{fire and ice}

It's 10 degrees outside. Do you think we would stay in?

NO

That would be simpler, but not as much fun!

We bundled up the kids until they resembled Ralphie's little brother Randy on A Christmas Story, and headed out to Park Meadows for a chilly night of ice carving, fire juggling, hot chocolate, sleigh rides, Santa, and fireworks. The kids had so much fun, they never even mentioned they were cold. We were surrounded by the warm spirit of Christmas, dazzling lights, talented magicians, and enchanting fire and ice. Afterwards, we went home, watched a movie, and ate popcorn. It seems we are gradually transitioning from the dependent, whiny, stay-home phase to the independent, adventurous, making-great-memories stage.

YEA!!!

I don't know about you, but it is an interesting concept explaining to children the difference between the Christmas season and the actual Christmas day. Most mornings they ask us, "Is it the most special day, or still just the season?" The answer finally came from school, when they sent home a Santa Claus with a beard full of circles. Every day, we glue on a cotton ball. Christmas day comes after the last one is glued on. The last cotton ball also corresponds with the day we leave for Grandma's house- over the corn fields and through the ice...

{creative conversations}

Lately, we've had quite the creative conversations between curious minds. They go something like this:

Chad: "When I grow up, I'm going to have 5 kids. How many will you have Kate?"
Kate: "2, like mommy."
Chad: "Well, mommy is going to have more. I wish I could have 50 kids, but that would break my house!"

Katelyn mixing the tunes of "Frosty the Snowman" with the second line of "Joy to the World" was singing all day yesterday: "Frosting the Snowman, the Lord has come..."

Chad: "We give presents for Christmas, cause that's what the wise men gave Jesus. That's how I know I'm getting GOLD for Christmas."

Katelyn taking a shower for the first time, has her back to the water and keeps looking down. With water cascading over her head and into her face, she is crying. I encourage her to step forward and look up.
She sobs "But Mom, it's coming from the up!!!"

Chad's breakfast prayer: "Help bless me to be nice to my sister, help bless me to obey mommy and daddy, thank you for the food, and help mommy to make me a brother. Amen."

Katelyn's breakfast prayer right after that: "Help bless me to be nice to my brother, help bless me to obey mommy and daddy, help bless me to not have any more brothers. Amen."

Chad: "Do butterflies eat butter?"

Katelyn: "Mom, what are you doing?" (Chad and I are arranging wooden shapes into pictures)
Me: "I'm using my imagination."
Katelyn: "What is imadinatin?"
Chad: "It's like when I make a girl-eater with tinkertoys and eat you."
Later I walk in to find Katelyn in my makeup bag applying this and putting on that.
I gasp "What are you doing?"
Katelyn: "Using my imadinatin."

And the best of all, while Jon was reading and Chad lying on the top of the couch, Chad broke the silence with:
Chad to Jonathan: "Is it true that people go to hell when they die if they don't have God in their hearts?"
Jonathan: "Yes it is."
Chad to Jonathan: "I want to ask God in my heart."

{growing up}

What can I say? I have two crazy kids! And now they are a big 3 and 5 with personality, attitude, reasoning skills, enlightening moments, and the capability to drive me to wearing earplugs with their bickering. Just how did my mom do it? On their own, they each are wonderful to be around. But put them together, it will usually end in "he said he didn't like me any more!" or "she stepped on my bakugan!"... What is that you ask? I didn't know either until Chad begged for one for his birthday (it's a ball transformer). So, yes, this is a random post. I've got to get back into writing again. I got caught up in life and forgot to write about it! Jonathan and I started P90X 3 weeks ago, and I have also been sore for 3 weeks- but it feels good! The kids are loving their school, which they attend 3 full days a week while I am at work. Katelyn has started dance class, and Chad is interested in dinosaurs and tinkertoys.
Oh, and Toy Story and girl sunglasses...
It's snowing today, and I had a rare day at home, enjoying the coziness of Christmas decorations and mulled cider while reading the kids all the books they wanted.