Advent Log, Week Three

 

Well, let's just start off by saying that an Advent Mom needs to pace herself, and have a fun bag of tricks for days when she's too pooped to do the super-fun activity she'd envisioned . . . but thank goodness there's always candy! I also realized that I needed to just give in and enthusiastically read the same winter book each every reading time--so we now read Jan Brett's The Gingerbread Baby twice a day, and I am counting it as a daily Advent activity (furthermore, I might burn it on the 26th--I mean really, even Deacon has the entire text memorized by now). Phil recovered this week: oh the delightful hours of fun that have been had during Phil bronchitis respite, the boys have loved all the extra hours with him!

12/13 Snow fun! Which included hours (and hours) of pretending to plow snow. Every rug and stray blanket became a pile to be reckoned with. Likewise every sort of tractor or truck became a versatile plow. The joy began when Phil broke out the real plow on our driveway--such squeals of delight! No other action could have rivaled this--so I didn't try!
12/14 Calvin & Hobbes snowman! Complete with gravel features and a hard hat (that looked like a yamika from the side). This photo doesn't capture the forward lean of our now melted friend--and with his arms up high he really did look like he was taunting us.
12/15 YouTube Monster Trucks viewing. Usually the only online time the boys get is a rare Curious George game on PBS kids . . . but Phil thought he could top that. Bryce bellowed, "BooOOOooom" after every cool landing or crash. Utterly captivating.
12/16 Red Lobster. Deacon pet a lobster (Bryce was too wise for that ). Phil and I spent the meal waxing sentimental over how much we each had loved seafood restaurants in our respective youths. And I told Phil (for probably the bezillionth time) about the time my dad found a pearl in his oyster. And Phil replied (for at least the millionth time), "yeah but it had to have been a cultured pearl".
12/17 Peppermint Cocoa in their new Christmas mugs and surprise Peeps from Mrs. Church! Bryce inhaled his reindeer; Deacon bit off his snowman's hat and then tore the remaining part in to pieces to be thrown about the kitchen (a more coherent mother might have noticed soooooooner).
12/18 Christmas movie: Home Alone. A repeat, by request, and always a pleasure.
12/19 Christmas movie: The Christmas Story. Not a hit with the kids. Less than a third in Bryce announced that it was a "naughty movie" and furthermore both boys were very distressed by the "show me how a piggy eats" scene. Narnia to the rescue! Again!

And, last minute (thanks Heather!) I decided to crash the IPO annual Christmas party; which was a dressy event this year. I had fun figuring out a cocktaily outfit (a bridesmaid dress made an appearance--thanks Kristen!), and then scrounged up a last-minute greedy-game gift so I could sprint off after dinner. What fun! I love my old co-workers. Plus, I got to catch up with Joanne and Kate, and scored: a fantastic gift (thanks Katie!), some cookies, and tons of Tammi-salsa for Phil!