Santa's Lap

Maya and Guillermo finally saw Santa Claus this season. It was short and sweet visit at University Mall and unfortunately for me (and now you), my camera was out of batteries which forced me to fork over $16 for a 6x4 picture but I don't have a scanner so I can't share it with you.

Anyway, Maya asked for a paint set, which was what she originally had been asking for until last week when, inspired by a small box of chocolate in a gift bag for one of her teachers, she decided to pass on the paint set and just ask for chocolate. Now, she's hoping someone else in the family gets chocolate from Santa and she can just share but still enjoy her new paint set. And, paint set? I'm not sure where she came up with that idea but I'm sure Santa can oblige.

Guillermo said he asked for Legos, any kind of Legos (though he later said he didn't want the Lego city set, unless its the police car). He really wants this Lego Death Star set, but if I were to guess, he'll have to settle for this one instead.

Homemade Ornaments

Maya's homemade christmas tree ornament - just what I was waiting for.

I love our Christmas tree and all of its ornaments. I love the glitter of the lights (and the mardi gras beads) and I love the memories the ornaments prompt. Late last week, however, I started to realize what our tree lacked (and it wasn't a Christmas tree topper because we don't have one and I'm never too interested in finding one). I realized the tree was missing homemade ornaments from Guillermo and Maya. We have a few beaded candy canes that G made a few years ago and a few decorated pine cones from a few years ago, but that is it.

What I want for my tree are kid-colored orange paper santa clauses or pink wreaths hanging on the tree by yarn. I remember my parent's tree always included ornaments my sister and I made when we were in preschool and kindergarten. I especially remember the upside down candle Julie made that we always giggled over when we hung it on the tree (near the back)

We didn't have any of those ornaments, or at least I couldn't find any, until yesterday. . Maya came home from preschool with an ornament shaped like a Christmas tree that she made out of green cardboard. She decorated it with shiny star stickers and beads. It's perfect and it's now hanging right in the front of the tree. And, the director of her school promises Maya will come home with lots more homemade ornaments after her Christmas extravaganza tomorrow!

Purple Belt

Guillermo, posing with his new purple belt.

Guillermo is now a purple belt. He passed his first belt test at Aikido tonight.

Last week, he made me so proud (and nervous) when he signed up to take the belt test after just one semester of Aikido. Most of the kids didn't want to take it, but he signed up and didn't look a bit nervous. He and another student took the test and passed all but two categories. He returned tonight for his last class of the session and passed.

To celebrate, we offered to take him out for Mexican food (of course!) but didn't tell him that we suggested Mexican food because kids eat free and beer is cheap on Tuesdays at the restaurant we picked. Instead, he wanted Japanese food (the nerve!) and we obliged. He ate sushi for the first time and loved it. I think Will fell in love with our son all over again.

Just for the record, the owner of the school where Guillermo takes Aikido says there are no belts in Aikido but he has them because the students love them and they keep the students interested. And it works. We had planned to skip Aikido in the spring and sign Guillermo up for soccer or something else for a change of pace. Guillermo was on board with that plan until he got his purple belt. Now, he's ready to start again in January.

Christmas Parade

It was cold, but we bundled up and went to the annual Christmas parade again this year and had a great time.

Maya's favorite part was collecting candy. Guillermo loved watching the Taekwondo students break boards with their fists and legs and then collecting the broken boards littered on the street. And for me, my favorite part was the latte Will brought me to keep me warm.

Maya did have a good time, I promise.

O Christmas Tree

We decorated the Christmas tree the other night and now it looks beautiful!

My Christmas tree ornaments mean a lot to me. Each year since I was young, my parents gave me one to reflect whatever was going on in my life and Will and I have passed this tradition on to our kids. This year, for instance, we bought Guillermo an ornament of a black belted-Santa doing martial arts because Guillermo is taking Akido and wants to be a ninja when he grows up. Maya is getting a mouse holding the number 4 because this is her fourth Christmas and she loves to find the numbered ornaments from years past.

Even though the ornaments mean a lot, I was determined not to stress out with the kids helping me decorate the tree. I wasn't thinking last year and let them open ornament boxes to get out their ornaments. That resulted in several torn boxes and a very stressed me. This year I made the rule that I open the boxes and they hang the ornaments. It resulted in a relaxed me, happy kids and a few branches heavy with a large concentration of ornaments. Still, it looks beautiful. And it was so fun to hear the kids marvel at the treasures they put on the tree. Maya likes the marshmallow snowman and Guillermo loves the ornament we picked up in San Antonio one year of Santa Claus in a saddle holding a gun (nice Christmas spirit we have!).

What we do need more of, I have to say, is homemade ornaments from G and M. Now I know what they will be doing during their winter break.

Thanksgiving

We went to Atlanta again this year for Thanksgiving and had a really nice time. We always have fun when we go, but the six-hour drive can be brutal. Luckily for me, Will drove both ways so I could get some writing finished.

The few days we were there were fun, but Thanksgiving was the best for the kids because they could see most of their cousins. Guillermo had a great time because there are a ton of young boys in the family. Maya was having fun but stuck close to me for most of the night until 4-year-old Emma arrived and then she left my side.

Guillermo was disappointed by one thing. He wanted to swim at one of Will's aunt's pools. We promised him we'd be back over the summer.

Maya's 1/2 Birthday

We don't normally celebrate half birthdays at our house but Maya's preschool does for kids who have summer birthdays when school is not in session. Maya is one of those kids so yesterday was her big day, at least as far as the school was concerned. She turns 3.5 on Saturday and her preschool made such a big deal of it. It really was pretty fun.

For birthday treats, we made chocolate cupcakes decorated with one holiday candycorn per Maya's request. When we arrived at school, we found streamers hanging in the doorway to her classroom and various play birthday cakes and other birthday toys were set up at one of the tables. She got to be "Kid of the Day," received a birthday sticker and the kids sang happy birthday to her when she passed out her treats. And, when I picked her up she was wearing a 1/2 birthday crown. (Of course, she wouldn't let me take her picture!)