Merry Christmas

It's not that we're lazy - just busy - hence the lack of posts.

Christmas is our favorite time of year, and there is so much to do, and so many little moments we want to savor. Moments like:

•Christmas book - our version of the advent calendar.  Each day we unwrap one of 24 Christmas books and read them aloud.  Even though some of them are getting a little juvenile for Punk (Winnie the Pooh's Christmas, a board book called Santa's Workshop), the kids insist on keeping and re-reading all of the originals.

•Cheeseballs!!! It's an annual tradition - the kids do all of the grating and mixing - which leaves me with the wrapping and clean up.  This year, instead of Christmas carols we listened to the clean version of Cee-Lo's tune about 47 times (per Punk's request and Rico's absolute dismay).  (Put on a Santa hat, turn your speakers up full blast and click here while licking a brick of cheddar, to get the full experience)

• Christmas shopping.  We love it.  Kooka and I love picking the perfect gifts. Punk loves the atmosphere of the mall. Yoda loves grabbing things. And Rico - loves humoring us all, and mostly tags along for the camaraderie and the promise of caramel corn.

• The fireplace.  Our favorite place to hang out and watch the lights on the tree. Nevermind that Kooka has a mid-winter sunburn from tanning her little hide on the hearth one too many times.

• Sledding. We've only been once so far, but I'm sure we'll be back soon.

•Wrapping presents.  Of course Yoda has developed a love for unwrapping presents, which makes things tricky.  She can immediately recognize a wrapped gift.  Her little face lights up and she reaches out for it. But try to pry that curly ribbon out of her tiny grasp or curious mouth, and you will hear about it - for hours.

• Visiting Santa.  Punk is wishing for legos.  Kooka really hopes she gets an Ipod. And Yoda would really like some more curly ribbon, a roll of nontoxic wrapping paper and world peace (in that order).

Merry Christmas!