The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Last night was the Happy Time Preschool Chritstmas play starring none other than Jack Kramer as Joseph and Ella Gartner as Mary.

I can say without any hesitation that I have never in my entire life so thouroughly enjoyed a theatrical performace of any kind more. The entire thing was touching and hilarious and entertaining and spiritual all at the same time. Watching my little boy up there singing five times louder than any other child and nailing every word was honestly one of the highlights of my life thus far. If it was my job to hand out both Oscars and Grammys, The kids of Happy Time Preschool would sweep all categories in 2008.

After the show Santa Clause made a surprise appearance and the kids were thrilled! Jack came up with a whole new set of completely random gift requests and Ella was totally mezmorized all night long.

Right after the preschool party we had to hurry over to another Christmas party. This one was for my writing class and so even though it was an all adult party I had to tote the kids along because John was working. I was a little worried that Jack would be too bored at the second party but the most incredible thing happened. Santa showed up to that party too. Jack got to sit on his lap and give him a whole new list of random gift requests.

My grandma Arnett is in my writing class so she was there and she got to sit on Santa's lap and I even got a turn.

I have a feeling that this really will be the best Christmas ever.

Santa Clause is Coming to Town

This morning we got up and out the door to go see Santa Clause at the San Tan Mall and sit on his lap. This was actually a second attempt to see Santa. The first was on Saturday where we waited in a line for half an hour that absolutley DID NOT MOVE. Today was John's day off so we decided to try again since a Monday was bound to be less crowded. We checked Santa's schedule and so we knew that he would get there at noon. We arrived at about 11:50 and we were the very first ones in line! Thirty minutes later we were still the first ones in line! Santa was late. And to top it all off it was absolutely FREEZING (you know, in an Arizona kind of way).

Finally Santa showed up and of course it was well worth the wait. Jack was totally shy with him and when Santa asked what Jack wanted for Christmas he acted like the question was totally unexpected and then named a few totally random things that he has never mentioned wanting before including a Star Wars blaster (which he already owns) and a non-spicy candy cane. This is, of course, after I had coached him for weeks to ask for a trampoline and a Hot Wheels race track.

Last time we were at the mall he threw a penny into the wishing well and his wish was "I wish there was a trampoline in my back yard." It was about 5 hours later that we got home and as soon as we arrived he ran straight to the back yard. I had totally forgotten about the wish until he came in all bummed out. "My wish didn't come true." I suggested that he ask Santa to bring him a trampoline and then spent the next three weeks searching craigslist for a good deal on a used trampoline (I just wanted to help Santa save a little bit of cash.)

Before we left Jack let Santa know that we would be leaving him some cookies and that we didn't have a chimney so he would have to come in through the door. Hopefully Santa will appreciate the heads up.

cool it, mama bear.

Alright, today I had an experience with motherhood that was a first for me and it totally opened my eyes to a whole new universe of heartache. Ella has been sick so Jack has been bored out of his mind. I promised him that we would go to the park to find some kids to play with but we got there and there was no one there. Three parks later we found one that had kids playing on the play ground. There was a foursome of kids that ranged in age from about 7 to 9. They were playing tag and immediately Jack joined in...or at least he tried. They wanted nothing to do with him.

I hung back and watched him try every trick he knew to make these kids want to play with him. At one point a train passed in the distance. Theres Jack shouting and waving his arms "Guys! A Train!" one kid finally turned to him and said "Its just a train."

Jack gathered up a bunch of acorns and brought them over to the group. "Check it out! they are grapes made of wood!" Unimpressed stares and then finally "they are just acorns, kid."

A while later one of the girls made the suggestion to her pals that they should play house. Jack jumped up super excited to show his domestic skills "Yeah, lets play house and I'll be the dad!" Finally one of the girls turned to Jack and just said "Uh, we don't want to play with you."He was crushed. He came over to me and said " I showed 'em my acorns but they didn't think they were cool." I responded (all the while stifling the urge to go over and throttle the little bitch) " I think your acorns are cool." You may be shocked but this provided little comfort. "Yeah, but you're my mom."

Why are kids so mean? What is a mom to do when she sees her kid excluded like this? Probably the only thing worse than being left out is being that kid with the mom who steps in to fight his battles. Afterwards we had a pretty good talk about choosing nice friends and how he can't control how others choose to behave but he can choose how he behaves and now he knows to always include everyone. This message/lecture was DRILLED into me as a child and its always funny to hear myself sound EXACTLY like my mother.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

It was six years ago today that I walked down the aisle and married a man I had known for all of three months. John was so handsome in his tuxedo and I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. Six years later I know I am the luckiest girl in the world. Thanks for six fun filled years, John Kramer. I will love you forever.

Mr Smarty Pants

The tree is up! The lights are hung! Now all we have to do is wait twenty two agonizing days for Christmas to come. The upside is that I have twenty two days of using one of the most time-honored methods of parental manipulation in the book. Yes, Santa's Naughty List. This worked like a charm last year and I was really looking forward to it again this year but wouldn't you know it, Jack is starting to think a little harder about the whole Santa thing. Today Jack and Ella were playing in the yard and I heard a fight break out. Sure enough Jack comes running in to tattle (which in our house is a higher offense than anything he could possibly be tattling about.) I stopped him before he began and said, "Oh I hope you aren't going to tattle because Santa is watching you right now!" he gave me the dirtiest look he could muster and said "Mom, you think I will believe anything but you're wrong!" I wondered if someone had told Jack the truth about Santa. Then he said "I know Santa isn't watching me right now because thats impossible. Right now Santa is in the North Pole." So, he is beginning to doubt Santa's omnipotent reconnasance powers. Something tells me we only have a Christmas or two left with this kid buying it. Oh well.

It really is amazing what he picks up on. I have learned the hard way that no swear word crosses my lips without it being recorded and cataloged in his little brain, and then inevitably rears its ugly head at the most inappropriate of times. Also he has inherited his mom's photographic memory for song lyrics so I have to now censor everything that plays in our car. I realized this a few months back when I found out that Jack had announced to his sunbeam class at church that he was "bringing sexy back". We were driving down the road last week and a song came on. He yells from the back seat. "Mom, this song is SO high school." Oy Vey.