Friday, December 14, 2007

No Touchy Touchy


I love this time of year!!! The boys wake up every morning and look for our 'Elf on the Shelf' named Callileo. He has been watching over our home since Thanksgiving, in a different spot everyday. I often find Sam talking to him-"Callileo, please tell Santa that I ate my whole breakfast and used my manners." Noah simply stares up at him and says- "No touchy, touchy." Both boys write notes or pictures for Santa and use Callileo as their currier. Santa has been writing LOTS of thank you notes. And of course Sam had to ask Santa for a picture of all of his artwork in his workshop. Thank God for Adobe Photo Shop!!!!

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Christmas Treasures

This morning Noah was playing with play-doh and came out to show me his homemade snake. I noticed that he had some orange around his mouth and reminded him that play-doh is not to eat, but to play with. "But daddy said" was his response. I quickly stated that daddy did not tell him it was ok to eat play-doh. "But, Santa said, mommy".

Isn't it interesting how quickly they pick up your tricks!!! "Noah, Santa is watching"-right back at me!!! Too funny...

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Winters Offerings

The first snow!!!! Noah was asking for his snowsuit before he was out of his jammies. These beautiful snow persons were his very own creations. The wonder of snow and winter and Frosty in a child is something to behold. This little boy was convinced that once Frosty had a head he would begin talking. Imagine his dismay when both heads were affixed and not one "Happy Birthday" was uttered. And unfortunately, it began to rain only a few inches into our 'storm of 2007', so the snow time was limited. Sam, Noah and I later went out to shovel slush and watch Frosty's nose, eyes and buttons slide to the wet grass below. What amazed me about Noah was the love and effort with which he created these two magical creatures and the glee he experienced watching them dissolve.


Sam on the other hand was very busy making waterways in the piles of snow. He figured out that he could make the water go anywhere he wanted it to by making paths in the snow with his fingers. He was giddy with the sense of power he derived from completely controlling nature. A Roman in the making?? Once the aqueducts were completed, it was on to snow angels and wet rear ends. One minute a budding architect, the next a silly, giggling baby angel. That child is such a trip!!!

And here is the proof, for any doubters, that the tree has been purchased and is standing in our living room. Any bets on how long it stays naked? It is a very fat, happy tree in a not-so-big stand. Very much like me in heels, it is teetering on the edge of keeling over on the first person who comes to close. It could literally swallow Noah whole.


Fat Christmas trees with little white lights, Billy Holiday singing on cold winter nights, eggnog and hot cocoa after snowball flings, these are a few of my favorite things!!!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Bunny, bunny....burn out!!!

And so it begins.... Dec. first and we are already starting Christmas burnout. We got up bright and early to bunny bunny and then brunch with Santa. We were served a yummy breakfast by some adorable elves, then got to hug and play with Frosty and Rudolph and the Mystery Christmas Mouse??!! The boys were absolutely thrilled that they could then decorate gingerbread cookies (yes, at 9am) with as much icing and sprinkles as they could fit. Noah ended up with more icing on his backside than in his tummy (a truly impressive feat!!). Both boys sat with Santa and had a lovely chat.


We then went to get a tree with some friends (yes, it is true...Peter Foss purchased a tree on December 1st-Christmas miracle #1). It was a wonderful farm with a buffalo and some llamas and beautiful trees. Unfortunately it was about 12 degrees, so we picked the first fat tree we saw and off we went. We had lunch with lots of hot cocoa at home and then Sam and I
traipsed off to an outdoor birthday party at a local farm (may I remind you it was FREEZING outside). The party ended after 2 cool hours and we rushed home to meet friends for dinner and an excursion to the North Pole on the Polar Express.

Caroling, story reading, hot cocoa, brownies, Santa and a little bit of Christmas Magic sums up our evening on the train!!! I guess it is silly, but that wonderful story always makes me teary. Sam has already figured out that not all of the Santas he sees are real (he has helpers!!). I often wonder how are we going to preserve the magic for these little boys and keep the bell ringing for as long as possible?

Peter is off to NY for a few days and I am sitting here looking at our beautiful, FAT, tree in its stand waiting to be adorned by many glorious homemade trinkets (yes, again it is true, the tree is in the stand,
IN THE HOUSE-Christmas miracle #2). And although it has been a crazy day, I am feeling thankful. Thankful for the opportunity for my boys to get swept up in the magic of Christmas twice in one day. Thankful for such wonderful friends. Thankful for a man who braved frigid weather to haul an enormous tree home and thankful for the wonderful smell of that tree throughout the house. The smell of Christmas and a big glass of wine, make me think I could do it all over again tomorrow....