Christmas 2008

Alison and Stuart informed me that this is what kitties do to trees. While I do imagine a kitty could wreck havoc on a tree, I'm not sure I'm convinced they do it by poking ornaments with their tails.
When they weren't pestering my tree while educating me about pet ownership, Alison and Stuart helped with Christmas goodies. We made dozens of plates of cookies for our neighbors. Squash cookies, as we still have a lot of winter squash under the bed.

...and squash pies to deliver too, when we got sick of squash cookies.

Alison and Stuart took my sweet potatoes from their box and gave them a refreshing bath in the bath sink almost daily.

We made goodies to keep too.

And 150 cookies for each child in our ward.Faux Christmas in Las Vegas was nearly wrecked by a freak snowstorm. Nicole, Justin, and Martin persevered and arrived just a day late. Uncle Hank and Aunt Katie gave the twins a gumball machine. Even Martin realized this was something to keep an eye (or a hand) on.

It is the gift that truly keeps giving. Ali and Stu bum money off their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. They then deposit bummed money into a shiny, red, private account set aside specifically for Mommy's manicures.

Stuart loved Martin's blocks.

Luckily, Martin was more interested in the wrapping paper.

Christmas Eve was spent at the P, enjoying company with our cousin Gavin, uncles, and aunts.

Grandpa and Grandma gave Stuart and Alison a Lionel model train, complete with steam and a whistle. Santa helped put it together. We had such a nice Christmas morning. Grandparents, uncles, and our Aunt Emily joined us for a quiet relaxing morning of unwrapping and playing with each gift. Merry Christmas!

Oh, how they grow.

Improvement, you think?

They were almost too nasty to make this post, but lest you think that all things are in order at the Pahnke house, I offer this one picture.

Recovered chairs. It's about time. (sigh of relief)

Just Fun.

Today when I asked Alison what she wanted to do she remembered an activity we did once months and months ago. One that I had forgotten about. I asked her describe it because I wasn't certain which activity the stuff that we spread all over was referring to.

She told me, "[loud audible sigh] Mom. It is just fun." Well then, that differentiates it from all other activities you've engaged in. You know all the remaining activities that were wretched.

I asked key questions like, "What color is the stuff?" (white), "Is the stuff cold?" (no), and "Where do we spread stuff?" (on the table). "Do you eat this said stuff?" earned me a defiant and exasperated, "No! Mo-ommmmm [said with two syllables]." but led me to deduce that she wasn't talking about rolling out sugar cookies.

When I stopped being difficult and unreasonable, I figured out that the stuff that we spread all over is an engaging activity of shaving cream, food coloring, plastic animals, and a washing station.

Paperwhites

Those that know us well, know that I've always called Alison the affectionate name Birdy. Today I said, "You are my little bird." To which she responded after pausing to look deep in my eyes for a moment, "Well, you are my little piglet." (Everything worth saying in Alison's world starts with well.)

At some point, I know I'm going to regret not recording all the Alisisonisms and Stuartisms. Even in the course of one day it can be difficult to keep track of all the little phrases.

For instance, my friend across the street gave me paperwhites for Christmas with the wish, "Have a Blooming Great Christmas." We've been watching them grow roots, push up stalks, and finally pop open with thick fragrance. Alison after smelling them said, "Mommy, they smell just like lipstick!" Stuart agreed. Later Stuart encouraged Daddy to partake.

Stuart: Daddy, smell the flowers.

Daddy: Okay. I will in a minute.

Stuart: Okay, Great! You will smell lipstick.

Daddy: Huh?

Goodbye Aunts

Today was the first day in several weeks that we haven't had at least one Aunt around. We're sad.