Twas the Night

Before Christmas

I'm really not sure what is harder... waiting till Christmas morning when I was 10, or now- as a parent- and waiting for my kids to wake up sometime later this morning. Cindy and I just finished playing Santa, and if it was up to me, I'd go wake the kids right now!

Marie and Josh baked and decorated cookies for the big guy tonight, and then proceeded in setting the table for both the jolly elf and his reindeer. I'll never forget the year when it was just Marie and I, and I had no milk in the fridge...TRAGEDY...I told Marie that Santa would probably just be as happy with a Sam Adams...she bought it- she was only three at the time! (Yeah, I know...no Father of the Year on that one!)

I took Marie and Josh to go see the Polar Express film at the Cleveland I-Max theatre- awesome! I'm a huge fan of the film to begin with, but seeing it again in this theatre really renewed my love of the storyline about a little boy who is on the cusp of losing his childhood innocence and turning his back on Santa...until he's given the magical sleighbell on his incredible trek to the North Pole. Watching Josh's reaction during the film made it even that much more magical.

As anxious as I am in watching the kids open their presents in the morning, I am also looking forward to our services at church. One gift that I bought Marie for Christmas is the book based on the film, The Nativity. I so want my kids to be able to keep everything in perspective when it comes to Christmas and never lose sight of the whole reason for us celebrating this day...truthfully, it's the kids who usually are level-headed about everything, and it's us adults who go stir-crazy in trying to get everything "just-right" for the holidays...Josh tells me all the time to just RELAX...and Don't Worry About It....the lil' guy is probably right.

UGH...it's only 12:30...too early to wake everyone up...