THE AWFUL TEMPLE

I went Christmas shopping the other day and got this really cool book with pictures of places around the world in it. I was showing the kids all the places they've been to and I showed a picture of the Eiffel Tower to Addi and asked if she remembered what it was called. She said with confidence, "Mm hm! The Awful Temple." Hahaha!

Last night we went to Russell's families' house for a Christmas party and Santa came! I had the kids looking so beautiful in their Christmas clothes and they were so polite and sweet and good. I'm such a lucky mom! I gave Daylen a haircut just before and he looked sooo great in his little suit coat and jeans. He's nine now and totally is a believer in Santa. His friend was telling him pernicious lies about santa not being real. On our way to do Christmas shopping the other day we were listening to the Christmas station on the radio and some guy called in to talk about the lie that's going around about Santa not being real. Daylen shushed everyone and we had to wait and listen to the whole thing before we could go into the store. Well that was all the proof he needed. He's SO CUTE!

SANTA'S A GREAT GUY

We'd been trying to tell Addi for days that Santa'd be coming to the Christmas party but she was absolutely positive that he wasn't. She said, "because he doesn't let people see him; he only comes on Christmas." She was so firm about it I was shocked! Anyway, she was absolutely sure he wasn't coming right up until he came. Even when the grownups gathered the children all in to wait for Santa and sing Christmas songs, I'm pretty sure she just felt sorry for the poor gullible things. Anyway, when he came she was the first out of twenty or so who was brave enough to sit on his lap. She told him she wanted a toy pony for Christmas, and then he gave her a purse FULL of presents, and a stuffed bear with clothes. She was so happy that when she sat down she said, loud enough for Santa to hear, "Santa's a great guy!" Anyway, after the children saw how richly she was rewarded they couldn't wait to have their turn. I rubbed it in pretty well that I was right about Santa coming and tried to make it into some sort of life-lesson about how Mommy is always right, haha. She took it really well and admitted that she was wrong. Then last night while we were all in my bed, she waited 'till after Daylen had fallen asleep and said, "Mom, do you think that was the real Santa?" I just told her I wasn't really sure, and she said, "Yeah, cuz he said, 'what do you want for Christmas,' and I said a toy pony... and then he gave me other toys..." I totally remember thinking the same thing when I sat on Santa's lap at the Tauai's house and he gave me that cool combination safe right after I told him I wanted a toy car for Christmas. Anyway, I made an effort to cover for Santa's apparent blunder by saying, "Oh he was just asking you what you wanted, but he gave you the toys he'd already brought for you." Well that did not pass as logical for her, because of course if he was the real Santa he could've just changed what was in his bag into a toy pony. I tried again. "True. But Santa asked you what you wanted for Christmas. Is it Christmas yet?" She liked that one a lot better, smiling about how simple it was like it was a revelation. I rested my case. Then she had one more.

"But also Mom, I saw a tag."

"Like, a store tag? On his clothes?"

"No, on his sack that he had."

Well I couldn't argue with that. She had me, and I had to concede that we just couldn't be sure if that was really him.

TODAY'S MENU

This morning I got breakfast in bed again! The kids do that for me quite often, because they're the sweetest kids ever ever. I was just chillin in bed, catching up with my e-mails and they came in with it, all excited. The surprises on my plate this morning were:

colored marshmallows

saltine crackers

a protein bar

a pile of chocolate chips

a heap of powdered sugar (Daylen said for dipping my colored marshmallows in)

two gummy-bear vitamins

a glass of tang (Daylen said proudly that it had three cups of sugar in it)

and a piece of wheat bread with a smiley-face made of cheerios

What a lucky Mom I am! I ate well this morning.

PRACTICE TIME!

Oh, and I have to share this idea with you if I haven't already. I've been doing it for a while and the kids love it. I filled a big trunk with all our sports equipment and jump ropes and skates and stuff and we have "practice time." I set the timer for fifteen minutes or more and they get to pick any sport or talent or instrument to practice. Daylen often pics golf or drums and Addi likes to pick dancing or singing or skating a lot. I just set up her princess dancing videos or the karaoke machine or whatever. I always practice something too, usually the guitar or I write my book. Yesterday Daylen and I played catch with his baseball glove for practice time, and he discovered he was really good at it and loved it. Addi put the glove on and played too. Anyway, just thought I'd share that idea cuz it's good productive no-TV time, and the kids get all excited about it because they get to pick pretty much whatever they want. It's a lot easier for me to see what they're really interested in so I don't pay for tons of lessons for things to find out if they like it. And they learn how to develop their talents and work at something, as well as learning what they're good at. The neighbor kids love to come over for practice time.

Chree-stmas Chree-stmas ti-eem is here...

We once again upheld the tradition of the gingerbread house. I had to convince Daylen that we don't need to do it exactly how it is on the box because he was frustrated with Addi's candy placement. He finally relaxed when I said, "Daylen, it's like you're an artist. Just do what looks good; you don't have to copy." He thought about it and smiled so sweetly and said, "You're right Mom." He has a knack for saying those perfect-child phrases.

I also picked up some stuff at the craft store so we could decorate our own ornaments. I thought it'd be a good gift for the sweet little elderly women who are our neighbors, because they always give the kids such sweet gifts. And they'll have their school pictures inside so it will be extra cool. Of coarse we made several that will go on our tree.
On a whim I decided to make whipped cream snowmen on top of their chocolate mousse and Addi helped me put on the chocolate chip eyes and buttons. The hair she did herself. (: The funny thing about this particular hairstyle is that she only does it that way at home, and if we go anywhere she runs and takes all the clippies out all on her own, as if on some level she knows how it looks.
And here is the writer's board I just made in my bedroom. I've already added to it, but you get the idea. It really is helping me keep the plot of my novel straight, since it's gotten kind of complicated. Also, it helps me when I've got writer's block cuz I can just write a scene around one of the cards.

Daylen's birthday turned out great. I'd post pictures, but I took them with Jim's camera, which we think might be broken. I'll post them when I get 'em. Jim had the kids for the weekend so we had the party over at his place and I just brought over the presents. I made a German chocolate cake and we had sparkler candles, which we had to light with the pilot light! I got him two "bladestars," which were ridiculously pricey so Russell helped me buy them. And the other big present was from Jim, a backugon arena and figures. Jim also picked him up several small toys as they shopped. Basically whenever Daylen said, "Can I have this?" Jim said yes, which I think is a pretty cool birthday tradition! I got him a pokemon game and his friends brought him presents too. I thought it ended up being a really cool birthday and he got everything he'd asked for. I think I'm definitely one of those parents who tries to compensate for the divorce by trying to make everything else perfect. I'm not sure if I should change that or not though! Opinions welcome!

Love!
Jewelsee