Ah, children and lyrics

I love it when kids misunderstand the lyrics to songs. As I kid, I misinterpreted lots of lyrics. Even as an adult, I have trouble sometimes. And once I get it in my head, it's hard to change. It actually changes the song when I find out what it really is saying. So weird. Anyway, kids have the cutest ways of mixin' it up. The other day, TJ asked my mom what "trulips" were. He said, "is that like a flower?" My mom asked if he meant tulips and he said no...then said the following: "No Bondi, TRUlips. Like this...On the first day of Christmas, my trulip gave to me..." Oh so funny!

Since my sister had Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" as her song growing up, my dad changed the lyrics of "Joanna" to "Oh Hannah" and made it mine. Only I didn't know it was really written as Joanna until one day I heard it on the radio as a teenager and I was completely surprised. Ha! I didn't want my dad to find out that I knew because I didn't want it to hurt his feelings. How kind of him to try and make it mine. It's still mine and I think Kool & The Gang got it wrong. : )

My sister and I will never let my brother forget that he used to think "She's Like the Wind" was "Sheet Like the Wind" and "If She Would've Been Faithful" was "If She Would've Been Paid For". Ahh, memories.

Wow - only a few days left until Christmas! It doesn't feel like it this year. I don't know why...maybe I need some sn--, nevermind. :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Everyone!!!

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The Angel & The Dream

TJ made me cry again yesterday. Out of nowhere, his little comment made me stop mid-thought and tear up. At times, I forget that he's just 5. Sometimes he acts so deep and thoughtful and mature that I forget. And other times -- not. : )

Here's what happened. We were watching A Dennis the Menace Christmas and an angel (actually, a man in a shiny white suit) fell out of a tree. TJ asked who it was and I told him he was an angel. Then he asked me what an angel was. (Please, stop scoffing at me because my son doesn't know what an angel is. Believe me, I was taken aback myself!) Anyhow, I said that an angel is someone who God uses to take care of and watch over us. He sighed and paused for a minute before he said, "Mom. You're my angel." I, of course, almost lost it and he noticed. He added, "You are!" So sweet.

Let's move on and I will tell you a story that happened just a few hours later...PROVING that I am more like the devil. At about 4am, TJ burst into our room crying. He ran over to our bed and sobbed, "Mom! Mom, do I have a big booboo on my chin?? Am I bleeding?" I woke up but didn't and couldn't open my eyes. I literally felt around for his face and ran my hand over his chin as he was crying. I felt no blood and mumbled, "You're find, Sweets. Get in." THAT is why I am terrible. I seriously couldn't open my eyes, but I did reassure him that he had just had a bad dream...and rubbed his sweaty little hair until he fell back asleep.

TJ is writing so well and picking things up so quickly. It's really fun! So much fun to literally watch him learn. He is sounding everything out. Sometimes he does it when I'm not around and I can hear him whispering the sounds of words. So cool! I went to the library yesterday to pick up some "See Dick Run" kind of books for him. I'm trying to be especially careful about not overdoing it and am letting him choose when he wants to pick out words in a book that he knows...or just sit and listen and enjoy it. : ) He writes "i love u mom" and "i love you dad" on coloring pages and notebook pages and I can't see that enough! He also copies lots of words...

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Jack Frost Festival

Oh my goodness, we had an unbelievable day today! In the morning, we made crafts (snowmen luminaries and a cardboard Christmas tree which I'll post pictures of once they're finished and dried) and then decorated the tree. TJ is in love with decorations for every holiday and each time we drive past a single light on a house during Halloween or Christmastime, he shouts so loudly that I nearly drive off the road. That said, he was pumped up for decorating the tree today.  : )

We spent the afternoon at Coe Lake with Shane, Beth and little Anna. We saw Santa, made crafts, got free cocoa, chocolates, popcorn and reindeer food, watched amazing ice sculptures being made and listened to some fun music. Then after a grocery shopping trip, we were surprised to see CC for a little while!!!!

I broiled cheeseburgers for dinner and then we headed to the Jack Frost Festival downtown Berea. I wish I had gotten pictures of it but didn't even take my camera because I knew they wouldn't do the beauty of it justice. Everthing was lit up, they had cookies and cocoa for everyone (for free!) and also a merry-go-round and ferris wheel for kids. Again, not buying tickets or spending more money made it even that much more special! It was really crowded and busy, but happily so. I love it when it's "good crowded". TJ loves people and always wants to know who is going to be wherever we are going. We met Brian, Liz, Madeline and little Brian there and also ran in to my brother, my sister-in-law and baby Reagan.

The parade was fun to watch and we hopped from place to place. As we waited for the ferris wheel, we heard the countdown and then watched overhead as a line of sparkling fireworks went off from the top of a building and slid down the line to light up the tree. It was amazing in itself...and was followed by a more gorgeous display of fireworks than we saw on the Fourth of July. They were straight overhead which, I admit, did freak me out a bit. But it was really cool too! We were JUST about up to the ferris wheel when the fireworks started and TJ put the brakes on at that point. We were glad to not have him on the ride during the fireworks...but he hopped on afterward. He went up tentatively, smiled as he got buckled in next to Madeline, and then proceeded to shark-mouth cry the rest of the time. We didn't blame him one bit...I don't think you'd catch Tim or me on a ferris wheel in a million years, but he wanted to go so badly that we had to let him try. TJ gutted it out bigtime and clung to Tim like an octopus when he got off. He was proud of himself for finishing the ride (mostly because he didn't have a choice once he was on it) and I loved that little proud look on his face.

We got home and had some snacks before bed, then read Christmas stories and went to sleep. I love this time of year. But I'm also glad it only comes once a year. I'm beat! G'nite y'all!

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