Party Day.
Today is our party. I haven’t written as much about the party this year as in previous years. I am looking forward to it, but I struggle. This year we are having the party back in OKC, at the Fireman’s Hall. It is a great way to see our friends and family and be together, but because it is not in our home, it feels different to me. I realize this may just be my issue. Instead of dwelling on that, I am going to share another party memory with you.
In 1997 Kat was very pregnant with Paul. We still planned on having our party and were looking forward to the preparation involved. Also, my Mom and sister Jenni were coming for Christmas. They couldn’t make it for the party, but would be there a few days later. As usual, all that last minute preparation was taking its toll and I was struggling to get the house ready the Friday before the party. In the midst of my chaos there was a knock on the door. I knew without looking, without opening the door, or without any hint, I knew that when I opened the door my Mom and Jenni would be there. Sure enough they were.
They had decided to surprise us so they drove through the night from whatever national park Jenni was working at so that they could be there at the party. They were an absolute surprise and so helpful in the preparations. That was not the only surprise that year. Brian and Kathy Gibson had somehow managed to arrange for Brian Stevens to come from Colorado to be at the party as well. So we had double surprises that year.
So as Kat and the boys and I are preparing for our party today, my wish for everyone is that amazing feeling I had when I opened the door to find my Mom and sister standing there. That excitement and surprise beyond words. Happy party day everyone.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
A Pussycat's Christmas - Day Twenty-one
What does Christmas mean to you? Credit where it is due – this is a story Rebecca Mize, now Harrell wrote for the Shawnee News star in 1992. Whenever I hear the question asked “What does Christmas mean to you?” I think of this story.
Christmas: Meanings as different as people
Christmas means different things to different people in the Shawnee community. For some it’s the birth of Jesus, while for others it’s a chance to spend time with family, Most seem to think it’s a time of love and a time of giving.
Although OBU student Cephus Nziramasanga is from Zimbabwe, he said he celebrates Christmas as many others in Shawnee do.
“In my case it’s not very different from many people here because I was raised with a Southern Baptist Background,” he said. “It’s a time of praise for the birth of the Lord Jesus. Also a time for people to get together, a family reunion time.”
Other people mentioned the time with family, too.
“Christmas is not only a much needed break from school, but also allows me to see family,” April Wilkerson, a former intern at the News-Star and OBU student, said. “When I think of Christmas I think of family, Seeing family is more meaningful than opening gifts, to me.”
Nearly half the people surveyed in a Harris Poll conducted Dec. 4-8 said they think of Christmas as more of a family holiday than a religious holiday. However, for the majority Christmas means the birth of Jesus Christ,
Yvonne Hinchee, the public library Shawnee branch manager, summed it up by saying Christmas means, “the birth of the Christ Child and a time to remember all that event signified.”
Christmas means “the birth of Jesus Christ” to Don Britton. OSU Cooperative Extension director.
“That’s the first thing that comes to my mind,” he said. “That’s the reason we have Christmas. I think the good thing about Christmas is it allows us to take extra time to think about Jesus. With our busy lifestyles we tend to forget.”
Kathleen Kinkade, Shawnee resident and Department of Human Services employee, said: “ For me, the meaning of Christmas is love; Love from God given to us in the form of life; Love that allows us to love, and fee, and hurt, and heal, love that makes us wish we could love away the pain and suffering of another, . . . Christmas is the permanent gift of love – the gift of living and feeling. It is the unselfish gift that God gave us when he gave us His Child.”
When first asked what Christmas means to him, Danny Yort of Yort’s Alternator and Starter Works, said, “Well, I don’t know that Christmas means that much to me.”
However, he went on to tell how he helped 38 foster children have Christmas by giving money to a former child welfare worker who had, had open heart surgery, but still wanted to help the children.
“It just means a lot to have somebody go out of their way when they’re not up to it,” he said. “It feels food to help someone helping others.”
Others also seem to feel that Christmas should be a good time for children.
Don Cory, environmental technician with the county health department, said: “I think it’s something special for the children. That’s the enjoyment I get out of is for the children.”
“It’s a special time of year when everybody sets things aside. For one day the world sets things aside and then picks up right where it left off.”
Whatever Christmas means to you, have a merry one.
Christmas: Meanings as different as people
Christmas means different things to different people in the Shawnee community. For some it’s the birth of Jesus, while for others it’s a chance to spend time with family, Most seem to think it’s a time of love and a time of giving.
Although OBU student Cephus Nziramasanga is from Zimbabwe, he said he celebrates Christmas as many others in Shawnee do.
“In my case it’s not very different from many people here because I was raised with a Southern Baptist Background,” he said. “It’s a time of praise for the birth of the Lord Jesus. Also a time for people to get together, a family reunion time.”
Other people mentioned the time with family, too.
“Christmas is not only a much needed break from school, but also allows me to see family,” April Wilkerson, a former intern at the News-Star and OBU student, said. “When I think of Christmas I think of family, Seeing family is more meaningful than opening gifts, to me.”
Nearly half the people surveyed in a Harris Poll conducted Dec. 4-8 said they think of Christmas as more of a family holiday than a religious holiday. However, for the majority Christmas means the birth of Jesus Christ,
Yvonne Hinchee, the public library Shawnee branch manager, summed it up by saying Christmas means, “the birth of the Christ Child and a time to remember all that event signified.”
Christmas means “the birth of Jesus Christ” to Don Britton. OSU Cooperative Extension director.
“That’s the first thing that comes to my mind,” he said. “That’s the reason we have Christmas. I think the good thing about Christmas is it allows us to take extra time to think about Jesus. With our busy lifestyles we tend to forget.”
Kathleen Kinkade, Shawnee resident and Department of Human Services employee, said: “ For me, the meaning of Christmas is love; Love from God given to us in the form of life; Love that allows us to love, and fee, and hurt, and heal, love that makes us wish we could love away the pain and suffering of another, . . . Christmas is the permanent gift of love – the gift of living and feeling. It is the unselfish gift that God gave us when he gave us His Child.”
When first asked what Christmas means to him, Danny Yort of Yort’s Alternator and Starter Works, said, “Well, I don’t know that Christmas means that much to me.”
However, he went on to tell how he helped 38 foster children have Christmas by giving money to a former child welfare worker who had, had open heart surgery, but still wanted to help the children.
“It just means a lot to have somebody go out of their way when they’re not up to it,” he said. “It feels food to help someone helping others.”
Others also seem to feel that Christmas should be a good time for children.
Don Cory, environmental technician with the county health department, said: “I think it’s something special for the children. That’s the enjoyment I get out of is for the children.”
“It’s a special time of year when everybody sets things aside. For one day the world sets things aside and then picks up right where it left off.”
Whatever Christmas means to you, have a merry one.
Mr. Willoby's Christmas Tree - Day Twenty-Three
Pink Christmas!
I have written about white Christmases, blue Christmases,
Colorado Christmases, Tucson Christmases and many, many Oklahoma
Christmases. Today I am sharing about this years pink Christmas.
Way back in September, one night as I was tucking him into
bed my Matthew announced that this year he was going to decorate his Christmas tree
with pink ornaments. I have mentioned
that he has a silver tinsel tree we put in his room during the holidays. I figured his comment meant a few pink
ornaments on his tree in his room and we would be good. As usual, I could not have been more wrong.
In the fall my Matthew discovered pinterest and started pinning some
crazy pink Christmas trees, wreathes, along with pink stockings, crafts, and even
a pink vw van. I asked him where he was
going with this and he reminded me that this year was our pink Christmas and he
just was getting ideas.
In October on a trip to Michaels for something completely
unrelated he picked out supplies for several Christmas crafts. Since they were relatively inexpensive I went
along with it. Then he selected some
very expensive hot pink ribbon. I tried
to steer him towards something more affordable but he would not be deterred and
said he was willing to pay for it himself.
When he got to the cash register with his ribbon the cashier said, “wow
that is some really pink ribbon.” My
Matthew stood up tall and said “yes, yes it is.” My Paul stepped up behind Matthew and put his
hand on his shoulder and the cashier totaled the sale and took his money
without further comment.
Matthew used his desire for a pink Christmas, and not
inconsiderable crafting skills to create the centerpieces for last night’s
Christmas party. I loved them, and he
was very proud of the compliments he received.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas Cookies - Day Nineteen
Cookies Cookies Cookies
On Saturday the boys and I ran like a million and a half errands, and then we made cookies. Of course by the time the kitchen was clean enough to pass Matthew’s inspection for cooking and the boys had done 3 loads of dishes, it was 5pm when we started.
First we made cookie press cookies. We used Jane Rogers Meeks recipe. Every single time I make cookie press cookies with that recipe the cookies come out perfectly. I made wreaths and Scottie dogs. The reason I like these cookies are they taste good AND look cute. If you only knew how many years I struggled with other recipes and cursed that damn cookie press you would appreciate how much I love it when the cookies come out perfectly every time. Then we took a break for dinner.
After dinner my Paul made what he calls crazy cookies. Usually crazy cookies are a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but instead of just chocolate chips he uses a combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, and sometimes raisins or dried cranberries. This year he changed it up and it was a peanut butter cookie with white and dark chocolate chips. They were delicious.
I thought maybe we were done, but Matthew had it in him to make jelly thumbprint cookies. I have a recipe I call cookies 3 way that I can use to make the thumbprint cookies, or roll in colored sugar, or press a Hershey’s kiss on to the cookie when it comes from the oven. I couldn’t find the recipe and so we did some frantic searching for the stupid thing. Then I remembered that it is the same recipe as the cookie press cookies only with vanilla instead of almond extract.
So thumbprint cookies were made, using Kat’s homemade jelly from last summer. Another delicious cookie! I was about ready for bed, but both boys wanted to know when I was going to decorate the cookie press cookies. I had been thinking about the whole decoration issue myself, and how to overcome the challenges. Usually Kat makes me a modified butter cream icing, or I melt white chocolate with a little food coloring and pipe it on the cookies. The problem is that neither of those travel well. So we went with a royal icing. It sure pipes nicely, and looks great. I make no guarantees about how it tastes though. I prefer the butter cream. In years past on the wreaths I did holly leaves with red hot berries, but I discovered a distinct lack of red hots so I just piped little stars. The Scottie dogs got white collars I dusted with candy cane dust.
What are your favorite cookies?
On Saturday the boys and I ran like a million and a half errands, and then we made cookies. Of course by the time the kitchen was clean enough to pass Matthew’s inspection for cooking and the boys had done 3 loads of dishes, it was 5pm when we started.
First we made cookie press cookies. We used Jane Rogers Meeks recipe. Every single time I make cookie press cookies with that recipe the cookies come out perfectly. I made wreaths and Scottie dogs. The reason I like these cookies are they taste good AND look cute. If you only knew how many years I struggled with other recipes and cursed that damn cookie press you would appreciate how much I love it when the cookies come out perfectly every time. Then we took a break for dinner.
After dinner my Paul made what he calls crazy cookies. Usually crazy cookies are a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but instead of just chocolate chips he uses a combination of white chocolate, milk chocolate, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, and sometimes raisins or dried cranberries. This year he changed it up and it was a peanut butter cookie with white and dark chocolate chips. They were delicious.
I thought maybe we were done, but Matthew had it in him to make jelly thumbprint cookies. I have a recipe I call cookies 3 way that I can use to make the thumbprint cookies, or roll in colored sugar, or press a Hershey’s kiss on to the cookie when it comes from the oven. I couldn’t find the recipe and so we did some frantic searching for the stupid thing. Then I remembered that it is the same recipe as the cookie press cookies only with vanilla instead of almond extract.
So thumbprint cookies were made, using Kat’s homemade jelly from last summer. Another delicious cookie! I was about ready for bed, but both boys wanted to know when I was going to decorate the cookie press cookies. I had been thinking about the whole decoration issue myself, and how to overcome the challenges. Usually Kat makes me a modified butter cream icing, or I melt white chocolate with a little food coloring and pipe it on the cookies. The problem is that neither of those travel well. So we went with a royal icing. It sure pipes nicely, and looks great. I make no guarantees about how it tastes though. I prefer the butter cream. In years past on the wreaths I did holly leaves with red hot berries, but I discovered a distinct lack of red hots so I just piped little stars. The Scottie dogs got white collars I dusted with candy cane dust.
What are your favorite cookies?
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Trouble With Trolls - Day 18
Say Thank You!
I am responsible for the Christmas gifts my company gives our employees. Some days this is a joy. All the way back in October I got to do some online shopping, and even better I have vendors falling all over themselves to show me what they think is a great idea. This year’s hot items were gloves that allow you to use your smart phones. $25 and it didn’t really work. Good thing I passed on that one.
We usually do apparel of some sort, plus a bag with our logo and maybe one other item. This year, in what I thought was a genius move, I gave shirts that came out of our shirt inventory. Since I have been tasked with eliminating some of the slow moving shirt inventory, this seemed like a great idea. Plus it allowed me to spend a little more on the extras and the bag.
If you happen to work in the office, or are a District or Regional Manager you got really lucky this year because in addition to the stuff the store employees get, you get extra logo swag; padfolios, coasters, key chains, gloves, teeth whitening pens. DM’s and RM’s who attended our leadership retreat really cleaned up because we had vendor swag to go with it, plus in keeping with the “Drink the Cocktail” theme, they also got cocktail glasses.
All this to say, our employees got some fun stuff this year. Which brings me to my point, how hard is it to say thank you? I am not fishing for people to go on and on about how amazing the gifts are, because, yes I could have given ipads. Well, not really, I do have a budget, and an office employee who would turn me in to the IRS for not including the monetary value of an ipad in the employees year end taxes. In any case, I had 4 employees go out of their way to thank me. I said “You are more than welcome, we appreciate all the hard work you do.”
It isn’t a complicated exchange. But 4? Out of almost 500? Who raised these people?!? Were they raised by wolves? Actually, come to think of it, given the grooming habits of some of them, they might have been raised by wolves.
So unless you were actually raised by wolves, or maybe want to be smacked upside the head. PLEASE remember to say thank you when someone gives you a gift. If I can do it, I am pretty sure anyone can.
I am responsible for the Christmas gifts my company gives our employees. Some days this is a joy. All the way back in October I got to do some online shopping, and even better I have vendors falling all over themselves to show me what they think is a great idea. This year’s hot items were gloves that allow you to use your smart phones. $25 and it didn’t really work. Good thing I passed on that one.
We usually do apparel of some sort, plus a bag with our logo and maybe one other item. This year, in what I thought was a genius move, I gave shirts that came out of our shirt inventory. Since I have been tasked with eliminating some of the slow moving shirt inventory, this seemed like a great idea. Plus it allowed me to spend a little more on the extras and the bag.
If you happen to work in the office, or are a District or Regional Manager you got really lucky this year because in addition to the stuff the store employees get, you get extra logo swag; padfolios, coasters, key chains, gloves, teeth whitening pens. DM’s and RM’s who attended our leadership retreat really cleaned up because we had vendor swag to go with it, plus in keeping with the “Drink the Cocktail” theme, they also got cocktail glasses.
All this to say, our employees got some fun stuff this year. Which brings me to my point, how hard is it to say thank you? I am not fishing for people to go on and on about how amazing the gifts are, because, yes I could have given ipads. Well, not really, I do have a budget, and an office employee who would turn me in to the IRS for not including the monetary value of an ipad in the employees year end taxes. In any case, I had 4 employees go out of their way to thank me. I said “You are more than welcome, we appreciate all the hard work you do.”
It isn’t a complicated exchange. But 4? Out of almost 500? Who raised these people?!? Were they raised by wolves? Actually, come to think of it, given the grooming habits of some of them, they might have been raised by wolves.
So unless you were actually raised by wolves, or maybe want to be smacked upside the head. PLEASE remember to say thank you when someone gives you a gift. If I can do it, I am pretty sure anyone can.
Monday, December 17, 2012
How Murray Saved Christmas - Day Seventeen
I lost a filling last week. Today I went to the dentist to get that fixed. She said it would be an 50 minute procedure. I heard 15 and thought I would be in and out. 3 hours later I left and my jaw is still store. That being said I just don’t have it in me today. So I am sharing something that is dear to me.
Our church in OKC has done an advent devotional the last couple of years. Last year my friend Scott Ferree wrote about his son Chris. When I read Scott’s entry I cried. I am not even going to pretend otherwise. The Ferree family is a blessing to me in many ways. I didn’t seek them out to be friends, and they most likely didn’t come looking for me, but I think God smushed us together and I am so thankful for that. I told Scott last year I was going to share this, and I think today is a good day.
Love Divine – Scott Ferree
We all get lost in the true meaning of Christmas, which I believe is Love: how God shows his love and how we show our love. It’s great to receive, but is better when we give and witness the response in the form of love. “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Could you do the same? Would we have the strength to bring a child into the world, knowing it had a greater purpose and would be sacrificed for the greater good?
Our Son Christopher, is a very loving child, as everyone who comes into contact with him knows. Chris is Autistic, and even though we face difficult challenges with his condition, Got has given us a child that is perfect despite the fact that he is different. Since Chris’ birth, I can’t watch a movie where a Father is in jeopardy of losing his son without becoming very emotional, because I know it would be difficult not to have Chris in my life.
Chris is special not only because of his Autism, but also because he unconditionally loves everyone. It doesn’t matter who people are or where they come from. It can be embarrassing when he walks up to unsuspecting people and hugs them. Christ said “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:24). One of the teachers at Chris’ school lost her son in the Iraq War. When she hugged Chris it made her life a little more bearable and she was able to continue because of the love Chris showed her and renewed an emotion that she thought she had been lost forever.
Our church in OKC has done an advent devotional the last couple of years. Last year my friend Scott Ferree wrote about his son Chris. When I read Scott’s entry I cried. I am not even going to pretend otherwise. The Ferree family is a blessing to me in many ways. I didn’t seek them out to be friends, and they most likely didn’t come looking for me, but I think God smushed us together and I am so thankful for that. I told Scott last year I was going to share this, and I think today is a good day.
Love Divine – Scott Ferree
We all get lost in the true meaning of Christmas, which I believe is Love: how God shows his love and how we show our love. It’s great to receive, but is better when we give and witness the response in the form of love. “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Could you do the same? Would we have the strength to bring a child into the world, knowing it had a greater purpose and would be sacrificed for the greater good?
Our Son Christopher, is a very loving child, as everyone who comes into contact with him knows. Chris is Autistic, and even though we face difficult challenges with his condition, Got has given us a child that is perfect despite the fact that he is different. Since Chris’ birth, I can’t watch a movie where a Father is in jeopardy of losing his son without becoming very emotional, because I know it would be difficult not to have Chris in my life.
Chris is special not only because of his Autism, but also because he unconditionally loves everyone. It doesn’t matter who people are or where they come from. It can be embarrassing when he walks up to unsuspecting people and hugs them. Christ said “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:24). One of the teachers at Chris’ school lost her son in the Iraq War. When she hugged Chris it made her life a little more bearable and she was able to continue because of the love Chris showed her and renewed an emotion that she thought she had been lost forever.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Auntie Claus - Day 16
Lists.
Are you a list maker? Kat and Matthew are. Today is the day for lists. Our party is less than a week away and we need to make lists of what we need to do to get ready, what we need to pack, and what needs to happen at the house in preparation for us to be gone a week. Matthew wants to make a list of things he wants for Christmas but I don’t think that is going to happen.
So, in the spirit of list making I thought I would share a quick and easy list of things you may not know about me.
1. Now that I have begun I can’t think of one thing you might not know.
2. My Paul just said the best part of Christmas day is the Dr. Who Christmas special.
3. I don’t necessarily disagree with him.
4. Everyone gives Kat credit for the chocolate mice, but more often than not I make them.
5. Kat is an amazing chocolate maker, but Matthew and I won the chocolate contest at Paul’s school in 6th grade. Chocolate covered strawberries.
6. Paul also won with the coconut bonbons
7. Kat entered her truffles and did not win.
8. Paul, Matthew and I believe it the unsophisticated palates of the judges were to blame
9. Any minute now I will get up and make the aforementioned mice, coconut bonbons, and also chocolate covered pretzels.
10. I do this thing where I say “that same thing happened to me one time. . .” especially when it is NOT true.
11. Kat and the boys always play along. “I remember that time, when we were trapped on the tardis with only 20 minutes to live, good thing we escaped.
12. When I started this blog in 2009 I said I was doing it for no good reason, unless self promotion is a good reason.
13. I didn’t think anyone would read it.
14. I still don’t think anyone does.
15. When I was in the second grade I wrote that I wanted to be a Dad when I grew up.
16. I had no idea how wonderful that would be.
17. Or how challenging.
18. In college for two solid years I wrote down what I wore every single day, to prevent repeats.
19. Honestly? What was I thinking?
20. I am a much better dad than I am a son.
21. I strongly believe my Paul will be a better dad than I am.
22. My Matthew agrees with #21
23. Kat likes having a Christmas tree but is disinterested in decorating it.
24. Kathleen is a kind person who forgives people.
25. I put up with people who do and or say mean things about me.
26. I do not forgive people who are mean to Kathleen or my boys.
27. Twice since starting this list I have added to things I need to do on the other list.
28. Now I have to stop the boys have escalated the argument about the computer to the point where there will be actual fighting in a minute.
Are you a list maker? Kat and Matthew are. Today is the day for lists. Our party is less than a week away and we need to make lists of what we need to do to get ready, what we need to pack, and what needs to happen at the house in preparation for us to be gone a week. Matthew wants to make a list of things he wants for Christmas but I don’t think that is going to happen.
So, in the spirit of list making I thought I would share a quick and easy list of things you may not know about me.
1. Now that I have begun I can’t think of one thing you might not know.
2. My Paul just said the best part of Christmas day is the Dr. Who Christmas special.
3. I don’t necessarily disagree with him.
4. Everyone gives Kat credit for the chocolate mice, but more often than not I make them.
5. Kat is an amazing chocolate maker, but Matthew and I won the chocolate contest at Paul’s school in 6th grade. Chocolate covered strawberries.
6. Paul also won with the coconut bonbons
7. Kat entered her truffles and did not win.
8. Paul, Matthew and I believe it the unsophisticated palates of the judges were to blame
9. Any minute now I will get up and make the aforementioned mice, coconut bonbons, and also chocolate covered pretzels.
10. I do this thing where I say “that same thing happened to me one time. . .” especially when it is NOT true.
11. Kat and the boys always play along. “I remember that time, when we were trapped on the tardis with only 20 minutes to live, good thing we escaped.
12. When I started this blog in 2009 I said I was doing it for no good reason, unless self promotion is a good reason.
13. I didn’t think anyone would read it.
14. I still don’t think anyone does.
15. When I was in the second grade I wrote that I wanted to be a Dad when I grew up.
16. I had no idea how wonderful that would be.
17. Or how challenging.
18. In college for two solid years I wrote down what I wore every single day, to prevent repeats.
19. Honestly? What was I thinking?
20. I am a much better dad than I am a son.
21. I strongly believe my Paul will be a better dad than I am.
22. My Matthew agrees with #21
23. Kat likes having a Christmas tree but is disinterested in decorating it.
24. Kathleen is a kind person who forgives people.
25. I put up with people who do and or say mean things about me.
26. I do not forgive people who are mean to Kathleen or my boys.
27. Twice since starting this list I have added to things I need to do on the other list.
28. Now I have to stop the boys have escalated the argument about the computer to the point where there will be actual fighting in a minute.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Mr. Christmas - Day Fifteen
I have been listening to the Holiday Traditions channel on XM radio. They are playing Christmas songs from the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s. What has struck me this week is that some of the songs I am completely unfamiliar with. Peggy Lee’s “Ring Those Christmas Bells”, The Andrew Sister’s “Merry Christmas Polka”, and Frankie Lane’s “Christmas Roses” are all examples of this. What makes a song popular this Christmas and then makes it unpopular a decade (or more) later? Why are some songs always popular?
Can I ask the same question about Christmas memories? What do people remember and hold dear? Is it the white Christmases? Maybe the years with perfect trees? Possibly the years that they attended lavish parties are memorable (I sort of hope so)? Or is it the quirky not perfect things that are remembered? The movie “The Christmas Story” and the book it was based on are allegedly the semi autobiographical memories of Jean Shepherd and it hardly paints a picture of an ideal Christmas, although it is certainly memorable.
I can apply the same question to my own holiday memories, and to the stories I share here on my blog. What makes going Christmas caroling with First Christian Church in Tucson when my Mom sang the 3 Dog Night version of “Joy to the World” instead of the church hymn a better story than going Christmas caroling with the First Baptist Church Santa Fe youth choir and singing “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer”. I have long maintained that people’s lives are more interesting the way I tell it. So maybe it is just that I haven’t told those other stories yet, so they don’t seem that interesting, and by my standard more memorable.
And this was meant in no way to diminish the memories I have of FBC SF. When I was in HS I had so many good friends there, some I even keep up with today; Kevin, Vivian, Christina, Robbyn, Sherri, Sandi, Paul, Laura, Margie and others. An argument could be made that the issue is the song itself, because honestly I don’t really care for it at all. Except that if someone were to say, “Hey what is your favorite memory of the song “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer? I do actually have one, although it isn’t a Christmas memory at all.
In 1993 when Rachelle Maxwell Sutton, now Hidalgo had her daughter Mackenzie it was snowing like crazy and Elizabeth Norman and I stopped for hot chocolate before we drove from Shawnee to OKC to see them. On the way to the hospital, because of the snow, the local radio station played Christmas music, including that song, even though it was October.
So whatever your story this year, or whatever memory you are holding on to, even if I never get around to telling my version of it, I hope it is wonderful. that it warms your heart and makes you smile.
Can I ask the same question about Christmas memories? What do people remember and hold dear? Is it the white Christmases? Maybe the years with perfect trees? Possibly the years that they attended lavish parties are memorable (I sort of hope so)? Or is it the quirky not perfect things that are remembered? The movie “The Christmas Story” and the book it was based on are allegedly the semi autobiographical memories of Jean Shepherd and it hardly paints a picture of an ideal Christmas, although it is certainly memorable.
I can apply the same question to my own holiday memories, and to the stories I share here on my blog. What makes going Christmas caroling with First Christian Church in Tucson when my Mom sang the 3 Dog Night version of “Joy to the World” instead of the church hymn a better story than going Christmas caroling with the First Baptist Church Santa Fe youth choir and singing “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer”. I have long maintained that people’s lives are more interesting the way I tell it. So maybe it is just that I haven’t told those other stories yet, so they don’t seem that interesting, and by my standard more memorable.
And this was meant in no way to diminish the memories I have of FBC SF. When I was in HS I had so many good friends there, some I even keep up with today; Kevin, Vivian, Christina, Robbyn, Sherri, Sandi, Paul, Laura, Margie and others. An argument could be made that the issue is the song itself, because honestly I don’t really care for it at all. Except that if someone were to say, “Hey what is your favorite memory of the song “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer? I do actually have one, although it isn’t a Christmas memory at all.
In 1993 when Rachelle Maxwell Sutton, now Hidalgo had her daughter Mackenzie it was snowing like crazy and Elizabeth Norman and I stopped for hot chocolate before we drove from Shawnee to OKC to see them. On the way to the hospital, because of the snow, the local radio station played Christmas music, including that song, even though it was October.
So whatever your story this year, or whatever memory you are holding on to, even if I never get around to telling my version of it, I hope it is wonderful. that it warms your heart and makes you smile.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Christmas Remembered - Day 14
Today I just can't. In Connecticut and other places in the world tonight there are families realizing they will never hold their children in their arms again. That is incomprehensible to me. So I can’t be funny tonight, and it is a struggle to write about happier times.
Instead I am sharing pictures of Christmases past and the counting my 2 biggest blessings tonight.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Olivia Helps with Christmas - Day Thirteen
Kids Christmas party
If you have been reading for a while you may have heard me mention the kids ornament party. We aren’t doing it this year so instead I thought I would share a little about this event. I miss not doing it with the boys, and I know that they miss it, but the timing didn’t work out this year.
When I was a child my Mom made ornaments with Jenni and I. I still have some of those ornaments that we hang on our tree today. When I was a little older our church in Tucson used to have a big ornament making event the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I can remember over several years learning to make southwest gods eye ornaments, wax paper stars, and some very overdone beaded and bejeweled Christmas balls.
When Paul was 2 I decided that it might be fun to have an ornament making party for Paul and some of his friends. I invited the Hankins clan, baby Scott, Rachel, and Julia Beth. I also invited Paul’s best friend for life Katie, and baby Elijah, although we weren’t expecting Lige to actually make an ornaments.
I think I had two projects planned. The first involved gluing things to a votive candle and then covering it all with glitter spray. The second project involved balls the older children painted, and Paul and Katie rolled round in glue then coated in glitter. In the process Paul and Katie both got coated in glitter. There is not much in this world better than happy children with glitter and glue in their hair and smiles on their faces.
The next year we had a brand new baby, and I don’t know that we would have done it again, but Julia Beth asked me when we were going to do that ornament thing, so we did. We have done it just about every year since then. Sometimes the cast is different. We have had Elisa Gail, Lexi and Thalia Rodriquez, Rachel and Julia, Katie, Elijah, Sammy, John Bailey, Andrew, Kyle, Max Perkins, Hilda, my sisters kids Keenan and Naomi and possibly others. We have decorated stars, snowflakes, gingerbread people, trains, snow people, and tiny wardrobes that were mistaken for outhouses. We have made mini wreaths, picture frames, candles, gingerbread houses, and I think even decorated cookies. Painted ornaments are more popular and glitter is VERY popular. In recent years I have discovered that Katie Powell is not only great with a glue gun, but also when Katie says “stop playing with star wars action figures we are making ornaments”, certain children listen and cooperate much better than when I make the same suggestion.
Could I purchase better looking ornaments? Absolutely. Will the children’s ornaments be collector’s items someday? Only to me, and I am ok with that. Scott was a child the first year we did it, and he just got married a few weeks ago. Elisa Gail is married, Rachel is married, Julia Beth, Lexi, and Thalia are all growing into beautiful young women. Even Paul and Katie might be getting too old to really enjoy it. So I am going to keep my painted and glittered ornaments and remember those children with glue and glitter and smiles. I am so proud of the adults they are all becoming, and I am glad I had them for a few minutes when they were small.
If you have been reading for a while you may have heard me mention the kids ornament party. We aren’t doing it this year so instead I thought I would share a little about this event. I miss not doing it with the boys, and I know that they miss it, but the timing didn’t work out this year.
When I was a child my Mom made ornaments with Jenni and I. I still have some of those ornaments that we hang on our tree today. When I was a little older our church in Tucson used to have a big ornament making event the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I can remember over several years learning to make southwest gods eye ornaments, wax paper stars, and some very overdone beaded and bejeweled Christmas balls.
When Paul was 2 I decided that it might be fun to have an ornament making party for Paul and some of his friends. I invited the Hankins clan, baby Scott, Rachel, and Julia Beth. I also invited Paul’s best friend for life Katie, and baby Elijah, although we weren’t expecting Lige to actually make an ornaments.
I think I had two projects planned. The first involved gluing things to a votive candle and then covering it all with glitter spray. The second project involved balls the older children painted, and Paul and Katie rolled round in glue then coated in glitter. In the process Paul and Katie both got coated in glitter. There is not much in this world better than happy children with glitter and glue in their hair and smiles on their faces.
The next year we had a brand new baby, and I don’t know that we would have done it again, but Julia Beth asked me when we were going to do that ornament thing, so we did. We have done it just about every year since then. Sometimes the cast is different. We have had Elisa Gail, Lexi and Thalia Rodriquez, Rachel and Julia, Katie, Elijah, Sammy, John Bailey, Andrew, Kyle, Max Perkins, Hilda, my sisters kids Keenan and Naomi and possibly others. We have decorated stars, snowflakes, gingerbread people, trains, snow people, and tiny wardrobes that were mistaken for outhouses. We have made mini wreaths, picture frames, candles, gingerbread houses, and I think even decorated cookies. Painted ornaments are more popular and glitter is VERY popular. In recent years I have discovered that Katie Powell is not only great with a glue gun, but also when Katie says “stop playing with star wars action figures we are making ornaments”, certain children listen and cooperate much better than when I make the same suggestion.
Could I purchase better looking ornaments? Absolutely. Will the children’s ornaments be collector’s items someday? Only to me, and I am ok with that. Scott was a child the first year we did it, and he just got married a few weeks ago. Elisa Gail is married, Rachel is married, Julia Beth, Lexi, and Thalia are all growing into beautiful young women. Even Paul and Katie might be getting too old to really enjoy it. So I am going to keep my painted and glittered ornaments and remember those children with glue and glitter and smiles. I am so proud of the adults they are all becoming, and I am glad I had them for a few minutes when they were small.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Bear Stays Up For Christmas - Day 12
Count your blessings.
Bing Crosby’s classic says;
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
It is a holiday standard. A few years ago, when my Paul was in the second grade he often struggled to get to sleep at night. Sleep didn’t always come easy, especially during the holiday season when his mind raced with thoughts about our Christmas party, his friends, being off from school, and just how many days until cookie day anyway. When it was my Matthew who couldn’t sleep I could put on soft Christmas music and rub his forehead until he relaxed. But that never worked for my Paul, If I was laying there, or sitting beside him, he could never resist the urge to talk, to tell me everything he had thought about or experienced that day. Well, to be honest, it is more likely that what he wanted to talk about wasn’t what he experienced that day, more likely it was something from a year previous that he was just now getting around to telling me.
As much as I love those moments with my Paul, sometimes I don’t have an hour to sit and listen. Sometimes, as a parent, I just need him to be calm and fall asleep. So, one such sleepless night I offered up Bing Crosby’s chestnut and suggested he try counting his blessings. He seemed eager to try this, so I kissed his head and left him alone. I had just finished telling Kat how clever I was to come up with this, and then there was my Paul standing in the living room telling me he still couldn’t fall asleep.
I queried him about what happened with counting his blessings. He very patiently and sincerely explained that he had done that, there was the one time at Grandma and Grandpa’s in the summer, one time at our house when we had spaghetti, and another time at our house when Mama made chicken. Three blessings, that was all he had done. He was proud of himself for remembering them all but still not even a little sleepy. My baby had counted all the times he had blessed the meal, thinking that was what I had instructed him to do.
So I tucked him back in and explained the real task is to think of all the things in your life that you have been blessed with, like family, like friends, and to thank God for them. “Papa, that seems like a much harder thing to do. I think I am just going to go to sleep instead.”
Bing Crosby’s classic says;
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
It is a holiday standard. A few years ago, when my Paul was in the second grade he often struggled to get to sleep at night. Sleep didn’t always come easy, especially during the holiday season when his mind raced with thoughts about our Christmas party, his friends, being off from school, and just how many days until cookie day anyway. When it was my Matthew who couldn’t sleep I could put on soft Christmas music and rub his forehead until he relaxed. But that never worked for my Paul, If I was laying there, or sitting beside him, he could never resist the urge to talk, to tell me everything he had thought about or experienced that day. Well, to be honest, it is more likely that what he wanted to talk about wasn’t what he experienced that day, more likely it was something from a year previous that he was just now getting around to telling me.
As much as I love those moments with my Paul, sometimes I don’t have an hour to sit and listen. Sometimes, as a parent, I just need him to be calm and fall asleep. So, one such sleepless night I offered up Bing Crosby’s chestnut and suggested he try counting his blessings. He seemed eager to try this, so I kissed his head and left him alone. I had just finished telling Kat how clever I was to come up with this, and then there was my Paul standing in the living room telling me he still couldn’t fall asleep.
I queried him about what happened with counting his blessings. He very patiently and sincerely explained that he had done that, there was the one time at Grandma and Grandpa’s in the summer, one time at our house when we had spaghetti, and another time at our house when Mama made chicken. Three blessings, that was all he had done. He was proud of himself for remembering them all but still not even a little sleepy. My baby had counted all the times he had blessed the meal, thinking that was what I had instructed him to do.
So I tucked him back in and explained the real task is to think of all the things in your life that you have been blessed with, like family, like friends, and to thank God for them. “Papa, that seems like a much harder thing to do. I think I am just going to go to sleep instead.”
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
A Wish to be a Christmas Tree - Day Eleven
The tree is up.
As I mentioned yesterday, we brought it up from the basement over the weekend, but I lacked the energy to get it decorated. At some point Sunday I had the boys help me go through the 10 or so giant Rubbermaid tubs and pulled out the ornaments I thought we would use. That is not such an easy task. Have I mentioned that we have more ornaments than one family really needs? We do. Don’t laugh, I am not sure exactly how it happened.
Well, partly it is because I brought home my Mom’s ornaments at some point, both the ones that were our family ornaments, plus a set that had been Fred-Dick’s as a child that he had gifted her, and also a set of ornaments that a teacher accumulates over a lifetime of teaching. To be fair, my Mom told me specifically not to hold on to those. Kat and I already had enough to decorate a big tree before I tripled the collection. Then the children, and the kids ornament party have contributed to at least another full set. Yes, I am one string of chile lights from an episode of Holiday Hoarders.
In any case, I went through the massive amounts of ornaments and culled just enough for our tree. This year I went for mini stockings, and painted wood ornaments. So the ornaments from Fred-Dick’s childhood; hand painted snowmen, candles, candy canes, and angels. Ornaments from my childhood; a rocking horse I made in the first grade, the infamous 1976 ornaments purchased in 1984, pull string ornaments my mom brought back from a trip to San Francisco one year, the wooden clothespin reindeer ornaments we made in 1982. Plus ornaments the boys have made; painted gingerbread people in pajamas, snow men with googley eyes, stars and snowflakes. Lastly there are hearts that Kat and I made the second year we were married.
The boys did a good job hanging them on the tree. Matthew liked the stockings. His favorite was the green one, and not only because it has his name on it. He also liked the one with Paul’s name on it from when Paul was a baby. “It was so small, whoever made that one didn’t know how big Paul was going to get! “ Paul preferred to hang the ornaments, and once again this year he prefers to hang 2 or 3 ornaments on the same branch. I am not sure what his motivation is with this, but he has done it since he was little, and no amount of encouragement from me to do otherwise has made him change this habit.
Then after the tree was done I took the requisite picture with the boy behind the tree with his arms sticking out to the side. Those boys do make me laugh.
As I mentioned yesterday, we brought it up from the basement over the weekend, but I lacked the energy to get it decorated. At some point Sunday I had the boys help me go through the 10 or so giant Rubbermaid tubs and pulled out the ornaments I thought we would use. That is not such an easy task. Have I mentioned that we have more ornaments than one family really needs? We do. Don’t laugh, I am not sure exactly how it happened.
Well, partly it is because I brought home my Mom’s ornaments at some point, both the ones that were our family ornaments, plus a set that had been Fred-Dick’s as a child that he had gifted her, and also a set of ornaments that a teacher accumulates over a lifetime of teaching. To be fair, my Mom told me specifically not to hold on to those. Kat and I already had enough to decorate a big tree before I tripled the collection. Then the children, and the kids ornament party have contributed to at least another full set. Yes, I am one string of chile lights from an episode of Holiday Hoarders.
In any case, I went through the massive amounts of ornaments and culled just enough for our tree. This year I went for mini stockings, and painted wood ornaments. So the ornaments from Fred-Dick’s childhood; hand painted snowmen, candles, candy canes, and angels. Ornaments from my childhood; a rocking horse I made in the first grade, the infamous 1976 ornaments purchased in 1984, pull string ornaments my mom brought back from a trip to San Francisco one year, the wooden clothespin reindeer ornaments we made in 1982. Plus ornaments the boys have made; painted gingerbread people in pajamas, snow men with googley eyes, stars and snowflakes. Lastly there are hearts that Kat and I made the second year we were married.
The boys did a good job hanging them on the tree. Matthew liked the stockings. His favorite was the green one, and not only because it has his name on it. He also liked the one with Paul’s name on it from when Paul was a baby. “It was so small, whoever made that one didn’t know how big Paul was going to get! “ Paul preferred to hang the ornaments, and once again this year he prefers to hang 2 or 3 ornaments on the same branch. I am not sure what his motivation is with this, but he has done it since he was little, and no amount of encouragement from me to do otherwise has made him change this habit.
Then after the tree was done I took the requisite picture with the boy behind the tree with his arms sticking out to the side. Those boys do make me laugh.
Monday, December 10, 2012
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Day 10
What if it is not perfect?
Today I am struggling to come up with something to write about. My stomach is still iffy. I thought I was feeling better but then last night I got sick again, and would up staying home all day today. Yesterday I started a blog entry about the Kids Christmas party, but I think it sounds lame, so I shelved it for now.
Yesterday before I started feeling bad I did manage to get the tree and the ornaments up from the basement, but other than plugging the tree in, that is as far as it got. I thought maybe the boys could decorate and something magical could happen that I could write about. No such luck.
Which leads me to where we are now. What happens if all my best laid plans for something Christmassy get waylaid? What if nothing is ever perfect or clever again? I mean I realize it is not likely, but anything is possible. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to orchestrate these things, and what if the challenge of putting it all together and then remembering to blog about it later is too much for me?
I don’t pretend to be a real writer by any means. My sister Juliet? Went to school and has a masters in creative writing. She is a real writer. My childhood buddy Josh Brodesky? Wrote for the Az Daily Star and is now an Economy Reporter for the Arizona Republic. He is a writer. My College friend Rebecca Mize Harrell? Wrote for the Shawnee News Star after college. She is a writer. My friend sj Miller from HS? Wrote a book. Another writer. I am sure I know others, but those are the ones who come to mind. I am not even a real blogger like Jessica Kinney Hall or Heather Cook who do it regularly and make it look effortless. How do real writers do it?
Have I mentioned before that I get to/have to blog for work? I did a decent job for a year but then it sort of dropped off my priority list. I wonder if that is what is going to happen here? 3 years and then halfway through December 2012 I just stop.
I just asked my Matthew if it would be ok if I stopped blogging. He was shocked, SHOCKED that I would suggest that. I reminded him that he doesn’t read them, and he reminded me that he doesn’t need to, as they are ABOUT him, and he loves that. He says that is how he knows he is my “favorite”. And yes he used air quotes to say that.
Oh dear.
Today I am struggling to come up with something to write about. My stomach is still iffy. I thought I was feeling better but then last night I got sick again, and would up staying home all day today. Yesterday I started a blog entry about the Kids Christmas party, but I think it sounds lame, so I shelved it for now.
Yesterday before I started feeling bad I did manage to get the tree and the ornaments up from the basement, but other than plugging the tree in, that is as far as it got. I thought maybe the boys could decorate and something magical could happen that I could write about. No such luck.
Which leads me to where we are now. What happens if all my best laid plans for something Christmassy get waylaid? What if nothing is ever perfect or clever again? I mean I realize it is not likely, but anything is possible. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to orchestrate these things, and what if the challenge of putting it all together and then remembering to blog about it later is too much for me?
I don’t pretend to be a real writer by any means. My sister Juliet? Went to school and has a masters in creative writing. She is a real writer. My childhood buddy Josh Brodesky? Wrote for the Az Daily Star and is now an Economy Reporter for the Arizona Republic. He is a writer. My College friend Rebecca Mize Harrell? Wrote for the Shawnee News Star after college. She is a writer. My friend sj Miller from HS? Wrote a book. Another writer. I am sure I know others, but those are the ones who come to mind. I am not even a real blogger like Jessica Kinney Hall or Heather Cook who do it regularly and make it look effortless. How do real writers do it?
Have I mentioned before that I get to/have to blog for work? I did a decent job for a year but then it sort of dropped off my priority list. I wonder if that is what is going to happen here? 3 years and then halfway through December 2012 I just stop.
I just asked my Matthew if it would be ok if I stopped blogging. He was shocked, SHOCKED that I would suggest that. I reminded him that he doesn’t read them, and he reminded me that he doesn’t need to, as they are ABOUT him, and he loves that. He says that is how he knows he is my “favorite”. And yes he used air quotes to say that.
Oh dear.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Nightmare before Christmas - Day 8
What would my Christmas blog be without something inappropriate?
I have mentioned that my sister and her kids were in Colorado last weekend. After dinner at Zaidys, and the insane amount of walking to see the light parade, we went to the Corner Bakery for desert and hot chocolate. Of course while we were there the kiddles all had to make a restroom stop. Since Matthew is 11, Keenan insisted that he and Matthew could go without supervision to the restroom.
When the two of them returned they were giggling and had the look of mischief about them. Figuring bathroom humor I didn’t ask. Sometimes it is better to let boys be boys, and what I don’t know doesn’t hurt me. Keenan however could not wait to tell the story. Apparently, in the stalls there are 1930’s pin up girl posters. (I went and checked it out after the fact). The posters are not really racy, and I think you see more skin in a Victoria Secrets ad. However, to hear 8 year old Keenan tell it, they were NAKED LADIES on display in the bathroom.
Matthew said he didn’t look, but Keenan explained there was no way you could not look, you have to stand right there to go, and the picture was right there, where else are you going to look? Matthew suggested you could close your eyes, but Keenan was sure that would lead to peeing your hands. Keenan assured all of us that he was not going to pee on his hands so he had to look.
In an effort to change the subject, my horrified sister said, “let’s thank uncle Judson for bringing us to this yummy desert place!” Keenan smiled like an angel and dutifully said “thank you Uncle Judson for bringing me to the place with the unappropriate naked ladies in the bathroom. You sure know how to bring the fun Uncle Judson.”
I am pretty sure Jenni is never coming back to Denver.
I have mentioned that my sister and her kids were in Colorado last weekend. After dinner at Zaidys, and the insane amount of walking to see the light parade, we went to the Corner Bakery for desert and hot chocolate. Of course while we were there the kiddles all had to make a restroom stop. Since Matthew is 11, Keenan insisted that he and Matthew could go without supervision to the restroom.
When the two of them returned they were giggling and had the look of mischief about them. Figuring bathroom humor I didn’t ask. Sometimes it is better to let boys be boys, and what I don’t know doesn’t hurt me. Keenan however could not wait to tell the story. Apparently, in the stalls there are 1930’s pin up girl posters. (I went and checked it out after the fact). The posters are not really racy, and I think you see more skin in a Victoria Secrets ad. However, to hear 8 year old Keenan tell it, they were NAKED LADIES on display in the bathroom.
Matthew said he didn’t look, but Keenan explained there was no way you could not look, you have to stand right there to go, and the picture was right there, where else are you going to look? Matthew suggested you could close your eyes, but Keenan was sure that would lead to peeing your hands. Keenan assured all of us that he was not going to pee on his hands so he had to look.
In an effort to change the subject, my horrified sister said, “let’s thank uncle Judson for bringing us to this yummy desert place!” Keenan smiled like an angel and dutifully said “thank you Uncle Judson for bringing me to the place with the unappropriate naked ladies in the bathroom. You sure know how to bring the fun Uncle Judson.”
I am pretty sure Jenni is never coming back to Denver.
Friday, December 7, 2012
God Gave Us Christmas - Day Seven
Christmas carols.
I have written several times about my boys and Christmas music. Matthew wants to listen to Christmas music at night to help him sleep pretty much year round. Although he won’t admit it. After Halloween though, it is ON, he wants it all the time. Not so much for my Paul. He is really strict with Matthew and me about waiting for after Thanksgiving for Christmas music.
This year, several times he has asked me to turn off the Christmas music. “Papa, I know you and Matthew were listening to it while you getting ready today. Now that we are in the car, let’s put it on something else, pop music maybe?” Seriously? How is he my child?! Don’t answer that, I know how he is my child, let’s keep this pg.
Matthew thinks maybe he has it figured out, so he keeps asking Paul, “Do you like this song?” or that song? Trying to narrow down Paul’s favorites. Matthew is a fan of all kinds of Christmas music, although he is particularly fond of the Glee Christmas albums, and “Pepino the Italian mouse.” I really can’t explain that last one.
Last weekend Paul and I were running a quick errand, he got in the car and turned off the radio and sighed. “Papa, what is it, like the week before Christmas that start playing the religious Christmas songs, and the Christian Christmas specials?” I had that Homer Simpson DOH! Moment. My Paul doesn’t like Santa music, he wants Christmas carols. Which makes sense, as” Go Tell it on the Mountain” remains his favorite Christmas song of all time.
I have written several times about my boys and Christmas music. Matthew wants to listen to Christmas music at night to help him sleep pretty much year round. Although he won’t admit it. After Halloween though, it is ON, he wants it all the time. Not so much for my Paul. He is really strict with Matthew and me about waiting for after Thanksgiving for Christmas music.
This year, several times he has asked me to turn off the Christmas music. “Papa, I know you and Matthew were listening to it while you getting ready today. Now that we are in the car, let’s put it on something else, pop music maybe?” Seriously? How is he my child?! Don’t answer that, I know how he is my child, let’s keep this pg.
Matthew thinks maybe he has it figured out, so he keeps asking Paul, “Do you like this song?” or that song? Trying to narrow down Paul’s favorites. Matthew is a fan of all kinds of Christmas music, although he is particularly fond of the Glee Christmas albums, and “Pepino the Italian mouse.” I really can’t explain that last one.
Last weekend Paul and I were running a quick errand, he got in the car and turned off the radio and sighed. “Papa, what is it, like the week before Christmas that start playing the religious Christmas songs, and the Christian Christmas specials?” I had that Homer Simpson DOH! Moment. My Paul doesn’t like Santa music, he wants Christmas carols. Which makes sense, as” Go Tell it on the Mountain” remains his favorite Christmas song of all time.
Dream Snow - Day 6
How to decorate a Christmas mantle.
I admit that I have a fascination with pinterest. It is interesting to me to see what other people like. I especially like to see what people show interest in as far as holiday decorating goes. One thing that I have learned is that apparently how you decorate your mantle for Christmas speaks volumes about who you are as a person, in much the same way that how you decorate your home lets people know you are a nice person who was not raised by wolves.
Many people just hang their stockings on the fireplace and call it done. All Pinterest evidence clearly indicates that this is very sad and depressing. I suspect there are help groups for those people. Maybe some sort of 12 step program. I can proudly say that Kat and I have never hung stockings over our fireplace mantle. Mostly it is the very last holdout of Kathleen’s in her ongoing battle against santa. But whatever the reason, clearly we are better than those other people who do that.
Some pinterest people get creative with garlands. Who knew that tulle, glitter, and lights were so versatile in the garlanding world? Don’t think for an instant that those would be your only option. I saw one pinterest person had gone full on gingerbread house and made garlands of marshmallows. I saw that and two things came to mind. #1 is that she probably has ants, and #2 if she starts inviting random children over I suspect she ends up shoved into an oven. We have hung garland from our mantle. A few years when we did not do trees, we had garland that I hung Kat’s lace angels from. One year instead of hanging the evergreen garland, I just laid it out on top of the mantle for a different look. *I may or may not have intended to hang it, but then didn’t and when people got there played it off like it was deliberate.
Putting jars or bowls of Christmas ornaments or fresh fruit are some other options for mantle decorations. Personally I think this look might be saying, “Oh crap I give up, I’m just setting this stuff here until I get a chance to put it where it goes” instead of “I carefully thought out where I wanted to set these to showcase my house in a thoughtful manner that says I care about who you are as a person, and also I like small woodland animals.” I feel like it is important to note that people leaving punch cups of eggnog on my mantle does not qualify as decorations.
For a few years in OKC I creatively incorporated our annual kids ornament party with my holiday mantle decorating. Whatever the kids made at the ornament party I used to decorate the mantle, and then the kids could take their ornaments when they came to the party. We had metallic glitter ornaments one year. Another year we had mini whitewashed snowflakes. Sometimes I got really clever and tried to tie the ornaments into some theme for the party. For example, the year my invitation referenced The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe I came up with this very creative mini wardrobe project that looked like a painted wardrobe on the outside and when you opened the door had a secret picture inside. Then I had 8 or so of these tiny wardrobes on the mantle along with Christmas cards and candles. The children and I were pretty pleased with how it looked. That is until a guest at our party started asking why I had made the bold choice to decorate with tiny outhouses.
I bet no one has ever put that on pinterest.
I admit that I have a fascination with pinterest. It is interesting to me to see what other people like. I especially like to see what people show interest in as far as holiday decorating goes. One thing that I have learned is that apparently how you decorate your mantle for Christmas speaks volumes about who you are as a person, in much the same way that how you decorate your home lets people know you are a nice person who was not raised by wolves.
Many people just hang their stockings on the fireplace and call it done. All Pinterest evidence clearly indicates that this is very sad and depressing. I suspect there are help groups for those people. Maybe some sort of 12 step program. I can proudly say that Kat and I have never hung stockings over our fireplace mantle. Mostly it is the very last holdout of Kathleen’s in her ongoing battle against santa. But whatever the reason, clearly we are better than those other people who do that.
Some pinterest people get creative with garlands. Who knew that tulle, glitter, and lights were so versatile in the garlanding world? Don’t think for an instant that those would be your only option. I saw one pinterest person had gone full on gingerbread house and made garlands of marshmallows. I saw that and two things came to mind. #1 is that she probably has ants, and #2 if she starts inviting random children over I suspect she ends up shoved into an oven. We have hung garland from our mantle. A few years when we did not do trees, we had garland that I hung Kat’s lace angels from. One year instead of hanging the evergreen garland, I just laid it out on top of the mantle for a different look. *I may or may not have intended to hang it, but then didn’t and when people got there played it off like it was deliberate.
Putting jars or bowls of Christmas ornaments or fresh fruit are some other options for mantle decorations. Personally I think this look might be saying, “Oh crap I give up, I’m just setting this stuff here until I get a chance to put it where it goes” instead of “I carefully thought out where I wanted to set these to showcase my house in a thoughtful manner that says I care about who you are as a person, and also I like small woodland animals.” I feel like it is important to note that people leaving punch cups of eggnog on my mantle does not qualify as decorations.
For a few years in OKC I creatively incorporated our annual kids ornament party with my holiday mantle decorating. Whatever the kids made at the ornament party I used to decorate the mantle, and then the kids could take their ornaments when they came to the party. We had metallic glitter ornaments one year. Another year we had mini whitewashed snowflakes. Sometimes I got really clever and tried to tie the ornaments into some theme for the party. For example, the year my invitation referenced The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe I came up with this very creative mini wardrobe project that looked like a painted wardrobe on the outside and when you opened the door had a secret picture inside. Then I had 8 or so of these tiny wardrobes on the mantle along with Christmas cards and candles. The children and I were pretty pleased with how it looked. That is until a guest at our party started asking why I had made the bold choice to decorate with tiny outhouses.
I bet no one has ever put that on pinterest.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Olive, The Other Reindeer - Day Five
Who doesn’t love Christmas socks? A warm fuzzy pair of super soft socks with a festive holiday pattern are certainly a popular go to gift for many. I know Kat has received her fair share over the years.
In the last few years however, even when her friends and family generously give her gifts with cozy holiday feet in mind, Kathleen rarely has been able to enjoy them. Why is that you ask? Has something happened to Kat’s feet that prevent her from partaking in holiday feet comfort? Has she embraced some austere lifestyle that requires that she eschew footy indulgence? Not exactly.
One time, several years ago I took a half frozen Matthew from some outdoor snow play and put him in a nice warm bath. After the bath I bundled him up in his Christmas pajamas, and because his feet were cold, Kat let him wear her brand new Christmas socks. ONCE. Ever since then a certain someone has appropriated every single pair of Christmas socks Kat has ever owned. Don’t ask him about it, he will deny it, but that boy does love his holiday socks.
Last Sunday we did some shopping for an upcoming leadership retreat for my job. I had the boys with me and as we were picking out ski caps for the District Managers my Matthew wandered off. I found him looking at the display of Christmas socks. “Papa, I am pretty sure this is what we need to get Mama this year!”
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas Day 4
I wrote the other day about spending time with my sister Jenni and her family the first weekend in December. After we shared dinner at Zaidy’s we went downtown to see the light parade and the lighting up of the capital building. This is one of those Christmas things that I suspect always sounds better than it really is.
Do you know what a light parade is? It is a parade that has to happen after dark. Parades require certain streets be closed off so that cars don’t run over marching bands or crash into parade floats. So unless you are lucky enough that you live on the parade route you are going to have to park, and walk to where the parade is.
I hadn’t planned on walking. Sometimes a shoe that looks good with an outfit and is comfortable for a limited amount of walking, and standing and driving is not the shoe you want to wear for an outrageous amount of walking. And there was an outrageous amount of walking. Honestly we may as well have been in the parade.
However, in spite of my internal monologue that was silently cursing the holiday entities that were surely laughing at me, I noticed that my boys didn’t seem to mind the walking. Paul carried Keenan more than half the time. He had him thrown over his shoulder and Keenen was laughing. “Uncle, uncle, everyone is looking at us and they think Paul must be my Dad! How silly is that Uncle!” I don’t know how true that is, but it was fun to see.
Every time we got to a street we had to cross Jenni would say everyone find a partner, hold someone’s hand, and Naomi would run over to Matthew and grab his hand. I wish I had been able to get a picture of her looking at Matthew, she honestly adores him and I love that!
Finally we did manage to catch up with the tail end of the parade. Of course there were tons of people in front of us with a better view of what was going on. Kendrick picked up Naomi and put her on his shoulders. Keenan looked up and me, sized me up, then turned to Paul and asked Paul to show him the parade. My Paul is a strong tall boy and he just picked up his cousin and set him on his shoulders so he could watch the parade. Keenan had the best seat in the house and Paul let him sit up there for a good 30 minutes or so until the parade was over. How sweet was that?
After the parade was over there was still a ton of walking left to do, and both my boys got tons of cousin love all the way.
Do you know what a light parade is? It is a parade that has to happen after dark. Parades require certain streets be closed off so that cars don’t run over marching bands or crash into parade floats. So unless you are lucky enough that you live on the parade route you are going to have to park, and walk to where the parade is.
I hadn’t planned on walking. Sometimes a shoe that looks good with an outfit and is comfortable for a limited amount of walking, and standing and driving is not the shoe you want to wear for an outrageous amount of walking. And there was an outrageous amount of walking. Honestly we may as well have been in the parade.
However, in spite of my internal monologue that was silently cursing the holiday entities that were surely laughing at me, I noticed that my boys didn’t seem to mind the walking. Paul carried Keenan more than half the time. He had him thrown over his shoulder and Keenen was laughing. “Uncle, uncle, everyone is looking at us and they think Paul must be my Dad! How silly is that Uncle!” I don’t know how true that is, but it was fun to see.
Every time we got to a street we had to cross Jenni would say everyone find a partner, hold someone’s hand, and Naomi would run over to Matthew and grab his hand. I wish I had been able to get a picture of her looking at Matthew, she honestly adores him and I love that!
Finally we did manage to catch up with the tail end of the parade. Of course there were tons of people in front of us with a better view of what was going on. Kendrick picked up Naomi and put her on his shoulders. Keenan looked up and me, sized me up, then turned to Paul and asked Paul to show him the parade. My Paul is a strong tall boy and he just picked up his cousin and set him on his shoulders so he could watch the parade. Keenan had the best seat in the house and Paul let him sit up there for a good 30 minutes or so until the parade was over. How sweet was that?
After the parade was over there was still a ton of walking left to do, and both my boys got tons of cousin love all the way.
Monday, December 3, 2012
A Christmas Memory - Day Three
Holidays I don’t write about.
If you have read the other entries I have written then you know that I will write about anything. I wrote about shiny pants didn’t I? I have written about my childhood, and my children, and my children’s childhoods. I have written about Kat’s family, and my family. I have written about my friends and their families, I have even written about people I have never even met. I have other stories to tell, but sometimes I try and I can’t.
There is a great story about shopping for a wedding dress with Jenni in 2000, but the back story sucks and sometimes it hurts so much I can’t breathe. Paul’s first Christmas is noticeably missing as well, because it was Stephanie’s last and I just can’t, not if Kat and her folks are going to read it.
Last year I shared something my friend Durlix wrote questioning when the melancholy creeps into the holiday. I guess I have to ask when is not there? My Paul already knows and he is 14. That hurts me because I want my children to enjoy the holidays, and not be sad, but I know that I can’t always take away their sadness.
So what are your off limit years? What years do you just want to skip it all together and pretend it is March? I honestly and sincerely hope that this is not one of those years for you.
If you have read the other entries I have written then you know that I will write about anything. I wrote about shiny pants didn’t I? I have written about my childhood, and my children, and my children’s childhoods. I have written about Kat’s family, and my family. I have written about my friends and their families, I have even written about people I have never even met. I have other stories to tell, but sometimes I try and I can’t.
There is a great story about shopping for a wedding dress with Jenni in 2000, but the back story sucks and sometimes it hurts so much I can’t breathe. Paul’s first Christmas is noticeably missing as well, because it was Stephanie’s last and I just can’t, not if Kat and her folks are going to read it.
Last year I shared something my friend Durlix wrote questioning when the melancholy creeps into the holiday. I guess I have to ask when is not there? My Paul already knows and he is 14. That hurts me because I want my children to enjoy the holidays, and not be sad, but I know that I can’t always take away their sadness.
So what are your off limit years? What years do you just want to skip it all together and pretend it is March? I honestly and sincerely hope that this is not one of those years for you.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sweet Smell of Christmas - Day 2
My sister Jenni and her family came to Denver unexpectedly this weekend. They are in the process of adopting a child from another country and the adoption agency is here and was hosting a conference. We met up with Jenni, Kendrick, Keenan and Naomi Saturday night in Cherry Creek and had dinner at Zaidy’s Deli.
I love my sister, and I dislike that I never get to spend very much time with her. It was a nice visit. Her children? ADORABLE!! Do you know what her children absolutely are crazy about? Their cousins Paul and Matthew. The kids were literally hanging on the boys through the meal. When Naomi’s meal came her Dad asked if she needed help cutting up her pancakes, she told him no and gave him a look that said, “Dad! I am a big girl, I don’t need your help!” But then one minute later she batted those beautiful brown eyes and handed Paul her knife and fork and he cut up her pancakes for her.
Matthew and Keenan are almost exactly 3 years apart and some years the two of them struggle to get along, but this was not one of those times. They chatted all through the meal, so much so that Keenan’s dinner was largely untouched. Although, he did help himself liberally to Matthew’s french fries.
At some point Keenan and Naomi gave my boys their Christmas gifts for this year. Each boy got a gift card for Barnes & Noble in a gift bag with holiday chocolates. Keenan had prepared Matthew’s bag and it was stuffed so full it could barely be closed at the top. Keenan swears it only has about 8 of each type of candy, but every time he told Matthew that he winked at him, which makes us believe he may have been overly generous with his favorite cousin. Naomi prepared Paul’s and there were EXACTLY 8 of each candy, and those 8 candies were all wrapped n the same color foil. Naomi wrote the card herself and was sure to tell Paul that she did it all herself. I am not sure whose smile was sweeter, the giver or the recipient.
When I tucked my Matthew in he summed it up perfectly, “Cousins make Christmas awesome!”
I love my sister, and I dislike that I never get to spend very much time with her. It was a nice visit. Her children? ADORABLE!! Do you know what her children absolutely are crazy about? Their cousins Paul and Matthew. The kids were literally hanging on the boys through the meal. When Naomi’s meal came her Dad asked if she needed help cutting up her pancakes, she told him no and gave him a look that said, “Dad! I am a big girl, I don’t need your help!” But then one minute later she batted those beautiful brown eyes and handed Paul her knife and fork and he cut up her pancakes for her.
Matthew and Keenan are almost exactly 3 years apart and some years the two of them struggle to get along, but this was not one of those times. They chatted all through the meal, so much so that Keenan’s dinner was largely untouched. Although, he did help himself liberally to Matthew’s french fries.
At some point Keenan and Naomi gave my boys their Christmas gifts for this year. Each boy got a gift card for Barnes & Noble in a gift bag with holiday chocolates. Keenan had prepared Matthew’s bag and it was stuffed so full it could barely be closed at the top. Keenan swears it only has about 8 of each type of candy, but every time he told Matthew that he winked at him, which makes us believe he may have been overly generous with his favorite cousin. Naomi prepared Paul’s and there were EXACTLY 8 of each candy, and those 8 candies were all wrapped n the same color foil. Naomi wrote the card herself and was sure to tell Paul that she did it all herself. I am not sure whose smile was sweeter, the giver or the recipient.
When I tucked my Matthew in he summed it up perfectly, “Cousins make Christmas awesome!”
Saturday, December 1, 2012
The Mitten - Day One
Happy December 2012! I am back again for another year of Christmas memories and such to share for the next 25 days. We have a bit of a blog redesign this year, I let Matthew help with the color scheme, hope you like it and find it as Christmasy as we do. So without any more prefacey commenty things here we go. . .
How do you decide what your holiday plans are? Do you always do the same things? Do you plan for different activities every year? Do you just wing it? As a parent, does it make it more difficult?
I ask because as a parent it KILLS me christmas since we moved to Denver. What I want, what I believe is the right thing, is that now that we live here in Colorado it is important for us to make friends here, to embrace this as our home and to make our holidays here. I also believe that holding on too tightly to the past and what we left behind in Oklahoma isn’t good for anyone. But when my boys tell me they miss their friends, that they miss their church, and most importantly that they miss their grandparents, it is difficult for me not to make that happen.
Before we became parents Kat and I went and did for the holidays based on external factors. What were Stephanie and Clyde doing? Were Kat’s folks coming to town? What were my Mom and Jenni doing? The one important thing for Kat and me was always that we had our Christmas party the Saturday before Christmas. Then we became parents and other things came in to play. It is challenging to travel with a baby. So staying home became the norm. Once Kat’s parents moved to Oklahoma it became easier to stay home and not travel.
Years ago I read a Dear Abby letter that had a woman complaining that they always traveled when her children were young and as a result never formed any holiday traditions of their own. I don’t even remember Abby’s answer, I know that I thought the woman was a whiny baby and missed the importance of being with her family and I wondered what kind of hag she was that her grown children didn’t want to spend the holidays with her. And now here I am, on the horns of a dilemma. All of my options are good, but what is the best for my boys? What is the best for my family? What makes Kat happiest? Am I the only one that struggles with this?
No matter what I choose someone will be let down. That is difficult for me. You can say there is always next year, but is there really? As I write this I haven’t made a decision yet, but my timeline is counting down, so I have to decide soon. It is something like my own personal version of the lady or the tiger. Which holiday wrapped door do I choose?
***When I wrote this in advance of December 1 I had not made a decision. Since then I have made a decision and even though I can’t satisfy everyone, the smiles on my boys faces when we told them our decision let me know I made the right decision.
How do you decide what your holiday plans are? Do you always do the same things? Do you plan for different activities every year? Do you just wing it? As a parent, does it make it more difficult?
I ask because as a parent it KILLS me christmas since we moved to Denver. What I want, what I believe is the right thing, is that now that we live here in Colorado it is important for us to make friends here, to embrace this as our home and to make our holidays here. I also believe that holding on too tightly to the past and what we left behind in Oklahoma isn’t good for anyone. But when my boys tell me they miss their friends, that they miss their church, and most importantly that they miss their grandparents, it is difficult for me not to make that happen.
Before we became parents Kat and I went and did for the holidays based on external factors. What were Stephanie and Clyde doing? Were Kat’s folks coming to town? What were my Mom and Jenni doing? The one important thing for Kat and me was always that we had our Christmas party the Saturday before Christmas. Then we became parents and other things came in to play. It is challenging to travel with a baby. So staying home became the norm. Once Kat’s parents moved to Oklahoma it became easier to stay home and not travel.
Years ago I read a Dear Abby letter that had a woman complaining that they always traveled when her children were young and as a result never formed any holiday traditions of their own. I don’t even remember Abby’s answer, I know that I thought the woman was a whiny baby and missed the importance of being with her family and I wondered what kind of hag she was that her grown children didn’t want to spend the holidays with her. And now here I am, on the horns of a dilemma. All of my options are good, but what is the best for my boys? What is the best for my family? What makes Kat happiest? Am I the only one that struggles with this?
No matter what I choose someone will be let down. That is difficult for me. You can say there is always next year, but is there really? As I write this I haven’t made a decision yet, but my timeline is counting down, so I have to decide soon. It is something like my own personal version of the lady or the tiger. Which holiday wrapped door do I choose?
***When I wrote this in advance of December 1 I had not made a decision. Since then I have made a decision and even though I can’t satisfy everyone, the smiles on my boys faces when we told them our decision let me know I made the right decision.
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