Christmas Time

Felt like Christmas went by much too quickly this year, but it was fun while it was here.

For more Christmas photos, head on over to Flickr.

The Christmas Program

Tonight was the church Christmas Program, Sofi's first. She wore a halo and a cute little white robe and stood hanging on the altar (as she had been specifically asked NOT to do) just staring at all of the people staring at her. Which is actually not so bad for her age, At least I did not see her pick her nose or poke her neighbor or lay down on the floor (oh wait, she did do that during rehearsal this morning).

I (Mary) am involved with the church Christmas program teaching the songs and helping to get the kids to do what the paper says they should do. It is a bit like herding cats but harder mainly because everyone is watching you try to do it. Also it's their little darling that you need to coerce into doing something they don't see a need to do, and you must do the coercing extremely kindly and sweetly, even when you feel like just hog-tying the child and propping him up against the pulpit.

Parents love it. If not for the beautiful time tested story, or the cute costumes, then just for the hilarity of watching it all. Tonight I overheard the spectacle being compared to a movie. Hmmmm perhaps something by Mel Brooks along the line of "Airplane". The rehearsal room before the show closely resembles the set, almost as if someone cued the little boys with fake swords chasing each other around the piano or the little girls in angel wings running and screaming their heads off. The kids were literally bouncing off the walls in their excitement. I believe it was physically impossible for them to stand still and be quiet, so singing a calm melody and inviting them all to join in was my only ticket to sanity.

Ah the Christmas Story. I'm sure it's always been exciting, "Did you hear?! They say a king is born! A King! In our town! Can you believe it?!" Perhaps people were bouncing off the walls and crowding in that little cave to visit the baby and see what all the fuss was about that night too. Sharing stories and gossip, gawking and dreaming of what this might mean. After all it was pretty busy in Bethlehem that night...and I imagine poor Mary just needing to rest!

We all need a rest after tonights re-enactment of the spectacle of that miracle.

Visit Flickr for a few more non-family photos of the Christmas worship service.

Santa Drawing

We were headed to Red Wing today, to go there to celebrate Isaac's birthday with "Gramma D" and "Papa". Sofi was ready to go LONG before I ever was. In fact, she got herself ready around 9am, though I wasn't planning our departure until 3pm. At 9am she put her jacket on, put her boots on, and declared herself ready to go in the car. I declared that doing so would be a long and cold wait.

But Sofi was determined, and a compromise was struck. So while I packed, Sofi sat in the car in anticipation of her travels. I'm not actually sure why the eagerness... it isn't like she is incredibly well behaved in the car, and she doesn't travel like she is exactly enjoying herself. Usually there is some whining for this and that, and the putting out of small fires in our regard.

But while she waited patiently in the car for me to finish packing, Sofi drew on her etch-a-sketch.

She showed me her last drawing after I was done packing, and what I found amazing is that for the first time that I can recall, she actually tried drawing something she could see. As she told me, "It's Isaac's Santa!" And sure enough, it was. She drew Isaac's Santa toy that was sitting next to her in the car. The Santa in the drawing has a belt, just like the toy, but what is more telling is the round body, which is not only like the toy, but is something Sofi doesn't usually draw---usually the legs attach directly to the head.