chock-a-blog

On December 16 I placed an order from lego.com for some Christmas presents for the boys. On December 17 I received notice that my order had shipped. I'd chosen standard shipping and hoped it would arrive in time for Christmas. Christmas came and went but the order from Lego didn't. Finally, on Sunday, I checked the tracking number online. UPS claimed the package was delivered at 5:14 pm on December 23 and left at the front door. I got all prickly and pissed. I thought back to Tuesday. That's the day Mom got here. I was home all day. By 5:14 we were all here. My whole family, plus two dogs who bark like the Bumpass hounds whenever the doorbell rings. So Dave called UPS and discovered the package had been delivered to the wrong address. They dispatched a driver to the wrong address and he brought the package to the right address. He brought the package to the right address, to one happy boy. That happy boy calls his dad to tell him the package came. That happy boy put those...

Cassie receives her Christmas gift from Jack. We call it the Big Nasty. She can enjoy it only in the backyard. And enjoy it she does.

Jack slept a little late and emerged from his room, trepidatious and sneaking, almost missing the understated significance of Harry sitting on the ottoman. Sitting on the ottoman, clutching a Wii remote. Harry is a gift from Mama D and Papa D when Jack was three. We met Mama D and Papa D in Scottsdale on our way up to Williams to ride the Polar Express. Mama D gave Harry to Jack and Jack hugged Harry, box and all. Since then Harry has gone to the North Pole every year to help Santa, and returned each Christmas with Jack's presents. This year, Harry brought the Wii. Jack's stocking, hung by the chimney in haste because we'd almost forgotten, was filled with edible goodies: M&Ms, a chocolate reindeer, chocolate coins, and Jack's favorite snack: two varieties of turkey jerky. Two heads, four arms, six eyes. From Mom and Dad Jack got a lot of Wii related gifts. This big box came from Uncle Mike in Chicago. It's a cool gift. Unfortunately, the Wii is the only thing J...

pretty cookies and gingerbread men, with my favorite new Lego mug in the background two kinds of lasagna : classic and roasted veggie : both delicious two loaves of one kind of bread: Better Homes & Garden French. We feasted. I still have leftovers.

Back in the day, when a body could drive a car up Sabino Canyon, my family had a Christmas tradition. Grandma would send us a Swiss Colony gift pack and we'd haul it up the frigid tram road, select a chilly picnic spot, and feast on processed cheeses, summer sausages, and petit fours. My sister and I would look for sand rubies while Mom and Dad cleared the wrappings. Then we'd all go home and have a real meal. This year we revived the tradition. Mom ordered the Swiss Colony (I keep typing Swill Colony...) Mega Pack, named Something for Everyone. Here it is. ((Cue trumpet fanfare.)) Mandy and Evan give it the Thumbs Up a la Jack. Out of the box Tuesday had been all day wet and dreary, Thursday was crummy too. Friday was even worse. But bracketed between those cold and rainy days we had a day of perfect blue skies and mild temperatures, like a gift from God. More, more! The boys take the high road. The picnic table we wanted was already taken, so we settled for a picnic on the r...

This year's Christmas Concert combined all the kindergarten, first, and second grade classes in Jack's school. Too many kids on stage; too many parents in the audience. I sat on the floor in front of the first row of chairs. That's Jack at the very left edge of the picture. Oh, my heart. If Jack thought your attention should be directed at the performers, he'd certainly let you know with exaggerated hand gestures. This is a song about Kwanzaa, with a funky thumb dance. Nothing like Demon Jazz Hands. Sleep in heavenly peace, Demons.

What's that, just beyond the fence? Why is Cassie barking? Why, it's visitors! Holiday javelinas! Here, piggie! Even though they're not pigs, they still came when I called them that. But when they realized I wasn't going to feed them... ...they left. B'-bye!

Last Saturday we visited Sheldon's Nursery, a charming little place (though larger than expected) just a little more than a mile from my home. Never been there before. Aaron was on a kitty chase. He carefully negotiated the railroad tie terrace and disappeared among the oleander. Black kitty in the citrus. Chasing the calico kitty. Hot on her trail. She escaped. Aaron said, "Moh? Moh?" Instead he found this hanging plant that appealed to him. He dragged it around as Bin and I looked at butterfly-attracting plants in the back. Bin selected a specimen and carried it to the front, where the Whoville-looking master gardner informed us that it wasn't for sale. It was the Mama Plant from which cuttings were grown. Bin bought one of her babies. Here's the photo we posed for Bin's facebook profile. She decided not to use it. Here's the photo for Aaron's facebook profile.