That Christmas when hangers were the best gift

I was looking through some old pictures yesterday and came across one that made me laugh out loud:

He’s three years old in that picture. For a reason that will forever baffle (and amuse) me, he decided that day to call hangers (as in clothes hangers) hookers. He opened a gift of clothes and said loudly “Oh man there are hookers in this box.” Which of course made all the adults in the room laugh. When you’re three and you make people laugh, you keep it going. Every gift that had hangers would be shown to J, who would grab them and excitedly wave them around “YAY!!! MORE HOOKERS!!!”

I can’t wait until he’s old enough for me to explain why that’s so funny.

It was good for me to find something that made me laugh because I’ve felt very affected by sad news all around me lately – both close to home and far away in a world I can’t really even picture. It seems that everywhere I turn, I hear something angry or violent or sad. I’ve been doing some Advent reflections (not as often as I’d like) and the image I’ve been focusing on is that of a single candle. Its flickering flame is that of Emmanuel – Christ with us. My job is to shield that flame, to tend its fire, to help it shine in my little corner of the world. This week it shone on me when I found that picture and laughed all over again. It’s also shone on…

• the laughter of my kids
• a surprise breakfast with my son
• a faith sharing group that has been an oasis of calm this month
• crossing things off a list that is slowly but surely dwindling
• receiving Christmas cards (I love Christmas cards)
• listening to my daughter play the clarinet
• watching my oldest swim – and goof around with her friends on deck
• a 10yo who lets me read Christmas stories to him (sometimes)

By the way, my second favorite Christmas story is when my oldest was three years old (three is a great age). She had the lyrics to Santa Claus is Coming to Town slightly off and we spent as much time as possible asking her to march or dance around the room singing it over & over:

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not poop
I’m telling you why…

To this day, my brother teaches his kids to sing the song that way as a joke. Kids are so fun.

Another adventure achieved

It’s appropriate that I took my kids on a new adventure over Thanksgiving because I am so very, very thankful that I’ve been able to take them…

• hiking in the Colorado mountains
• scrambling around the cave dwellings of Mesa Verde
• driving through the Painted Desert
• exploring the Grand Canyon
• viewing the vistas of the Pacific Ocean
• experiencing L.A. traffic
• enjoying the wonders of the Hoover Dam
• sightseeing along the Vegas strip at night
• climbing Bryce Canyon
• scrambling the rocks at Arches National Park
• wandering along the trails and dunes of Lake Michigan
• walking across the Mackinac Bridge
• biking around Mackinac Island
• to the top of the Arch in St. Louis
• learning in Chicago’s great museums and parks and zoos
• splashing at the top and bottom of Niagara Falls
• exploring countless battlefields from both the Revolutionary & Civil Wars including Yorktown & Gettysburg
• back in time at Williamsburg
• living in a beach house on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean
• climbing the rocks of the Badlands
• underground in amazing caves like Mammoth Cave & Cave of the Winds
• viewing Mount Rushmore
• exploring Devil’s Tower
• hiking the trails and canyons and geyser paths of Yellowstone
• tramping up and down the trails of Glacier National Park and driving along the one-of-a-kind Going to the Sun Road
• rafting down the Snake River in the shadow of the Tetons
• scrambling up to the top of a lava cone from a long ago volcano at Craters of the Moon National Park
• whitewater rafting in West Virginia
• canoeing, kayaking, hiking & exploring in countless parks
• and more that I’m sure I’m forgetting…

And now I can add living on top of a mountain in the Smoky Mountains; exploring the valleys of Smoky Mountain National Park and its highest peaks.

We’ve been on some amazing adventures and we’d probably like to revisit many of them again. However, the beautiful trails of Smoky Mountain National Park will always be towards the top of the list. I was worried about the logistics of our mountain Thanksgiving. It turned out to be awesome. Our families of 10 crowded around the table to eat our favorite holiday dishes. We played lots of games. Took a few adventures. And created memories we’ll have forever.

That’s a lot for which to be thankful.

The Monday before Christmas

‘Tis the Monday before Christmas and all through the house,
Every creature was stirring because there’s a lot to do around here.

See, I don’t even have time to come up with a clever rhyme. It’s funny, I’m not stressed about the amount of things that still need to be done two days before Christmas. I’m just marching down the list. Feeling jealous at my kids who are currently snuggled up in afghans on the couch watching television. Groceries will be purchased. Cookies will be made. I’ll even get a workout in. Will something suffer? Maybe. But I’m pretty determined that it not be my sanity.

So today I’ll workout (I was going to go for a run until I felt the windchill when I went out to get the paper). I’ll brave the grocery store and hopefully exercise enough patience to not run over anyone with my cart. I’ll get a handful of things done for work. And I’ll celebrate the holidays with a few good friends.

It’s going to be a good day. Cookies can be made tomorrow and will still taste just as good.

sneaking in some Christmas fun

You know how each summer I post a list of fun things I want to do with the kids? I ask for their input on those activities but really, it’s my list of adventures big and small. Well — I think I want to put one together for December. You know… because December isn’t busy enough already.

Here are some things I really hope we can do this Christmas season:

• Visit our local arboretum at night to wander a trail lit by Christmas lights.
• Head to Chicago to soak in some big city sparkle. Maybe hit the lights at Lincoln Park… maybe the windows at Macy’s…
• Play some Christmas music on the piano not just on the CD player. Admittedly this one is more for me since I’m the one playing the piano regularly these days. For all I know, no one else in the house wants to listen to me play Christmas music.
• Take in Christmas Around the World at the Museum of Science & Industry. We used to do this every year without fail and I miss it.
• Pop ridiculous amounts of popcorn and have the whole family sit down together to watch a Christmas movie or two.
• Bake cookies TOGETHER. Yes, it’s faster if I just do the baking myself but I’d like to have the kids help. Especially for whatever goodie we decide to make for their teachers.

I’m discovering that it isn’t actually Christmas that is my favorite holiday. It’s the days leading up to it. It’s the preparing, the opening of hearts, the wonder of a season with a little extra joy in it. I’m probably going to hit a wall of stress at some point but I’m really trying to avoid it by focusing on the journey instead of just one day.

a list of thanks week 4

Happy Thanksgiving! And Happy Pajama Pant Friday!

In this week full of hustle & bustle, I am thankful for…

– The sight of six crock pots lined up with six different types of delicious chili inside. The Sunday Chili Cook-Off gathering was a yummy one.

– The sound of my friend’s 2yo singing in the bathroom when he realized his voice echoed.

– A workout date with my 12yo.

– A quiet night that ended with cookie baking.

– A family safely gathered at the table to celebrate Thanksgiving.

– Comfy pajama pants as an example of the importance of family rituals.

– And finally… the fun in remembering Thanksgivings past: