So....

So last night after a day of Christmas choir performances, an early family Christmas lunch,  and watching the Grinch,  I had to tell my first grader a watered down version of a tragedy that took place miles and miles away from us.  But even seeing the snippets of news that I have caught over the weekend, it feels like it was our little bedroom community school.  We had to tell her something because today our school is allowing kids to wear green to honor victims.   I'm mad I had to tell her anything, but not at our school for honoring those sweet first graders and teachers that look just like our first graders and teachers.  I'm mad because it is an event that happened.  Lee and I debated whether to say anything, probably like the other 600 kids' parents, but you want your kids to hear things from parents, not other kids. I'm mad that at church yesterday I saw our principal singing in the choir and half our teachers smiling at our kids as they sang, and I'm mad that every parent in our Sunday School was tears eyed looking around, just like us, transposing those faces we have seen on TV on our own school staff.

She asked a few questions, did the school lock down, like they practice at her school, was the mean man gone, were people hurt.  We answered truthfully, but I was relieved to say the mean man was gone.  I'm impressed with the fact Sophie understood that we not only pray for bad things to go away, but we also pray when good things come our way.  And we did last night.

So,  today. I got her ready and am cleaning up our elf's mess. I am turning on the lighs to our six trees, thanking God I go overboard for my girls.  Because even though I had to shed a little adult ness on her six year old mind, I can do everything in my power to let the good take over her mind.  That's my job.  If it is overtime on my part, so be it.

The Search of 2012 Christmas

Now that the girls are getting a little older and more able to fully tell us what they want for Christmas, it is usually easier to fulfill Santa's order.  I take the girls around some during November, if they see a certain toy they have really been wanting we take a phone picture and text to Santa.  There are always those surprise gifts that he brings, but they can send him one or two pictures to make sure they get what they really want for Christmas.  This usually works, but Harper, once again, is making Santa work!

Last year she told everyone and every Santa we met she wanted a Leap Pad (easy enough) and a purple mirror.  The purple mirror just about killed me.  We had never seen a purple mirror in the store.  She never saw one on TV.  There were no catalogs with purple mirrors.  She just thought it would be fun to have one.  So, being a mommy who is going to milk the magic of Santa until the girls are 40, searched everywhere for a purple mirror.   I even ordered two or three mirror craft sets, thinking they would suffice on Christmas morning.  But finally, about three days before Christmas I happened to go in to Sally's Beauty Supply(probably the first time in 8 years I had been in one) and lo and behold, behind the checkout counter, I looked up while purchasing nail polish, and saw a purple mirror.  She got her mirror and all was right with the world.

THIS year, she has asked for an electric guitar (very doable) and added a twist to her list.  She has told Santa that she thinks a pony for dolls, like her Polly Pockets and Rapunzel, to ride on would be fun.  We have toy horses, but that isn't what she wants.  She says she thought of this pony one day and knows its perfect for Christmas.  We have not been into one store that has a pony with the exact description that she has given us.  So, if you see any ponies out there that can hold dolls on their backs, please help me out!