We are back at the Farm, where there was a little bit more snow than St. Louis. Within an hour of being there, Dad had dug out the old sleds and we were sledding. Baby G showed no fear, but didn't quite get that she had to bail before she hit the treeline. Luckily, she didn't get hurt and had a blast. Bean Dip, on the other hand, liked to bail before he was halfway down the hill, and didn't even want to ride with me. I wondered if all those Calvin and Hobbes comics made him a little wary. He did not think it was funny when I asked him if wanted to go down Dismemberment Hill.

We all went down at least a few times. Sledding is so much fun. Then BD started a snowball fight and things escalated from there. We finally all headed in, cold, wet, laughing and covered with snow.

The Dragon and the Cat

For the last few days BD has been pretending to be a dragon. His name is Red Flame, and he can set fire to himself. Being a dragon means walking in a bear crawl and communicating in roars. He needs a trainer to keep him in line.

In response to the dragon, G has become a cat. She is Just Gwyn, and moves in a bear crawl as well. She communicates only in meows.

I was a trainer until I was informed that I had been upgraded to a dragon. My name is Blue Flame. However, I walk upright and speak English.

Tonight I have to bathe the dragon and the cat, clip their claws, clean their teeth, and apply scale moisturizer.

A trainer's work is never done.

Snow!

We got some snow, finally. It snowed a little Christmas night, but not enough to cover anything. Last night it started snowing and today we have about two inches.

Perfecting her snowball making technique

Caught mid-throw

Baby G was the first one out. We stayed out until her hands got cold. Then she went into warm up and eat oatmeal, and BD came out with me. I took some pictures, then put my camera away and we had a great snowball fight until his hands got cold. Now we are inside, cozy, and watching The Avengers.

The Things Bean Dip Says, Christmas Version

12/12 Bean Dip: "I just love Christmas. Not just the presents. I love the lights, the tree, all the decorations."

12/23/12 Bean Dip: "I think I'm going to get half coal and half presents. But even if I get all coal, that's fine because we can use it to grill!"

and ... "I'm going to hold the door for everyone, even strangers, and be really good, because tomorrow is Christmas Eve."

Later, I asked him about the coal and said, "Maybe you'll get coal, and a big raw steak to grill," and Bean Dip said, "Maybe Santa knows I'm a dragon."

12/25/12 Bean Dip: "I'm so glad I didn't get coal for Christmas."

If I had gotten my act together, this would have been my Christmas card photo. 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Party

Win's family had their annual Christmas party this weekend, and we were here for it. It was lots of fun; it's always good to see all their friends. Some of Win's friends came too, so I got to catch up with them as well, and hear a few new stories about Win back in the day.

Baby G got all dressed up in her Christmas outfit, and was so excited for the party. She is just like Gramma -- she loves people. She stood at the door greeting everyone, telling them her name and saying she was three years old. But she only lasted until 7:30, and then she took herself up to bed. Bean Dip lasted much longer, running around, bar tending, and playing with Win's friends (Jim paid him a dollar for doing 20 burpees.) BD did not dress up. He straight up refused to wear his nice shirt. He dressed himself in his red henley, green camo pants and red Chucks, and declared himself ready to party.

I asked Bean Dip on Saturday afternoon if he still hated The Nutcracker. I thought maybe after he had had time to think about it, he might like it better, and I was right. Everyone who asked him about it at the party got a "It was good," answer from him. And he told me, "Maybe we should see it again." I think he would like to sit up in the second tier of seats.

The one thing he really wanted was a Nutcracker. He called my mom right before they left to come to the party, and asked if she could bring him the one she had at home. She did, and he was so happy. It was kind of funny, because of course G wanted to play with it too, and they were fighting over it, just like Clara and her brother in The Nutcracker. But they got over it.

We found some pistachios (the only nuts that we had still in a shell), and he stood in the kitchen cracking nuts and sharing them with everyone who walked by. I think he made quite a few friends that way.

The Nutcracker

Today we went to see The Nutcracker. The performance was at Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis. (We drove up yesterday for Christmas break.)

We got all dressed up, and both Oma and Gramma went with us. It was the matinee, and our seats were front row and center. It was a little low for the kids, who couldn't quite see over the stage, but of course there were plenty of laps for them to sit on.

I thought the performance was fantastic. I loved sitting so close -- we could see all the detail in the costumes and the dancers' faces. Baby G was just entranced by it all, and Bean Dip was too, though I think for different reasons. I think he enjoyed watching the sets change, and of course the battle between the toy soldiers and the mice was very exciting. My favorite parts were the snowflake fairies -- it was a magical performance with snow falling -- and the waltz of flowers.

I think Bean Dip would have been perfectly happy with the whole experience if we had left at intermission. The second half was the parade of sweets, and it was one dance after another, and not very exciting for him. He got squirmy and complained, but quietly, and both he and G were very well behaved for the entire two-hour performance.

I'm so glad we went, and I hope that maybe this will become a Christmas tradition. I was so excited to take the kids, because, as I told BD when he was complaining about how he hated the ballet (on the way home, when he was hungry and sick of wearing his dress clothes), it was a cultural experience. And I can't wait for G to start her ballet lessons in January.

Information:
Touhill Performing Arts Center
The Nutcracker

"Who knew that a five year old named Lem who was into dragons could cut cardboard?" -- Lem on Sunday

I still don't know exactly what he is creating, so I'm glad he is doing it all by himself.

Winter Salad

So I've been doing something my mom does in winter for salads. I'm adding winter fruits to it. This has become one of my favorite combinations, although in this picture I have mixed greens, and I've decided I prefer baby spinach. It's very simple -- baby spinach or greens, toasted sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, dried cranberries, chopped apple, and pear if you have it. I've been making a simple dressing of 1part Dijon mustard, 2 parts honey, 3 parts red wine vinegar and 3 parts olive oil, or more or less. I simply play with the mixture until I like the taste, and shake it all in a jar to mix. A little salt and pepper, and you are set.

My mom came to visit this weekend, because I begged her to come keep us company. It was great, because it poured all weekend, and so she was there to help entertain the kids (and me).

We didn't do a whole lot, just enjoyed being together. We had a neighborhood play date on Saturday, until the fighting (Bean Dip and Mason) and rain started again. That night we ventured downtown to go to the Blackhorse Brewery, which is probably the best restaurant in town. BD did the word search on his kid's menu, and Baby G ate all her pizza and then begged BD to finish his (he let her have the last piece).

Oma and BD reading The Joy of Cooking.

Sunday. Still pouring. It stopped long enough for us to go to the Greenway with the kids' bikes, and started raining as soon as we got there. BD rode ahead with Oma, and G started crying immediately because Oma was leaving her. So ... we went like that for about 15 minutes, then headed back to the car.

We stopped and got food at the newly opened Greek restaurant up the street. We took our gyros home, and they were really good. Next time I am definitely going to try the falafal. They have hummus for a side dish so this might be a new favorite of ours.

Sunday night I successfully roasted a chicken, and that night Mom and I watched "alamar" a foreign film that was available for instant viewing on Netflix. It was about a boy and his father fishing off the coast of Mexico. it was only about an hour long, but it was a beautiful movie.

Sunday Dinner

I successfully roasted a chicken on Sunday, for the first time. For some reason, I've been unable to do this properly -- getting the skin crispy and the meat juicy. I've had slimy skin and undercooked meat, but I think I may have figured out. (Random note, I have not had trouble with the few Thanksgiving turkeys I've done.)

I think the magic must be in my big turkey roasting pan. And, of course, The Joy of Cooking. Mom and I followed the simple directions, and voila! A real Sunday dinner.

Sinterklass' Visit

St. Nick came last night and filled shoes left out by the fireplace. Christmas ornaments, new pajamas and some chocolate coins made for a cheerful morning.

The Sugar Plum Fairy

Tonight, we went to the Clarksville Public Library for a chance to see the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nashville Ballet. The ballet company was in town to perform The Nutcracker at the university. Because we are going to see The Nutcracker later this month, I though it was a great opportunity to introduce ballet to the kids.

It was crowded, but we arrived in time. The ballerina started by reading the story of The Nutcracker to us. Then she and a few other dancers performed. And after that, she invited "all the little ballerinas" to come down and dance with her. BD said right away, "I want to go!" So he went, but G decided to stay with me. We watched BD attempt to dance, surrounded by all these little girls in tutus. There was at least two other boys, and I was glad he wanted to do it.

We waited in line to meet the ballerina afterward. G was just in love with it all. BD was more interested in the logistics of it: "How do they stand on their toes? I can do that!"

I hope they will enjoy the ballet. We are listening to the music at home as well, and I have ordered the book so we will be able to read it at home before we go.

Baby G got all dressed up to put on a show for me. She began by saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, please and thank you to be quiet. No talking during the show!"

"I just love Christmas. Not just the presents. I love the lights, the tree, all the decorations." -- Lem

Over pancakes this morning, we discussed:

Addition and subtraction, including negative numbers
The battle of Jericho
The center of the Earth
The Geneva Conventions

Now Bean Dip is saying he will not throw his POWs into a volcano, but instead he will feed them macaroni and cheese and treat them like pets.