Seek and ye shall (not) find...

A drum. My friend who has kids about Kailin's age took her daughters to Kohl's and asked them to pick out gifts for their dad. One chose a wallet and the other chose a tie. I felt bad that I hadn't taken Kailin shopping for Steve. So I took her to the store and asked her what she wanted to get him. She brightened and said, "I know! He will have a DRUM for Christmas!" A drum.

We already have two toy drums, so I thought I'd have her pick out a Christmas decoration of some sort - then it doesn't have to be around all the time and you know, pa rum pum pum. Not so much. Kohl's, Target, Walmart... NO ONE had a drum of any kind. And we didn't limit ourselves to ornaments - we looked in the light ups, the other decorations... EVERYWHERE!!! No luck. Christmas was fast approaching so we headed out (in a snowstorm) to the local garden store. They always have a healthy selection of Christmas decorations. We pulled in and Kailin could see inside. She said, "MOM! It's Christmas in there!!!" I laughed. It was indeed Christmas in there.

I couldn't wait to show her the "tree room". It was an annual event for me when I was a kid - this store has a back room filled with artificial trees of all shapes and sizes, decorated in every way imaginable - and very awe inspiring to a kid, I might add. The purpose of my childhood visits was always to see the "fruit loop tree". There was always one tree (and only one) festooned in a garland of fake candies - among them lifesavers, which to me appeared to be fruit loops. We intended this pilgrimage to be a family affair, but with the holiday season so short this year and so many other things to fit in, Steve working, early bedtimes for the kids... that, along with visiting Santa, just didn't ever make it to the top of the list. Had it not been for the drum quest, none of us would've seen the tree room this year. But before we could hit the tree room, we had to exhaust the store for a drum...

They had two drum ornaments. The same ornament - one red, and one green, both with tiny mirrors and gold beads. I initially spotted them but passed them by hoping for a better option. Nope. None. They were the last two remaining drums of any shape or form in the store. (I even searched the trees in the tree room for drum ornaments with all intentions of pleading with anyone who would listen to me that we NEEDED to shop from the tree despite the signs vehemently insisting that we not do so...no need to plan that argument out!) We bought the green one. Kailin reminded me at the register that it is a secret. I laughed. She had told Steve no less than 12 times already that "you will have a drum for Christmas!!" Thankfully, and truthfully, he never heard her. I think God was smiling on us just then - maybe on me for my dedicated efforts to find the drum or maybe on Kailin for being so excited about giving to others. I was thankful in any case that the drum did indeed remain a secret right up until Steve opened it on Christmas morning.

Oh - and the tree room? It held a different draw for Kailin. She deemed it a rainforest and then asked where we were. She was hesitant to believe that we were still in the store both there and in the silk florals aisle we happened down on our way to the register. "Where are we NOW, Mama?" "The store. We're still in the store, honey." "Noooo.... this is not a store!" Now if THAT isn't awe and wonder, I don't know what is...

Soapbox about apostrophes

**Warning - this is a preachy post but I can't take it any longer!!!!!**

I'll get right to the point.... If your last name is Smith and someone is addressing something to you (a card for instance), then the correct way to write that is "The Smiths" or "The Smith Family". "The Smith's" is NOT correct!!!!!! To indicate the plural of something, you simply add an s at the end. You do NOT need an apostrophe unless you are indicating that something belongs to the Smith family.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now, but it's just like fingernails on a chalkboard to me and I had to vent somehow or I was going to implode!

Fabulous fiber optics

This is a picture of Kailin helping me decorate our real tree. It was a task she enjoyed thoroughly this year. She did pretty well at it. Her brother, on the other hand, is much more interested in tree un-decorating and in general tree brutality. He prefers to remove the ornaments and/or flog the tree with his kiki and/or forcibly rip the needles from the branches. Lovely holiday fun to be certain!

The real topic of this post is the smaller, artificial tree that we put up in the kids' room last night. It is one we've never before put up and one we inherited from Steve's Great Aunt and Uncle. It was much to our pleasant surprise to find that it was a pre-lit tree. Had I known that, I'd have put it up with the kids last week! (I don't do lights....) It was a much less pleasant (for me at least) surprise to find out that the tree has certain...fiber optic "qualities" (in my opinion, fiber optics almost NEVER indicate quality). We had our choice of white or color. Steve asked Kailin what she wanted. Color, of course! Steve set it up and plugged it in. The kids were astounded and bewitched by the twinkling myriad of colors before their eyes. I have to admit - for a kids tree, it's pretty cool. Charmingly spectacular one might even say. We're going to finish putting the ornaments on it tonight and then I'll see if I can get a picture. Believe me - it's special!

Lesson(s) learned...

On Friday night I volunteered in the Historic Third Ward for their Christmas festival. I've done it five of the last six years. I help sell cookies to benefit Toys for Tots and hot chocolate to benefit the Ward. There's always a ton of people and kids and it's a joyful thing to do. I love it! This year, however, it was COLD. REALLY cold. I think single digits maybe. Anyway, there weren't a lot of people. Still, it was fun.

Then I got to sit and chat with my sister-in-law over a warm bowl of soup. It was a lovely time of catching up and just being an adult. Around 10:30 it started to snow a little, but it's Wisconsin and we have snow here and I didn't think anything of it.

I headed home and the roads were pretty good. Snowy in parts, but I took it slow and all was well....until I hit some black ice about a mile from home and ended up backwards in the ditch. Thankfully, the car and I are both absolutely fine. It was 12:15. I wasn't entirely sure what to do. I shifted the car into low gear and tried it to see if I cold make it out. Not so much. So I figured I'd breathe a little and call Steve. We have roadside through insurance, but you find your own tow truck and then they reimburse you. I called Steve. And I called him. And I called again. It wasn't til about the 8th call that I remembered that I'd taken the phone out of our room during naps - and it was not likely that it got replaced. So I sat some more and weighed the idea of walking home against calling someone else and thought about who I'd call... I got out and used my boot to dig around the tires a little in a last effort to get myself out. As I was doing that, a good Samaritan pulled up. I wasn't sure what to think or do. That makes me sad. When I saw it was a woman, I was less trepidatious and in retrospect that makes me even more sad. What kind of world do we live in that I need to be wary of someone who is coming to give me help at 12:30am while I'm in the ditch?

Anyway, the kind woman who stopped asked if I was okay and if I had a cell phone. I said yes to both, but explained that I was having trouble getting in touch with Steve. She offered to call AAA for me and wait with me. I was pretty amazed - in this world - that someone would offer to do that - and so late at night! I was also very thankful.

Unfortunately, in my haste to get out the door that afternoon, I had determined that I "probably had enough gas to get to Milwaukee and back" so I didn't fill up. That is one huge lesson learned. I was down to about 1/8 of a tank as I was nearing my exit and I truly would've had enough gas to get home and then some, except that at the angle the car was at, the gas all flowed away from the engine and the car started to sputter. Knowing that I'd need to get home once I got towed out, I shut the car off. It was interesting to see how quickly the car got cold. I was sitting there shivering and listening to Christmas music and wondering whether or not I was really that cold or just a little shocky after my experience. Thankfully, the tow truck came after just half an hour. I thanked my Samaritan one last time and drove directly to the gas station and filled up.

It wasn't until I got into the garage and turned off the car that I thought to take a minute to thank God for keeping me safe - and for teaching me some lessons about trusting people and getting gas in my car. I'm disappointed in myself for not thinking to thank Him the moment the car came to rest and I was fine - or when the nice woman pulled up and offered to call a tow truck and wait with me or during the quiet time while I waited for the tow truck. I'm glad I remembered in the end, but particularly in this time of year, I wish I'd thought to do it sooner. Thankfully, my God understands my weaknesses and loves me anyway. What a gift that is!

BUSTED!

I went to a friend's house the night before last for dinner with the girls. It was soooo relaxing and fun! I looked at my watch and it was 11:15 already!! (It's a 50 minute drive home) I headed home, managed to stay awake on my way, and enjoyed my first opening of the garage door (we only recently got a garage door opener and I'd never had the pleasure of pressing the button and pulling on in), and came in. I set my stuff down and turned off the lights. I carefully proceeded down the halll and up the stairs. I congratulated myself on having avoided the miscellaneous toys scattered in the hall and on my silent ascent. About 3/4 of the way up the stairs I remembered that I'd taken my glasses and contact case with me in case I needed to take my contacts out. Duh duh duh (imagine that sound effect you hear on tv shows). I sneak carefully back down the stairs and make my way to the kitchen and turn on a light. Procure the glasses and case and turn the light off. Sneak back down the hall when.....Barbie suddenly declares "WELCOME BACK!!!! THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!!! THIS IS BARBIE!" If I could make that font bigger, I would. It scared the bejeebers out of me and for a moment, I thought it had woken the kids. UGH. Fortunately it didn't and I went up to bed without further incident.

It did cause me to think about ridding our household of that toy once and for all. I HATE it. It's a hand me down from my sister's sister-in-law and it's a horrible toy. For one thing, the lid "locks" when you shut it and only the oldest kids can open it. That causes the younger kids to bring it to me no less than 37 times a day to be opened. The on/off button is in an alluring location such that the little kids enjoy pressing it repeatedly. So we hear the greeting, then the goodbye, then the greeting, then the goodbye....over and over and OVER! And the worst insult of them all - there's no volume control (which I didn't realize until I'd already given it to Kailin) and it yells. ALL THE TIME. It's above her age level and the first thing it always yells is "ENTER YOUR NAME!!!!!" Well she can't do that yet and when she doesn't, it yells the request again! And again. And some more after that. I'm not sure what finally triggers it to give up, but it takes AWHILE. Additionally, it's what I call a "call back toy" and if you leave it unattended for any period of time, it screams out inquiries as to your whereabouts about 972 times before it finally screams that it is turning itself off. Usually that last one is the one that jars the kids into running over and pushing a button and then we start the whole thing over again. But they LOVE it. And it does let you play music. Still, I think one of these nights it might just disappear.

At any rate, I never figured I'd be busted by BARBIE for sneaking in late!!

Snow bunnies and ice floes

I took the kids outside to play tonight. We had a snow storm yesterday and Kailin's been itching to get out and play in the snow ever since we had the first flurries during which she and Dakota both declared their intent to go sledding that very day (even though nothing was even sticking to the grass). I'd been putting her off for the reason that I didn't have any snow pants for Dawson, but also because Colby had never played in the snow before and I wanted Steve to be here when he did.

Unfortunately, I needed to finish shoveling the driveway and Steve had to teach dog school tonight. So with his blessing I bundled up the kids after the boys left and we headed out. I was a little worried about how Colby would like snow, but I was under strict ordered to document the event on film and video. I needn't have worried. Colby ADORES the snow! He was giggling and laughing and tromping all over. Of course my preference is for photos over video and as it got darker video became much less of an option anyway, but our camera's flash was doing something weird either because of the snow or the darkness and I managed to miss almost every one of Colby's smiles. Darn it anyway!!

While I was shoveling, Kailin brought me a chunk of ice/snow that was flat on the bottom. I admired it and she said, "This is an ice floe, Mom." What?! An ice floe? (I know the term but was having issues with my 3 year old using it correctly (well, semi-correctly anyway)) "It's an ice floe, like it the arctic." "Where did you learn that?" "Dora." So I guess letting her watch Dora now and again isn't all bad!!

I ran back in the house to get some better mittens. When I came out, there was Kailin with my giant shovel trying to do the walk. What a sweetheart! It was pretty funny to watch. I think she succeeded in shoveling about 7 molecules of snow, but it's the effort that matters!

Kailin asked if she could sled. I promised that we would after I finished the shoveling. Truth be told, I think I was just as excited as she was! I loaded her in and off we went. One figure 8 around the side yard and it was Colby's turn. He delighted in the sled ride, but wasn't as keen on sharing as his sister was! He screamed and wailed for her entire second ride. On one of Kailin's turns, I took a turn too fast and dumped her out head over heels onto her face. I feared the worst, but she emerged giggling so hard she could barely breathe!

If you're looking for a way to prove to yourself that you are entirely out of shape, I recommend pulling kids around the yard in a sled! I declared one more ride each and then had the brilliant idea to see if they'd both fit. They had a blast!! But pulling 66lbs of kids around the yard is WORK for sure!! It was time to go in and warm up and let the dogs out, but it was a fun-filled hour and one I won't soon forget!

Oh Christmas Tree

Saturday morning we headed out to the Christmas Tree Farm to get our tree for the year. There had been much discussion over who was going and how many were going...last year was nothing short of an horrific experience owing to my desire to find the perfect tree and Kailin's tantrum prone two year old unreasonability. We vowed that this year we would bring no children at all. As November wore on and it became clear that Kailin's attitude toward Christmas this year had come full circle and that she was entirely ecstatic about the whole thing, we both agreed that Kailin would come with us. Colby was another question. Part of me said that it would be a much more enjoyable experience if we left him home but the mom part of me said that he's part of our family and to go off and enjoy a family tradition without him wouldn't be fair. In the end, we didn't plan ahead enough to get a sitter for him and I decided that I would keep my cool at all costs and that if we came home treeless on Saturday it was no different than if we hadn't gone at all. We packed snow pants and boots for both kids (remembering that last year we'd had a hard time with cold (and the dropped mitten incident)) and headed off.

Kailin was BESIDE HERSELF with excitement! She took in every single detail of the whole event. Colby, sadly, fell asleep on the way and was much less sure! Still, we rode the tractor out to the fields and hopped off. Kailin picked every tree as the one for us. Steve and I did laugh about some really huge ones and some really Charlie Brown ones. One of the guys at the farm said that you should look for the tree you want regardless of it's size. Since the farm we use charges per tree and not by size, he said there was nothing wrong with cutting down a tree and then just cutting off the portion of it that you want. Good point. Anyway, if they charged less for small trees, we might've picked up a Charlie Brown special for the kids room! Steve took some time to teach the kids about burrs. Partly for the wow factor of something natural that works like velcro and partly for cautioning Kaillin against getting any in her hair! Both kids were duly wowed. Ha ha.

Colby was mostly hanging in there when we found our tree. Steve cut it down and we started to carry it up to the wagon stop when Colby decided he wasn't ready to go just yet. In typical almost two year old fashion, he just stopped. I could see him, so we said goodbye and walked on. One thing about Colby - he'll call your bluff. He became engrossed in some plants and didn't give a rat's rear end that we were leaving without him. He said "No!" quite sassily a few times and it became clear that I'd have to go and retrieve him. About that time a good Samaritan whose tree choosing companions were "going to be awhile" (according to him) came up with a tree cart and helped us lug our pick to the wagon stop. Just as we arrived, so did the wagon. We climbed aboard and off we went. Kailin was still elated at the experience and I just soaked it in. I watched her boots lying between Steve's and just reveled in my blessings. That sounds sappy and cliche, but truly I did. I thanked God right then for blessing me in life.

We got back to the big barn and headed in for some hot apple cider while they shook our tree and netted it. The kids loved the cider and we ended up back outside to get out of the way. Kailin noted that one tree with a particularly long top (it turned out to be ours) looked like a helicopter as it jiggled on the de-needler machine. She was right! Steve took Colby to get the Jeep and Kailin and I went in to pay. It wasn't until after they'd swiped my card and I'd signed the slip that the cashier commented to another cashier "Well Discover does work in this machine!" The other cashier said it would later reject. I said I'd go get another card and while I was at the car, I put Kailin in. I went back in and thought to ask what would happen if by chance both charges went through. I didn't mind paying with another card, but I didn't want to pay twice! The cashier asked an older woman whom I presume is one of the owners and she said that they do take Discover. So now we either got a free tree or we paid only once, but either way is okay with me.

I went back outside to claim our tree and the same older woman had now come outside. As I grabbed our tree she commented, "wow - now that's a big tree!" Hmmm... I had thoughts of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where they unleash the tree and the branches bust through all the windows. As many know, our luck with trees is not good. Three years ago our tree flew off the roof of the Jeep as we drove it home and for the past two years, we've had issues with it falling over out of it's stand. So window breakage is probably not out of the question for us!

The trip home was uneventful and the whole trip was a very fun family affair. I will look back on it and smile - and I will try to remember times like those when the times are rough and the kids are anything but angels. We brought the tree in while the kids napped (in theory). I was a little worried that maybe Colby would feel a need to cover his head at all times, but so far so good!

This was a great way to kick off our Christmas Season. It is truly a new experience to see this holiday season through the eyes of an excited child and I'm going to do my best to enjoy each and every moment of it.