Clifton Christmas

Santa comes to Clifton every year for our neighborhood's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. It just dawned on me, though, that this is the third year I've been to it, and I've never seen them light the tree! Ha! Oh, well, we really go just to see Santa anyways. Jase and Allyson were the only two from the crew that went this year. He wasn't as sure about Santa tonight as he was at the mall, but he sucked it up and went through the routine so he could get his surprise from Santa.

Baking Christmas Cookies

Saturday, Me and Julie helped the kids make Christmas cookies. You would be amazed at how great they did. They helped measure out the ingredients and pour them in the bowl. And mixed all the ingredients up singing "stir, stir, stir" as they did. Once they got the dough all mixed up it was time to drop the cookies on a cookie sheet and place M&Ms in them. Needless to say, some of the cookies have literally 9-10 M&Ms in them, while others have only two. They both started getting very sneaky during this step of the cookie making process. Anna kept sneaking M&Ms. One for the cookie, one for Anna. Another for the cookie, another for Anna. Jase was more creative in his sneaking and was more into the cookie dough then the M&Ms. He would put the candy in, and as he moved his hand away from the cookie, would scoop up some of the dough and stuff it into his mouth. Sara even joined in. She had her own spoon and bowl and even got to taste a little M&M her self. Julie rubbed it on her tongue so she could taste it and she kept opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out for more. The best thing was when Julie had to take the candy way. Sara was not very happy with her. After all the cookies were made it was time to clean up. So me and Julie started washing bowls and measuring cups, while Jase cleaned the spoons.

Santa's Workshop

When my dad used to work at Safeway he would bring home the 7-Up Santa's Workshop displays. We would set them up at Christmas and me and my brother would sit in it for hours making toys (or drawing pictures of toys). He retired some years ago and this last Workshop has manage to make it through Sonny, Makenzie, and now, Anna and Jase. The two of them had so much fun playing in the Workshop together. The even talked me into squeezing my big butt in the door way to play with them.

Kids and Computers

I remember our first family computer. We got it when I was in middle school. It was a Comodore 64 that was passed down from my grandfather. It was a huge, ugly machine that sat in the corner of our living room. When you turned it on you could hear the loud hum throughout the entire house. The images on the screen were boxy and it took floppy disks. Now I don't mean the the hard little floppy disks kids today already think are ancient. I mean the old, big, really floppy disks. And it didn't even have a mouse. Today, kids relationships with computers are so different than they were with my generation. Jase is already using our computer....and he's only two! He likes to go to noggin.com and play hide-in-seek with some of his favorite cartoon characters. He thinks he is so grown sitting in Mommy's chair playing.

Jase's 1st Trip to Chuck E. Cheese's

Sunday, we took Jase to Chuck E. Cheese's for the first time to celebrate Allyson's 6th Birthday. Anyone who's been to Chuck E. Cheese's on a weekend can only imagine how our day went. Me and Rob didn't help things out much by scaring Jase half to death not long after we got there. After we found the table, said our hellos and gave birthday hugs we got our tokens and headed out into the mob of kids. At first Jase was in such awe of all the flashing lights, noises and kids that he just wanted to walk around and take it all in. But that all changed when he saw The Monster Truck!!! The moment he saw it he's eyes got big, he froze in his step and he gasped with excitement. So we loaded him into the driver's seat, dropped the token in the slot, and fired up the truck's engine. Well, this wasn't your usual ride that goes around in circles or gently goes back in forth like you'd find in front of BJ's or Walmart. This ride rocked and tilted like a car with hydraulics! Jase's nylon track pants and the slick seat of the truck weren't a good combination. The first tilt of the truck sent Jase flying across the seat and nearly threw him out of the truck. For some reason he wasn't really interested in riding anything after that. I did manage to get him on a nice tame firetruck that took your picture. The first time didn't go to well. The second time went a little better, as long as I road along with him.

The whole day wasn't a complete bust, though. Jase did have a lot of fun in the Toddler room playing with a telephone game. A telephone game that was out of order. Haha! He just had a blast, though, talking away to Chuck E., Daddy, Connie, and JoJo. And Daddy enjoyed and is still bragging about breaking the record in basketball and kicking a little butt in the football toss. And, the most important thing is, Allyson had a blast!!!

A Visit With Santa

Last Friday, after dragging Jase from store to store, and to the mall twice, we went to see Santa. In the past, these visits haven't gone to well. There have been more tears and flaring body parts than jolly laughs and merry smiles.

This time things went much better! We still didn't get that smile every mommy wants, but he did sit with Santa and talk to him some. And I just love the way they are both looking over their glasses.

It's the Simple Things that Make them Happy

For centuries now parents have spent thousand and thousands of dollars buying the best toys they can for their kids. Waiting in lines at 6:00 in the morning in the freezing rain to get that one Christmas present that their kids will just love. Saving every penny to buy that perfect gift. And all they really needed to do was give them an empty box and and an empty wrapping paper tube and they would be just as happy! (Well, when they are two, at least)