Santa Clause

(This photo isn't from our neighborhood - but I didn't take the camera on the walk. This is on a business pointing the way to the light tour. It's the only Santa photo I have. )

I realize that all Christian families will have their own convictions on the "Santa Thang".

In our family, we've chosen to tell the children about the legend of "St Nicholas," and to explain that all the red suited Santa Clauses they see around town stem from that legend. We tell them that Santa is a symbol of St. Nicholas and giving to the poor etc. And we talk about how far our society has strayed from the concept. In other words we don't teach Santa Clause at all. When they ask about the hoopla and the multiple, red-suited, plump men around town in December....we explain.

During our neighborhood walk, we came to a house that is FAMOUS for it's Santa displays. I pointed to one on the roof and said, "Zander, who is that?"

He replied, "That's Mr. Ho, Ho, Ho!" No matter how much we quizzed him he didn't know. I was surprised...I know we don't teach Santa as real but I assumed society would do the job of introducing the name to him. LOL

Plumb Tuckered Out

It isn't often we see THIS. He simply couldn't make it through two readings of Tabitha tonight. Note the "Narnia play station" in his arms - he loves that game.

While Cy was gone, the rest of us went for a night time walk around the area. It was a blast to be able to walk slowly (as slow as racing 4 year olds allow) and savor the lights.

After my 9 mile ride and then this 1.5 mile walk....I'm a bit stiff....

Christmas is Smalltown W TX

I wish I could name our town, because I'm very proud of it...but for security reasons, I'll refrain. I must say that this small town excels in it's Christmas celebrations above any other I've lived in. If you live in San Antonio - it's really worth the drive to see "The Twelve Days of Christmas". I KNOW ya'll have the river walk with lights - and we've done those for 3 years...but THIS river walk with lights is spectacular. It's also VERY peaceful and relaxed.

The Nutcracker is wonderful. The colleges, schools and several churches put on big plays. Houses all around town are grandly lit. They have airplane light flights.....we have had buses, limos and several hay rides go down our street. AND....

The city hosts THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. This is light display that runs along the river. For a donation of $4 per car you can drive through and enjoy the beauty. There are, of course, greetings from many businesses, big displays depicting the 12 days of Christmas, a HUGE nativity light scene with camels, palm trees etc....and various other displays. We'll have to have Mike remind us how to best get the camera to work in night time light. Our flash washed out many photos. Josiah got to ride in front, so he had to be the photographer. LOL

When Josiah got home from his Christmas party, we loaded into the van to catch the lights for the first time this year. Our family loves to go out and look at lights. When it was just Mike and I, we'd take hot chocolate with us....as the kids have grown and our cars have gotten nicer we've left that tradition - though I miss it. Tonight we took *Redneck Christmas* with us. The children heard "Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer" for the first time last year as we drove through the show. I bought a CD that has all sorts of those sorts of funny songs on it and we HAD to have that with us tonight. Maybe we'll take more traditional music with us next time.

Mike, I'm thinking NEXT Christmas you and I need to go visit lights alone on one of our date nights. Either the Honda, a thermos of hot chocolate and us....or we could rent a horse and carriage and do the river lights.....

It is very popular around here to go out for dinner and then do the lights. I've run into lots of groups doing this, and some renting limos and horse drawn carriages. Doesn't it sound fun? We went several times last year and plan to go again with the girls.

On a side note, I bought a devotional that I've been reading with an eye for next year. It goes through epiphany and I'm really thinking about doing the "12 days of Christmas" this year...with the devotionals in this book and such. I think the light show will be a good tie in for the young ones. I won't post many photos until we see if we get better ones next time we go....and I posted lots of them this time last year as well.

Light tunnel at the start of the tour

Our Courthouse - note the nativity - Will try to get a better photo of this - not well lit at night....

Bike Musings

I went riding at dusk. Wow - what a great change of pace. Riding with the Christmas lights. Josiah is at a Christmas party. If he gets home in time, I think we'll all go look at the cities lights...they are amazing.

Things I noticed while riding:
~The smell of BBQ combined with Christmas lights is STRANGE. Will I get used to this ya think?

~Garages seem to be the front porch of earlier times. I can't believe how many were sitting in lawn chairs, with the garage door open....I think I prefer the ambience of a front porch.

Things I remembered wihle riding:
~Today while we visited in Mike's office, Zander turned to Martin and said, "That's Bre and Krista. I miss them SOOOO much. They are coming home." We are getting excited!

Christmas Program

Sunday School began at 9:15 and was a final rehearsal for the program. Stacia, Zander and I went to Mike's office where we were joined by Martin (3/4 Mandy's son) and Mandy. It was fun to chat.

Chapel was about to start when I realized I had forgotten the camera. This was Cy's last program....Mike is gone...I HAD to go get the camera. Several said they wondered where I was going....they saw me as they were coming to church and wondered if I'd dropped the kids and left the program. ::snort:: Zander, Stacia and I zipped home, collected the camera and zipped back to chapel. We arrived back just as the meet/greet was ending. {G}

In the program various children/youth read lines....we sang songs with them and Nolan, Arielle, Malin and Martin decorated a tree. The various symbols of a tree were presented. This tied in so well with our focus at home on the meanings of symbols...they talked about trees, stars, lights, ornaments, candy canes....it should be easy to finish up the lap book this week. LOL

I got the most awesome compliment about the older three boys from our Religious Education Coordinator's husband...it was timely as Zander was rolling around in the aisle - not acceptable at a chapel ::snort::. He concluded by saying, "You and Mike are doing an excellent job with your children and I wanted to be sure you heard that." I suppose all can tell Zander is a handful right now. ::snort::

The children/youth all did a great job. I was proud of all of them. I was also glad I went back and grabbed the camera. Stacia fell asleep and I couldn't handle the Nikon, Zander and her...so Debbie took photos for me. She HAD her camera and if I'd known that I may not have run home...but my lens is bigger - so it all worked out well. LOL

After the service, we had a reception. This service has most of our Golden generation attending - as well as many students. It's the traditional service. I joked with them that I was going to have to begin attending this service because THEY get all the food. They have a fellowship each week. Seriously, we will be attending this service for at least a few weeks, as the contemporary service breaks. Most of the students go home for Christmas/New Year. Even the children were happy to be in a spot where others were happy to see them. {G}

Here are a few photos:
Josiah

Mikey (far left, friend Debbie's son) Jamin (tallest) & Jared

They decorated tree with symbols as older children spoke about the symbols (Nolan- left, Arielle right)Isn't Martin adorable?


1/2 group shot (Scottie- Deb's other son on left, Cy - tall boy Matt - Mandy's son)

Maryn (Martin and Mandy's daughter) wrote a piece on Christmas. She did an excellent job - encouraged us all to be Christmas Trees (pointing to God and well o.k. you'd need to think of all the symbolism) throughout the year.