Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow

WOO HOO! This week, old man winter final arrived after a fall filled with really, really warm days. Many 60 and 70 degree days in November. And the tornado...

Just before Turkey Day, we had a 69 degree day in the Midwest. In the afternoon, a cold front came through, dropping temps by 20 degrees at the snap of fingers. The little town (no bar, one church, no gas station) where the kids' school is located suffered an F2 tornado that came through quickly. Several houses were destroyed but truely, absolutely amazing, that no one suffered any life-threatening injuries. Lots of cleanup is required and some unlucky souls were left without liveable homes. But the humans prevailed. And the kids' school had no damage. One block away, it looks like a war zone. We are counting our blessings!

But now the cold has set in and after several inches of the white stuff, the kids are joyfully frolicking in the snow. So fun to watch them burn hundreds of calories while bundled like little wooly mammoths. And it just puts you into the holiday spirit. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (but only until 12/31...then it can stop and the warm temps can return)

So that leads to me the question of the week --- Do you know how Santa got his job? The little man came home from school this week and disspelled all myths. Santa started out as a mailman. He got stuck in traffic so he decided it would be better to deliver packages at night. So he did...and he got fired. So he took a job at the zoo. He didn't like seeing all the animals caged up, so he let them out. And he got fired. But the reindeer liked him. And introduced him to the elves. Who decided his previous job skills were perfect for the job of Santa. So they hooked the polar bears up to the sleigh and sent him off with the packages. But the polar bears took the sleigh into water. And the reindeer had to fly and rescue Santa. So Santa hooked the reindeers up to the sleigh --- and that my friends is how Santa came to deliver packages at night with reindeer. The End (Guess this is a book that the teacher read to the kids at school---HOW ADORABLE!)

Miss Socialite participated in a very modern version of Alice in Wonderland a few weeks ago. Our adorable little flower spent much time on stage, pretending she was texting her friends, and saying "Ewwwwwww" while Alice (small, medium, and large) wondered why the White Rabbit was always late. Getting ready for the play was a very large time commitment but it was all worth it. The joy in her face while she was stage---she loves to perform.

But her brother, he could do without on-stage attention. He wants to quit piano. NO, NO, NO---I don't want to play anymore. Kiddos have a Christmas piano recital in a few weeks. Big sister kept telling little bro' how big the piano is at the church. It is like "this" big. "Taller than you are." He is freaked! And it is such a rip-off because after only six months of lessons, little man is READING music. He's naturally picking it up and now, due to stage fright and the MEGA-sized piano, he wants to quit. This saga is to be continued...I may be sitting at the MEGA-piano, plunking Up On The Housetop with little man.

Got the tree up last night. Fire blazing. Polar Express on the TV. And then the battle of "Who Gets to Put the Star On Top of the Tree" ensued. Big sister won. Little man went to bed and cried. So I created a log of who has put the star on the tree from 2004 to current. Going to put it in with the tree decorations so we know whose turn it will be in 2011. Next year, little brother will be putting the star on the tree. And big sister will go to bed and cry. Something to be learned about kindness and the reason for the season!

Merry Christmas everyone! May your tree-topping be battle free and your yard be filled with white stuff. And may your families be blessed with health, love, and happiness this season!