Day Three Hundred Fifty Nine 2012

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE RANFT, MYERS, KIMBROUGH FAMILIES!

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
~Burton Hillis
We had ourselves a merry little Christmas tonight!

Day Three Hundred Fifty Eight 2012

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.
~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Day Three Hundred Fifty Seven 2012

Keep your Christmas-heart open all the year round. ~Jessica Archmint

Day Three Hundred Fifty Five 2012

Grandpeeps Shelby and Elijah are out of school for Christmas vacation (winter break for the politically correct). They were here today, amusing themselves watching America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Captain America on Netflix. Shelby was productive and made colorful braided bracelets out of embroidery floss for each holiday. So far, she’s made ten. They’re very pretty.

I was productive, too, and made some cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. From scratch. They turned out pretty tasty. Blustery weather here all day—rain and wind and now it’s cold. The grandpeeps are hoping to see some snow. The ground is too warm for it to stick if it did snow, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a few snowflakes. (FYI: today is the last official day of Autumn, although people have been saying it's Winter since before turkey day)

Day Three Hundred Fifty Four 2012

“I bought my brother some gift-wrap for Christmas. I took it to the Gift Wrap department and told them to wrap it, but in a different print so he would know when to stop unwrapping.”

~Stephen Wright

Day Three Hundred Fifty Three 2012

Grandson Elijah looked everywhere for our crazed version of elf on the shelf this afternoon after school and could not find him anywhere—not even upstairs. And then his sister Shelby was surprised to find the elf lurking in the freezer, just waiting for little kids to open it up for a tasty frozen treat, which is usually the first thing Elijah does when he gets here after school each day. He was too freaked out just looking for the elf to even think about grabbing a Bomb Pop. The elf didn’t mind the freezing cold, by the way. After all, he lives at the North Pole. So now he’s moved on. Who knows where he’ll appear next. You better watch out!

Day Three Hundred Fifty 2012

Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of year
Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
Of love and dreams to share
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
Christmas time is here
We'll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year...
~Vince Guaraldi  from ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’

Day Three Hundred Forty Nine 2012

Grandson Knox does not like balloons and keeps a safe distance when Grandpa tries to get him to see how much fun they really are.

Still skeptical about the balloon, Knox decides going near it is just not worth the risk. (This fear stems from his birthday a couple of weeks ago when one popped beside him and scared him half to death.) He’s been pretty good about the Christmas tree. He wants to touch, of course, but knows he’s not supposed to, so he’ll steer around it. Most of the time.

Day Three Hundred Forty Eight 2012

Once again, grandson Elijah crept around the house after school today, on the alert for the whereabouts of his Granny and Grandpa’s somewhat crazed and creepy version of elf on the shelf. (See Day Three Hundred Forty Five 2012) He couldn’t find it right away and went to use the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it and about two seconds later came right back out and announced to me, “He’s in there.” I went in there to look and, sure enough, there he sat right above the toilet. Elijah insisted that I move it (which is totally against the rules—you’re not supposed to touch the elf or he’ll lose his magic). I reminded him of this, but he refused to use the bathroom with the elf in there, saying, “I don’t want him watching my business.” Well, how could I argue with that? When you got to go, you got to go, and a man needs his privacy. I moved the elf. Much to Elijah’s relief (in more ways than one). Magic or no magic, I’m sure the elf will be somewhere else tomorrow. Waiting. And watching.

Day Three Hundred Forty Seven 2012

Alas! How dreary would be the world if there was no Santa Claus!... There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.
~Francis P. Church, New York Sun, Sep. 21, 1897

Day Three Hundred Forty Six 2012

Grand daughter Shelby was all decked out today, looking like Christmas, in her candy cane socks, red T, and snow white boots. She is beautiful, inside and out.

Grandson Elijah got in on the photo action and struck a pose. He cracks me up, makes me laugh at least once a day. He was freaked out again by our version of elf on the shelf (see previous post). The elf had mysteriously moved. Creep-worthy to a six year old. Fun for Granny and Grandpa.