Remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination.

 

I am sitting here in the quiet of my dining room...dark...with only the Christmas tree on for light.  I am on Rich's laptop this evening since my desktop in the living room is having a scan disk done, currently.  It is so quiet in here...I can even hear the cat pawing through the branches and paper of the Christmas tree.  The tree has taken on a very childish look this year.  We have strings of popcorn, napkin angels with cupcake paper wings, styrofoam plates cut into various shapes with random colors of string glued upon them, and small contributions from each child as they stuck little stuffed animals and silk flowers from various arrangements in the house on this tree. 

 

We couldn't even find our star to go on top this year, so we put Jared's little Santa cap he made in preschool on the top.  It's just a hodgepodge of stuff, but I love it.  There is definately something about having children that makes the holidays extra special & memorable.  They bring so much wonder and magic back into the holiday that many adults miss out on.  I find myself getting caught up in the children's world and how they view everything and it makes me thankful to have them in my life.

 

We took them to a children's Christmas party that Rich's employer put on for the employees' kids this past Saturday.  They had Santa Claus there and I got some pictures of that whole incident.  I used to think it was funny when we just had one child...three are a blast!  Poor Santa!  Jared is only six years old, but he is as big as a nine or ten year old.  And Klara wouldn't sit on Santa's lap without Jared....that's a lot of kid!  But Santa handled it beautifully and everyone got their pictures made.  Will was too busy trying to escape, hahaha!

 

Jared & Klara squishing poor old Santa Claus

 

A rare snapshot of Klara remaining on Santa's lap after Jared jumped ship

 

Will, not very amused with Santa.  Santa kind of resembles Uncle Sam, hehe

 

The beginning of the exodus

 

"I am sooo out of here and NONE of you freaks can make me stay!"

 

Now look at that face and tell me he isn't having a good time!

 

Now tell me...is there anything any more fun than taking your kids to eat a hot, nutritious breakfast with Santa, followed up with five pounds of kiddy crack sugar, and exposing them to many fictional characters?  Santa & EMS Panda Bears anyone?  Nothing says Christmas quite like terrorizing the kids...don't you think?

Hehehehe....ahhhhh, the holidays wouldn't nearly be quite as amusing without the children!   I hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas!

 

 

By: Alice Meadows