Random Holiday THoughts

blo
ggers from Pluto
We have had these great photo ops and the camera battery is so low, it didn't work. A couple of funny things I want to remember. Today Madion's friend Kana performed a Mozart concerto with the local youth symphony, and Madison turned pages for her. It was a big deal - full auditorium and very good symphony. Madison came on the stage carrying Kana's bench and set everything up. Some people behind us said "Wow, look at her! She's the pianiast!" Then Madison sat down and the people behind us said "Dang, she's just turning the pages. Kana is ony 17 and she played the concerto flawlessly. Amazing! She's going to Boston next year to study music. It was a two hour concert - very long! This morning we were working on a talk with Livi for primary, and it was about the Book of Mormon. Becca was sitting by listening while Livi and I were talking about
Nephites, Lamanites, and other Ites. Becca said "don't forget about termites" then she said "you say Term- ites" and asked us to repeat it over a few times so we could get it. Another great time - last week we went to Historic downtown - Rhett was on the roof wrestling with the lights, so I took the girls. We started out at the libary at a paws for reading program where the kids can pick a therapy dog and sit and read a book while the dog sleeps or whatever. Becca said she wanted to have a dog that needed a good belly rub, so they assigned her to an older black lab named "Annie". Olivia got the funniest hyper bulldog named something or other. We're doing to do this every month - I've never seen the girls so excited about reading. We then walked down the main street. The Christmas parade was that same evening, so people were setting up. It was funny because all these church groups were giving out candy canes and spiritual messages, and handing out hot chocolate which burned all our tongues. Then, the most authentic Santa and his Elf came strolling down the street, followed by children and their parents following them to a bed and breakfast where Santa would talk with the children. Again - my camera out of batteries. This Santa looked like a folk singer - real gray beard - a cross between Jim Henson and Jimmy Buffett. His elf walked with a knarled wooden walking stick - he looked right out of Hobbitville. Of course we turned and followed the skipping, running, and magical line into the B&B. Becca and Livi sat on his lap, and he entranced them, taking the time to talk with each one for a few minutes. I couldn't believe how non commercialized Livi and Becca were. Livi said she wanted "crafts", and Becca said "science". Santa said, "well, science is a broad field, what kind of science". Becca was speechless, then just nodded when he said "You want to experiment with things?" Then santa leaned over to the elf and said "write that down", which the elf did with his big feathered pen. It was one of those moments that you want to remember for all time, that you just run into this kind of Christmas magic without even looking fo it! The finale was going to the old fashioned candy store and looking at the hundreds of candies in the glass jars - I think I'm going to buy a big sack and put it in all of our stockings at Christmas after Santa is finished. So that's about it. I've found another precious yard ornament to take a picture of - how bout Santa's sleigh being pulled by eight tiny pink flamingos. I'll recharge this silly camera and hopefully we'll have some pics. Talk with y'all soon.