Traditions

The Gingerbread House, a family tradition I remember from childhood, still goes strong at my mom's house every Christmas Eve. There is no kit, but a real gingerbread house mold. That's not to say it hasn't gotten a modern update with a box mix or betty crocker icing.  But there's something about baking that brick of a house that marks this as my mom's-- and seeing all the familiar surroundings. The kitchen isn't the one from my childhood, my mom has moved several times since... but the table, the hutch, and so many other little things are the same.

The making of the houses cleaned me out of all the left over halloween candy- phew. The house did not grace our mantel though. Aside from the fact we have no mantel, there was another pesky little reason we didn't haul it home with us: the mouse. He would have been a very happy Christmas mouse I'm sure, but we put another little treat out for him... and let this not be part of future holiday traditions!

Slaying Christmas...

Ah Christmastime, it does feel a little bit like sport, doesn't it? The rush and race of it all. Since returning from California the cards have fluttered to the floor through the letter slot (*NYR #1, must put basket on letter slot) and ours has yet to go out (NYR #2: must send "Happy New Year" in lieu of Christmas card). Lizzie's co-op took three field trips. One to see the play Rudolf at Glenn Echo Park, another to buy a 'holiday' tree, and a third to the Botanical Gardens for their natural holiday display and train room. All good stuff. Grammy was with us for the latter and was also able to visit Mahlon's kindergarten class that same day for some graham cracker house making. That night we swung by the Festival of Lights at the Mormon Temple... very interesting indeed. We've decked the halls, hung ornaments on the fake Neapolitan Christmas Tree, baked cookies, made lots and lots of homemade cocoa, hosted a party, had the first snow of the season. Mahlon had his recita per Natale at Casa Italiana. We went to the Annapolis Yacht Club for the annual boat parade. We even made it to the National Cathedral for Carols by Candlelight-- and no one caught on fire. The same cannot be said for the family behind us...And let us not forget our tiny little elf, Funny Bunny Pants who asked Santa to visit our house a little early, just as a friendly reminder to stay good. All the while the car radio has been glued to 24/7 holiday muzak.

Today is Christmas Eve and I'm up early. Lizzie still visits us in the middle of the night. Unfortunately she sleeps not like a log but a starfish- arms and legs splayed out. But that's ok. I'm enjoying this quiet moment before the day starts up in earnest. We are heading to my mom's for Christmas Eve, an early dinner with my brother and his family, a few presents, church and then it's back home. Grammy and Ed will stay with us tonight, helping Santa assemble those toys the elves didn't get to. Tomorrow snow is in the forecast. A white Christmas?

I hope your holiday has been as full and rewarding as ours. I would end this with a "Merry Christmas to All!" but every time I think about it, it makes me laugh. The other night in the car Mahlon yelled at Lizzie, "It's Merry Christmas to ALL! Not All to YOU!" Nothing like big brother to keep you in check!

But I think Lizzie and Mahlon both got it right.

So from our home to yours

 "Merry Christmas to All & All to You!"

Nothing like filling up on all the season has to offer.

Santa is Coming Tonight...

First, Santa came to the kids school. And now word from the North Pole has it that he'll be in our 'hood this evening handing out stockings filled with goodies to all the good little boys and girls.... And because I'm that mom, today when the kids were complete maniacs I told them I was getting Santa on the phone and telling him he needed to come to our house TONIGHT and tell the kids they better start being nice! Lizzie burst into tears and Mahlon went whimpering to his room. Ahh, peace and quiet... Thank you Santa.

Happy Sunday

P.S. The above photo is one of 4 I took for our school cards.

P.P.S. I've yet to do our own holiday cards...

P.P.P.S. I've been Santa's helper the last few weeks. It's been a lot of work checking the list and plotting our course for tonight. I have no idea how he does it all...

P.P.P.S. Can I legitimately add "Santa" to my résumé?

DC Living: Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Life is moving pretty fast these days but I did want to give a quick mention to our Dreamgirls Night. The weekend before last we gathered up some friends for champagne cocktails before walking over to the Duke Ellington School for their production of Dreamgirls. It was a fantastic performance made even better with seats in the first row and dead center. I cannot express to you the level of talent these kids have, they simply shine. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts is part of DC's public school system and is dedicated to the performing arts. These kids work their butts' off to attend and graduate with 34% more credits than those needed at other District schools since they not only receive academic diplomas, but artistic as well. The students are a force and a real inspiration. Oh and that Effie! Dang but she brought the house down.

Prepping...

Homemade hot cocoa kits* for the neighbors. So easy even a 3 year old can do it.

*For the record, our kits used store bought marshmallows, plastic sacks, and white kraft bags. They weren't quite as deluxe as the one I linked too!

I Made You Something...

Yesterday after school Mahlon spent some time in his room playing quietly. He came downstairs with something tucked behind his back and announced, "I made you something for Christmas." Then he presented me with what you see above. "It's a menorah," he said proudly and then counted the 8 candles on the top while rattling on about a bad king, a battle, and oil. Truly I was impressed and felt a bit bad about breaking the news. "Ummm... that's nice honey, but... we're not Jewish." "I KNOW! But a Christmas tree is too hard to build out of Legos!" he screamed back at me and then he placed his Christmas gift to me in the window for "the neighbors to see." I think my Lego menorah may be one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever received.

Snow Flurry

It's not our first flurry of the season, that was last friday. But this one feels different... this one is sticking. This one is simultaneously striking fear and joy. It's a love hate thing. Thankfully it is a friday afternoon. Not just any friday though. This is the friday Leo comes home from school with us. Mahlon's first sleep over with a friend. This is shaping up to be a big day...

Holiday Trees and it's Bitter Cold...


Lizzie's class walked to the tree lot today for our holiday- not Christmas!- tree. It was freezing. Really. It was. Fortunately, I had long johns, faux fur boots, and the rest of the cold weather fixin's to keep me snug.

Liz was a bit of a baby about the whole thing though. A totally grumpapotumus. Really, Funny Bunny Pants is going to have a word with Santa about it tonight. Oh yessy. Lizzie is going on the not-so-nice list.

Don't know Funny Bunny Pants? That would be the elf that watches us. And everything that we do... because clearly God and Santa weren't cutting it.

Did Imention the grump? She does look a bit pathetic there doesn't she. Awww poor girl. I hope FBP isn't too hard on her in tonight's report...

Back...

We're back, but only just barely. Blogging will resume once Mount Laundry has been conquered.