Christmas in Ohio

We celebrated Christmas in Ohio this year. I love going to my Mom's house for Christmas - she and my Dad always work really hard to make it special for us, and I'm thankful for them!







The highlight this year was definitely cousin time. Howie, Frankie, and Dex are finally at the age where they really, really love to be with one another. And what fun they have together! There was a cousin sleepover, lots of bouncing on Howie's bouncy castle, and a few animal parades. Johnny is still young to participate in much of the fun, but he's a hoot, and will no doubt be joining in more and more of the fun in years to come. This kept happening:











The best part about this game was that Johnny thought it was hilarious, and Frankie took her "job" of putting him back on the chair very seriously. She kept patiently putting him back without any scolding (good for her!). He would giggle and repeat the process, thinking it a really fun game.



Santa came this year in all his American Christmas Glory. My kids know all about Santa, the mythology, his reindeer, the fact that he comes down the chimney. We have a gorgeous edition of The Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett. They love to sing the songs about him and ask me all kinds of questions about the how and whys of Santa.



I've never felt it necessary for them to believe Santa is real. I don't think that fact takes away any of the magic of Santa when you're 4. When you're 4, you dress up like a mermaid and suddenly you're a mermaid. It doesn't matter if you're not really a mermaid; you're a mermaid. The line between make believe and real is very fuzzy when you're a kid. So my kids know that Santa isn't real, but that he's a really fun story that we can participate in and they love to participate.


New hula hoop!

I've also never felt it necessary to demonize Santa and all he represents. He's a myth, a significant part of our culture, and a really fun one when you're a kid. I participate in many sins throughout the Christmas season: indulgence, selfishness, consumerism, lack of contentment. I can't blame Santa or our cultural Christmas for those things.



My kids know all about Jesus too. His birth, the Angel Gabriel who heralded his coming, and all kinds of songs celebrating his birth. They know that on Christmas we are celebrating Jesus' birth, his coming to save us all, the glory and wonder of God becoming flesh. This is also very magical for them.



I think the really hard part for all of us who are Christians at Christmas is to strike the balance between being a part of our culture and celebrating a time of thankfulness and generosity while also celebrating an important religious holiday. I kind of wish the two were separate events, but I think the cultural Christmas we all celebrate is also important. It's an important time to show love and care to people around you.



I do know that the time I spend participating in the cultural Christmas events (the endless string of North Pole exhibits, light displays, and Christmas train rides) was not nearly as satisfying as the time I spent with family, contemplating Jesus and the work he came to do, and celebrating those I love. I think this is where the good, the pure, and true lie.




Isn't my little sister the cutest?!?!?!


Pinky Pie, thank you Mimi!








Pawpaw!


Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jason




Nonnie and Pawpaw


Awkward Family Photo


Not so awkward!










Johnny


Howie


New toothbrushes from Santa!










Mixing up some reindeer food, thanks Aunt Becky!










Merry Christmas!

*I'd like to thank Becky and her mad camera skills for most of these pictures!

Is it Chrismas yet?!

We have an Advent calendar in the kitchen that marks the days down to Christmas. Frankie is rather sentinel in her duty to keep track of how many days we have left, so I always know the count. I love Christmas, but usually reach a point where I am ready for all the festivities to be over and our normal schedule to return. This year, I'm not sure if it's because I have two preschoolers or because we're in Atlanta (Christmas is a much more subdued event in Boston), but I think I've reached my limit. I think it's the crowds more than anything, but I don't think I can handle any more crowded Christmas-related events.

But wow, we've had a time of it this year! We started Christmas off in Knoxville at Great Gammie's house. We went to the Festival of Trees with Mimi



The kids made ornaments, got their faces painted, and rode a carousel, all to benefit the local Children's hospital.











There was a pretty impressive gingerbread house contest there too. This was my favorite:


Then it was off to Clemson to decorate gingerbread houses of our own with Maggie, Sam, and Caleb






I've been told it's been unseasonably warm, even for down here, but this has been our favorite part of Christmas in the south:


Back in Atlanta, we went to the Life College lights display with Aunt Dawn and Uncle Bob. We saw Santa, who turns out is dog friendly!



When Santa asked what the kids wanted, Frankie replied a teddy bear (?) and Dex replied enthusiastically, "A present!". Frankie decided later what she really wants is a hula hoop, which sounds more accurate to me, so that's what we got her. Sounds like Dex will be happy with anything we get him, so Chris picked out a sweet ray gun for him at Target.

Speaking of presents, I entered our bedroom the other day to the sound of ripping paper. I found Dex in the midst of the wrapping paper roll mess below, and asked him (a little horrified) what he was doing. "Momma," he said, "I found this present under your bed and I kept opening and opening but couldn't find the present."



You can't discipline a boy for that kind of hilarity.

We got a tree and decorated our house.






One of my favorite pieces on the mantel - my mom made this a few Christmases ago.

Frankie has been a veritable factory of Christmas crafts this month.


There is a baby Jesus, lost somewhere in the house. That's probably why Mary and Joseph look so anxious.


One of my favorite ornaments she made. She was really proud of the pattern she chose to do. "Momma, I did two reds and one white. Most of the other kids only did red then white, red then white." How lame of them, right?


Finally! A use for all those discarded puzzle pieces.

We've now also been to Frankie's school Christmas sing a long and Christmas party, Advent Sundays at church, the lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and Madeline's Christmas (a theatrical production for kids, and super cute). While all this has been loads of fun and really well done, I think we're ready for a little quit before Christmas is actually here.

I'm wishing you all a restful few days before the actual Christmas holiday so you can contemplate with me the birth of our savior and all he did. For unto us a child was born.

Hotlanta

I'll have to change my tagline soon to "Raising two munchkins in Atlanta", because we're moving in 2 weeks!

Chris got a great offer with a new company in Atlanta, and we accepted it on Monday. It's all happening really fast, and we're sad to leave Boston after 8.5 years here (over a decade in New England), but are happy to be moving closer "home". Chris was raised for the most part in SC, and I'm from Ohio. We both went to University of South Carolina, and have lots of family and friends still in South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, and even Atlanta itself! While still "far" from my family, we'll be a much more reasonable 8 hour drive vs. 16 hour drive.

Boston, Cambridge, MIT, CTK Cambridge, thank you for so many great friends, memories and meals. It's been a great ride!

Tree Removal

Remember how I was worried about that Walnut tree during last week's storm? Turns out that while it didn't fall down, upon further inspection it almost did. It was bumping up against the shed and leaning in an ominous direction towards my house and shed. The roots had pulled up on the eastern side of the tree, indicating that it was about ready to topple.





I called about 5 tree places. The first two said they were only taking calls from people who currently had trees on their house. I finally got some quotes, and then waited with baited breath for them to call me. Every time I went outside it was looming over me, just waiting to fall on us. At least in my mind that's what it was doing.

They came this morning with a swat team of guys and a giant crane. This tree was considered a "dangerous" what with the unstable leaning, the power lines directly behind it, the fact that it was 1/2" away from my shed, and only 5 feet from my neighbors shed. It was a 70 foot black walnut tree that was about 3 feet in diameter.

It was awesome to watch them in action!









They're coming back in a few days with a bigger truck for the trunk:







Funniest part of the morning: We currently have a rental car due to the accident. The Acura is also still in our driveway until we get the insurance settlement worked out, so I had to move both those cars out of the driveway to make room for the tree guys. They wanted my neighbor's car out of the way too, so I asked him to move his car. Then they pointed to Rebecca's Volvo and asked if I knew the owner of that car. I said "Oh, I actually have the keys to that car, I'll move it." After that, he eyed Chris' car, and asked if we knew the owner of that car to ask them if we could move that one too. I sheepishly said that that was also our car and could move that one too. He looked at me quizzically and asked "Lady, how many cars you got?". Too many apparently. :)