In years past, I had volunteered in the kitchen pouring and flipping pancakes during the Santa Breakfast, but this year, I didn't volunteer for this event, and you know what? I didn't feel guilty about it at all! Shocking, I know! I usually have volunteer guilt because I like to volunteer, and feel like I should (where does that come from?). But do I really like to volunteer? Maybe I just like the IDEA of volunteering, because when it comes down to the volunteering, itself, it always seems like a chore and I have to coordinate everything with Kevin so he can "enjoy" the event with the kids while I'm volunteering.
So, since I wasn't volunteering and didn't need Kevin's assistance with the kids, and since he's with the kids all week with out me, and he had other things to do that day (like put the chains on the wheels of our tractor which turned out to be too small for the tires and since chains don't stretch he wasn't able to), I gave Kevin a get out of Forced Family Fun free card.
We purchased five tickets ahead of time, so in his place, I brought Jordyn's friend with us. Jordyn said, "Mom, I don't HAVE to sit on Santa's lap, do I?" Well of course not, just go over and talk to him and I'll take your picture. Oh, such embarrassment for a sixth grader!
Then it was Liam & Owen's turn to talk to Santa. What a treat! Santa, Open your eyes!! Of course Owen wants a big huge train box and a big huge car box. Whenever you ask him what he wants for Christmas, this is his response, with out fail. Liam on the other hand, busted out a new request than what we had heard and discussed earlier in the season. He wants a remote control motorcycle. Ack!
After visiting Santa, we ate a nice rubber pancake breakfast. Then Liam made crafts in Santa's workshop. Jordyn was never interested in making the crafts when she was little, but Liam really enjoyed it. Not surprising, though, since he also likes to stamp cards & candles and scrapbook with me. Here he is making an adorable reindeer craft. He knew what to do without me even explaining it to him!
Owen kept begging to go back and see Santa, so Jordyn tried to take him to do that while I was at the craft workshop with Liam. But, by that time, the line for Santa had gotten too long. When Jordyn & Owen returned to Santa's workshop, Liam was at the craft station where Jordyn's 1st grade teacher was volunteering. Now, when Jordyn was in 1st grade, it was this teacher's first class on his own outside of college. So, I thought it would be fun for him to see Jordyn and to take a picture with her (a member of the first graduating class that he will ever have taught, who are now 6th graders) and I was amazed at what I saw... Jordyn is like, girlfriend height next to him! Here she is next to her former 1st grade teacher, and she comes to his shoulder....and he's a TALL man! It was bizarre. He said he felt really old seeing her... uh, excuse me, but I'm the old one - I gave birth to this child who is now in 6th grade! How do you think that makes ME feel?
After the Santa breakfast, we saw another Santa at Meijer. Again with the remote control motorcycle...when DID Liam come up with this gift idea??? Up until Saturday, he had asked for a DS Lite, an electric guitar, a Star Wars I Lego DS game, and Rock Em Sock Em Robots (not the DS game version, he already has that, but the real game version). These were his 4 requests. And Santa only brings each kid 4 presents.
Later that night, Liam played with Kevin's electric guitar at home and remembered that his very own electric guitar was numero uno on his Christmas list. In a very concerned and worried manner he asked me "Mom, is that the last time we'll see Santa?" Knowing the reason why he was asking, I replied, "Why do you ask?" "Because I forgot to ask him for my very own electric guitar." I told Liam that we may see Santa again before Christmas, but even if we don't, we can write him a letter and tell him to forget about the remote control motorcycle, and to get an electric guitar instead. YES!
So, Kevin has an electric guitar that used to belong to one of his buddies. He's had it for a while now, but Kevin doesn't mess around with it very often. That, however, was before my dad delivered the baby grand piano to our house last week (another story altogether). So, Friday night, I started banging out some Christmas tunes on the piano, which prompted Kev to break out his electric guitar, and we had a full fledged jam session. Liam assisted Kev on the guitar, Owen sang and danced and kept asking "Where's my dance floor? Where's my dance floor?" It was hysterical! We sounded horrible! But we had so much fun.
The guitar is no longer buried in the basement collecting dust. It is now easily accessible alongside the newly delivered, needing to be tuned, baby grand piano in what I now refer to as our music room. I can't wait to get the kids started on some lessons!
1 comment:
This is a scrapbook page waitng to be made!
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