggnog? Not really, but Justin and my brother drink it and sometimes add sprite. A little weird I know.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember a Barbie house that was pretty cool. Then I would coerce my brother into playing with me in exchange for playing He-man with him.


7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, several of them. Love them.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad and dad-in-law, hands down.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Elliot

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Usually mail. Debating this year on doing them at all. May send out a happy spring card later instead.


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story. (Although Christmas Vacation is a close second)


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Depends, but this year I actually got started early....like before Halloween.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so, but I wouldn't put it past me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge!


16. Clear lights or colored on the tree ? Clear

17. Favorite Christmas song? O, Holy Night, The First Noel and Where are you Christmas sung by Faith Hill.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Always stayed home as a kid, but now travel to parents

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? I think so...Dasher, Dancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Prancer, Vixen, and Rudolph. Yeah!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star that lights up.


21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning although we could usually convince whomever to let us open one Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Everything is so busy. I am learning to do more online shopping. And snowy roads.


23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Nope, just all that we have.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Always order pizza for Christmas Eve. Crazy I know, but it's always the tradition and no one wants it any other way.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? No real wishes. Just excited to be with all my brothers for a few days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a great thanksgiving at Justin's parents house in Spokane this last weekend. It was great to get the cousins together again to play. No limbs were lost or too many tears shed, so all in all it was a successful gathering. Much thanks to Grandma Jana and Grandpa Snook for the great food and the new toy we all got to play with.

All the older cousins just love baby Grey and he loves the attention.

Then there was the Wii. Justin and Kyle conned Grandma and Grandpa into buying one on Thanksgiving so we could all play it that afternoon. Boy, did we have fun playing too. It was great because even the little kids could have fun doing it. They especially liked the boxing and the tennis. The adults enjoyed the bowling, especially watching Justin with his fancy leg kick out bowling technique. The kids play room turned into Wii central...and soon was more adults than kids. What a hoot!

Grey got to have his first taste of "real" food on Thanksgiving too. We tried a little rice cereal mixed with pear juice. He seemed a little confused by the whole scenario, but I think he will take to eating pretty well. He just has to figure out what to do with it once the food is in his mouth. Of course, Elliot wanted to help in the process, too, bless her heart.

Earlier in the week, Elliot had a little Thanksgiving program at preschool. Usually I am a very prepared mother, I think, but something went awry this morning and I got to the school without my camera. I was just sick. All the kids looked so cute in their little pilgrim hats and bonnets. They had about 5 songs to sing and really none of them sang. Miss Cheryl gave a great solo though for the parents! They were all a little shy and uneasy with all the parents there. We had cookies and juice afterwards and Elliot showed me her thanksgiving projects. As soon as we got home I made Elliot put her hat back on and hold up her projects so I could at least get that picture.



Hope everyone had a happy and safe holiday. Now it is time to gear up for Christmas! I am actually well on my way to being done with shopping this year. I can't believe it! Maybe 2 kids and working is making me be a little more on the ball than usual!