The Big One
22.5" of snow at 4:00 p.m. and it's still snowing. No way we can get out of our driveway. Our neighbor who plows for us only got out of his driveway because it was downhill for him. No point in worrying about it until the snow stops. We'll deal with it tomorrow. In the meanwhile we've watched a movie and done some playing outside.






How these things get started...
Once in a while Emma will tell us, "Tell me something I don't know." Or more specifically, yesterday she told M, "Tell me a song I don't know." M was stumped because he really doesn't know all that many songs. So the promised to show her AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top if You Want to Rock and Roll."

There they were after supper, sitting in front of the DVD player watching the AC/DC video. Naturally Emma wants to know how it's a long way to the top? So then I hear M trying to explain the music industry, what's involved for the performer, and how difficult it is to get to the top of the industry. Seriously. Inquiring five year-olds want to know.
More of M's experimental photography
Trying to capture the ring around the moon on December 2nd.


Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Emma meets Santa (again)
On Saturday Emma found out there was going to be a tree lighting ceremony on the courthouse lawn at 6:00 p.m. She begged her daddy to take her. Since he closes the store at 6:00 p.m. there was no problem. The ceremony had been postponed from the previous week because of the snowstorm which dumped seven inches on us. The tree lighting turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. There were a handful of people who showed up. Emma was the only child. They had someone prepared to read a Christmas story to the kids, so she read the book to Emma. Then Emma walked down to the craft shop to see Santa. Unfortunately, Santa had knocked off early. Emma was disappointed, but didn't make a big deal of it.

Later Santa heard he had missed Emma. Since Santa is an regular customer of the store he made a date to surprise Emma today after she got off the bus at the store. In the meanwhile Emma was surprised to see Santa (II) after her Christmas Concert last night. When he sat down to receive the kids he sat down right next to Emma and her teacher. Therefore, Emma got to be the first one to sit on his lap. She was pretty jazzed.

Santa (I) still planned to come and see Emma. He planned their date so well that he called ahead to find out what she had told Santa (II) she wanted for Christmas so it wouldn't seem like he'd forgotten. M said she sat on Santa's lap for at least ten minutes this afternoon. He gave her the biggest peppermint stick she'd ever seen. I think Emma feels pretty confident now that she's not on the naughty list.



Jack's spot
This is where Jack hangs out some of the time. This past weekend I cleaned out the pack n' play so he could sit up in there and play. It won't be long until he's mobile. You can see the paper snowflake my daughter taped to the wall. I guess it's time to have a little discussion about what we can and can't put on the walls around here.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
School Christmas Concert
Emma's preschool class participated in the elementary school's Christmas Concert this year. They were actually first up and sang "Jolly Old St. Nicholas," "Jingle Bells," and "Up on the Housetop." I think they did as well as any of the older grades. Emma's been practicing a lot. It's the cutest damned thing to hear your five year-old singing Jolly Old St. Nicholas when you don't even know the song yourself very well.




Christmas Concert 2009 from Alex High on Vimeo.

Monday, December 14, 2009
Our Happy Family
I'm the one on the left wearing pants :)