Ho, ho, ho...they grow

These darn kids just won't stop growing up. The holiday season is flying and in a few days, it'll all be over again until Elena is six and Michael is two. We'll never get five and one back again and it's a downright infuriating and impossible fact. Before I launch into the holiday fun, an Elena-ism of late is one I had to remember. In her perfunctory manner, she told us that, "I know a lot of big words." {Oh yeah? Like what, La?} "Shiva Frentzen for Supervisor." Oh that girl and her unending hilarity. And Michael...this morning at the very wee hours, he called for me in his first real sentence...."Mama, Aw you?" (Translation: Mommy, where are you?) My sweet boy - I love this stage and all the new words. His favorite are: No, shoe, hat, up, num-num, paci, Mama, Dada, Lala, Nigh-Night, Bye-bye, Hello, hi, ball, puppy, and many more. He's learning quickly.


Now, for more holiday fun...Michael won't keep an ornament on the tree and Elena wakes every morning in anticipation of finding Caleb, the elf. We had the annual Santa Run in the hood again and our children welcomed Santa with a lot of excitement. This is the first year Elena has been so open to talking to and sitting with Santa and Mrs. Claus. We also went to Santa's Secret Adventure on Sunday and what a magical experience THAT was with Elena's first voluntary Santa-lap (kind of...they have a chair between Santa and the head elf these days) experience. Michael wanted nothing to do with sitting near him, but we kind of figured that. We also had pony and carriage rides, helping the elves wrap gifts, a petting zoo and special hot chocolate and cookies with a story around the fire. The horse ranch they turn into this is a wonderland and was something we'll certainly do again. The magic of the holidays is alive and well in the Grohs house and it's going way too quickly. Merry Christmas to all.

Bucky and the boots

The true meaning of Christmas

There is nothing like watching your children to remind you of the real spirit of the holidays. Elena joined me for the annual Holiday Adopt-A-Family program I organize every year. Almost 200 local families received gifts galore from Sutter employees/friends/family and Elena was right there in the midst of it all, helping hand out candy canes and even load gifts onto trucks when she could. She was a doll and the gift-givers were tickled with the littlest elf. Michael, on the other hand, is fairly oblivous about the holiday, but couldn't be happier with the music to which he busts a move, the ornaments with which he plays 'throw' and with the musical snow globe that he just watches with wide eyes. My mom got it for Elena last year and both kids love the magic it holds. And speaking of magic, we have a new magical member of our family. Caleb, the Elf on the Shelf, travels every evening to tell Santa about the state of behavior in the Grohs house. We can't touch Caleb, or his magic will disappear. We can talk to him though and he will tell Santa about our hopes and dreams when he travels overnight and magically resides in a new place every morning. The thrill of the hunt for Caleb every day has become our new Christmas tradition. My wish for Caleb? That this lasts forever. I hope he can deliver.

For posterity

For posterity sake, I am posting the Christmas card so we'll always remember the fun we had doing it all. And of course, I can't help giggling...The funnies in us come out during the holidays.

Mo' family