Once there was a snow man...

Apparently this is Don's 2nd attempt at snowman making -- so we had to take pictures to mark the event. Amazing what happens when you hear "Please Daddy?"

Myself, I love all of the Calvin and Hobbe's snowmen comics. But we opted for a more traditional version. Most of the work was done by Don since it was Friday afternoon and I was "working" at home. But when they both came in asking for items to make him fantastic I was happy to put the computer aside. When I went out to see, I found that it was already put together, just needed a few final touches.

Kirsty will recognize the flower nose and then I dipped into the freezer for the Dots that I haven't eaten yet. I don't think it will make the worst submission to the snowman contest. It's Christmas what more do you want?

Santa Clause Is Coming To Town!

Don & I took Bell to see Santa over at his Sugarhouse home. He was great, I highly recommend him and the line is almost non-existent! We (not including Don) have been far removed from the belief in Santa at our house so this has been a welcomed reminder of how fun it is when the magic is still alive.

Don and I have definitely have been using the line "Santa is watching you" lately. Does the belief in Santa help kids learn right and wrong? I do have the inclination make a sarcastic remark, but I'll hold my tongue because there's still a whole bunch of "childhood beings" that I still find very reluctant to deny. It is also working so that is another reason to not knock it...just look at her face!

I think when you have little ones it helps to remind you that Christmas used to be so magical...the honest sense of pure excitement on Christmas Eve as you think only of the morning to come! So tell that to the woman at the Walmart parking lot who flipped me off for taking "her" spot. Or tell that to the mob of people who stormed into the store and trampled the security guard over the last Xbox 360 and DVD player on sale... Or the store employees who don't want to look up and greet you as you come through the line, let alone say "Have a Nice Day".

I did receive an email forward that I actually liked called "The Cookie". It tells of a woman who is in an airport and has to wait for her plane. She purchases a packet of cookies and sits down to wait. Next to her sits a man, who blatantly reaches for a cookie from the bag sitting on the arm of the chair next to her. She begins to be very annoyed as he continues to take cookie after cookie in pace along with her. When there is only one cookie left in the bag she is furious as she sees him break it in half and leave the remaining half for her. She picks it up in a huff and heads for her flight. As she settles in her seat she reaches into her bag and pulls out an unopened bag of cookies... horrified she realized that the man never said a word as she dipped into HIS treat. Nice huh, he even had the graciousness to split his last one! Most likely did not happen but believable because you know that you've been in similar situations. The moral is you can't recover the stone after the throw...the word after it's said...the occasion after the loss and the time after it's gone.

Mantra

Mary sent this by email and it really touched me, I'm getting sappy but I wanted to add it here so I can read it every once in awhile...

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s:
   
   • Respect for Self,
   • Respect for Others and
   • Responsibility for all your Actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t give up your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the Earth.
16. Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before.
17. Remember the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.