Well, first news is that Katie is over her pneumonia! Thanks heavens! She's no longer on any doctor prescribed medicines, although I'm currently giving her Robitussin, which she hates about as much as anything. I just wasn't up to that fight this morning, so she escaped unmediated. And she's eating again, although given her weight, the doctors were never worried about her NOT eating.

We had a fabulous weekend! It started on Friday when JD has art class. He learned about Santa Claus in art class - how funny! We've never gotten into the Santa Clause thing because (a) JD's 3, and (b) where is Santa Claus going to fit into our Christmas? At Dad's house X-mas is celebrated several days early, and it certainly wouldn't work at the Yates household where Christmas is more of an adult thing and starts at 5 and ends at 5:30. So I've never even brought him up. Anyway, I guess it was very new to JD and the teacher explained (or maybe other children did - I'm in the hall playing with Katie during class) that Santa Claus comes to the house and gives gifts. After class JD comes up to me and asks, "Mommy, is Santa Claus allowed to come into our house please?" It was SOOOO cute!

So they took little garden pots and painted them deep brown, the children then glued antlers, eyes, and red macaroni on to make reindeer. Oh I can't begin to describe how PRECIOUS it is. Of course, JD loved the moving google eyes, so he put about 5 on (he's very proud of the eyes) I know I should share and pass this on to one of the relatives, but I love it tooo much. Next they made Santa Claus out of plastic containers and god knows how many cotton balls. More google eyes! So we had a nice discussion about how Santa Claus helps to celebrate Jesus's birthday.

On Saturday JD has swim class. I didn't take Katie to hers because I didn't want her to get sick. But it was really enjoyable to watch JD in the water. After his turns he would look up and see me and give me the most delighted grin. It's really fabulous. Then we swing through McDonalds and go home to have lunch on the 'new deck' (as JD calls it still.) Anyway, it was about 70 degrees on Saturday and it seemed silly to be inside putting up the tree. Instead, we spent the entire day outside, we even cooked out! We raked the backyard (which only takes about 4 times as long with kids jumping, throwing, and demanding to be buried in the leaves) The house looks really good outside. We have hand-made (by Terri's dad, no less) wooden snowman and a Christmas tree on the porch, plus lights around our little trees and across the porch overhang. (John is starting to eyeball those white icicle things, so I imagine we'll have those next year!) The rose trellises have red and gold bows with long to the ground tassels, and we have 3 huge burgundy bows on the deck. The lamp post has ??? that evergreen stuff and a huge bow. However, what I am most proud of are the 4 red bows I got at the dollar store and tied around the trees in the front and side yard! I love Christmas! Oh yes, we have a Santa that hangs off the door with bells for feet that JD totally loves.

So the kids had fun on Sat being unbelievably dirty! JD fell asleep at 7:40! Nearly 2 hours early! The house looks - well, I think it looks really great! I haven't yet crossed that line into cheesy. But when we get more storage for more things I will! It's a Julie thing!

Sunday we spent most of the day putting up the tree and related things. (Terri - remember the reindeer that sits on top of the door with Santa falling off and catching his bag? I totally forgot I had that - I still think its one of my favorite Christmas decorations!) Katie is much better at pulling the ornaments off. We let JD put up many of the ornaments, which was quite amusing. He found like 3 spots he liked, and he proceeded to put all of the ornaments in those 3 (low) spots. So when he wasn't looking John or I would have to move some of them since 5 blue balls on 1 branch is somewhat funny looking.

The kids two favorite things are a musical frog that 'sings' (ribbets?) Christmas carols and a musical train that G-grandparents got us. (Oh yes, and a truly ugly BUT PLASTIC nativity set that they children are allowed to play with!) The train has turned out to be a mixed blessing (Smile! God do the kids love it - but it's driving me bananas!) Last month John suddenly got his heart set on a train. . . and I'm like, with 2 little kids and another on the way? Are you bananas? However, this little musical Christmas train is just the thing. We've put it up around the tree, and how the kids love it. They sit just forever looking at it. JD likes to count the cars as they go by, so poor Katie doesn't understand why she can't 'count' the cars - except she knocks them off the track. The first words out of JD's mouth this morning - even before he asked for candy (I hate Halloween now) - were "Can we turn the train on?" NO! Oh god no! Not yet! Not at 7am!

The Christmas letter is written, the cards bought, I'll by the stamps today, the house a chaotic swirl of lights and red and green. . . .So we are most definitely in the holiday spirit here! Am greatly looking forward to passing out Christmas cookies and 'singing' to our neighbors! Also am thinking of taking the kids to the amazing light and live Nativity show at the Mormon Temple. I'll bet JD would love that -- Look mom, a castle!! But I may have to kill all the people there. Not sure if my holiday love can withstand that crowd.

That is the holiday news here! Hope all is well with all of you! Merry Christmas!

Just think,
You're here not by chance,
But my God's Choosing.
His Hand Formed YOU
and made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else --
you are one of a kind.
You lack nothing
that his grace can't give you.
He has allowed you to be here
at this time in history
to fulfill his special purpose
for this generation

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Last updated: December 6, 1999