An Heirloom (part 2)

In an attempt to bring this blog up to date - I must first skip back a few weeks to finish a little pre-Christmas storytelling. I had the heirloom book out and attempted to create a little tradition with my own children. While accompanying myself I began singing songs out of the book. The kids got excited. McLaren wanted to help my play. When he began to really interfere with the song I had to set him down. Not wanting to be stopped, he climbed back up and this time sat right down on my hands, renderring them incapable of playing. He began to play his own songs. Lucky for us it was his nap-time. Since it was nap-time and not wanting to wake the rascal up Laina and I sat at the table and began going through the songs. We'd turn the page and she'd say "mom...sing this one", so I'd start to sing. She'd then stop me and say "I think I need to sing a song about (fill in the blank depending on whatever the song was that I just sang)". Then she'd sing a very nice original song about sleighs, bells, Jesus, Mary, Christmas trees, stockings, santa etc. She would even incorporate bits and pieces of Christmas stories that we had been reading all month. Quite clever...very impressive...incredibly hard to keep a straight face! Indy was to busy at that point playing video games to be bothered with singing songs...but his turn came later that night when he would not allow me to sing at all. He would put his hand over my mouth and inform me that he was trying to memorize the song so he could sing it himself (it is very hard to memorize all those reindeers in order :).

We had a wonderfully simple Christmas. Indy was sure the orange in his stocking was coal. We made it down to Yuma and were treated to a wonderfully stuffing week filled with gourmet breakfasts and dinners. I gained 10 pounds. Gpa Wade/Father Christmas insisted the grandkids all help make breakfast every morning--clad in aprons and aging from 2 - 7 years old--they tried...of course their parents hid out in a room far away.

The only pictures I managed to take were of the annual paint ball fight. Too lazy to get them out so you'll have to wait...but don't hold any breath!