SANTA COMES TO VISIT...................

This time of year is magical with children but with friends like ours the magic just gets better and better.  Tonight Raelynn and Cooper were lying in our room watching Frosty the Snowman while Terry was in the living room watching the KU game and I was running in between as usual.  It was 7:30 or so and the door bell rang.  Both kids sprang to their feet and ran to the door as they always do when the door bell rang.  As I caught up with them at the door as they peered out the blinds their eyes were beaming.  As I opened the door there stood Santa Claus!  At first the kids were speechless and then they were giddy and then they just kept saying it's Santa.  The amazing part was that Coop was not scared at all, he kept pointing at Santa and saying, "It's Santa!".  Santa cheered Ho Ho Ho and promised to return in a couple weeks if they were good.  It was awesome!  The kids could not stop talking about it and as we put them to bed they continued to say, "Santa came to our house."  Raelynn determined many reasons why he visited this year from deciding that Santa visited a street every year and this year it was our street, to that he was taking the reindeer on a practice run and he saw our cool candy cane lights outside and decided to stop.  It was truly awesome!  So thank you Santa so much for taking the magic of the holidays up a notch and thank you for thinking of our kids on such a cold and blustery night.  You are awesome in our eyes too.

Besides the fun of this evening we have had some great acomplishments and fun all week.  Coop is finally getting the potty thing!  We have had a very successful week and then today topped things off.  We had a busy morning and were pressed for time to get ready for a friends birthday party.  Raelynn was getting in the shower and I too needed to get in the shower.  I told Coop both Sissy and I needed to shower and if he needed anything to just come in and get me.  He was fine with that and was busy playing basketball.  I took a quick shower and as soon as I got out I went  to check on Coop.  I went to his room, then the living room and then the kitchen, no Cooper.  I yelled for him and heard him say from Raelynn's bathroom, "I in here Mommy!"  I opened the door to the kids' bathroom and there Coop sat going potty.  He looked up and said, "I had go potty Mommy!"  I was so happy!  As he finished he looked at me and said, "Now I wear big boy undies, no more pull ups!"  I agreed and he spent the rest of the day in undies including nap time.  I cannot even explain how excited about this I am, now let's just hope he continues the progress. 

This past Thursday evening we had plenty of laughs.  The kids decided they wanted to make their own bed time snack.  I honestly don't even remember what they explained to me their snack was, a race car or something but the two of them had a great time making it.  I just set our various things; raisins, graham crackers, frosting, etc. and told them to have at it.  We heard giggles and imaginations explode....I definitely think we will be doing that again.

Last night we decided to eat dinner out and then go around and look at some of the great light displays around Lawrence, but first we had a big surprise for the kids.  My Mom was driving to Manhattan to spend the weekend with Steph and was bringing Chandler with her. So we met them in Topeka after I picked the kids up from daycare and surprised them with an overnight stay with Chandler.  After we picked her up we headed back to Lawrence and carried on with our plans.  We saw some great light displays and had a good time.  This morning we woke bright and early and braved the cold to attend a land breaking dedication for a friend of ours that was awarded a house from Habitat for Humanity.  I have never been involved with Habitat for Humanity and was going just to support our friend and her family.  To my surprise this is really and incredible experience.  It was also an incredible opportunity to once again point out to the kids the kindness of others and the importance of friends and family and helping others and the value of hard work. We talked all the way home about what it was all about and decided that at our next opportunity would physical participate in the building.  After we had been home for awhile, Coop came upstairs from playing with a hard hat, tool belt and hammer in hand.  He says, "Mommy I ready to help build the house.  I have my worker hat on and my tools so I can make her a nice house."  I smiled and told him I thought he would be a very good builder and it was great that he wanted to help and that maybe if he practiced with his tools he would be ready to help on the next house.  It is always good to see him grasp the lessons we try to teach.

After the dedication we hurried home to get every one's baths and on to our friend Brook's birthday party.  I started off by bathing Cooper.  When I had finished his bath and pulled the drain I asked him to get the toys picked up and holler at me when he was ready to get out.  I went on to change laundry and pick up.  After a bit I went back into the bathroom because Coop was still not out of the bath.  I opened the shower door and there sat Coop organizing his bath toys in perfect color coded stacks.  Raelynn has demonstrated my anal/obsessive organization and cleaning skills from time to time but this was the first time I witnessed it from Coop.  They make their Momma proud!

So off the Brook's Birthday Party which of course was a lot of fun The kids got quality play time and I got to enjoy more time with friends.  Brooks is adorably happy and was a great party boy!  As we left our plan was to go ice skating but for any of you that actually got outside today you can understand why we decided to postpone those plans.  I was really disappointed as was Raelynn but it didn't take us long to settle into our warm home with cozy clothes and decided to spend the afternoon playing games.  When Terry got home he and Raelynn caught some TV time together too.

It was actually a great afternoon and with Santa's visit it ended a perfectly wonderful day in a perfectly joyous way. 

This next week should be a little exciting with finishing up Christmas shopping and wrapping things up before the holidays. I see much baking involved as I am making things for a bake sale on Tuesday and Raelynn's Winter Party on Friday.  We have swimming on Monday and a Christmas party on Tuesday.  I venture to Manhattan on Friday to celebrate Steph's 21st Birthday which I am not sure I am ready for :)  Then it will be back home to make Christmas Candy and Banana Bread for Christmas gifts and just to enjoy.  So on to the holiday chaos I love!  Hope you all are feeling the magic as well!!!