Forgive me the blogging absence. I truly thought I would update throughout the week. Motivation waned, however, when we arrived in South Dakota. All we wanted to do was catch up with family, keep the girls from ransacking the presents too early, and digest the immense piles of gourmet food that miraculously appeared every few hours (thanks mom!).
As Maya observed while eating her caramelized pears after gift opening on Christmas eve, "This was the best Christmas EVER!" This may be an inherited sentiment, as Grandpa tends to use this line for nearly every event.
This year, it was definitely accurate. In spite of Elliot's nagging cold, and the chaos born of interrupted schedules and copious snacking, we had an incredibly fun and relaxing holiday.
We even made time for several scrabble games, movies, lots of eggnog, and a few naps. We have now read The Adventures of Louise the Chicken about a hundred times, along with the Nutcracker, and Goodnight Washington D.C., and few other really great books.
The company was spectacular, and though we always wish there was more time with more family, we are always holidays like this one, with time enough for visiting, relaxing, and truly being together in an unhurried, unstressed way.
Santa wisely brought Maya her very biggest Christmas wish... A Unicorn Costume. She loves it, though we remain baffled.
At one point, Maya was in costume, appearing to be riding a unicorn, blowing on her new trumpet, in front of her new puppet stage. I was so proud of her kookiness. Elliot was just happy to be feeling better!
It's a classic exercise. Start with "I remember" and write for 10 or 15 minutes. For reasons that may be obvious after reading the following, I'm simply posting today's writing exercise. I am too tired to write an update for the blog today.... Still, I am lurching forward on the my read through.
I remember sleep, when sleep was a common, mundane event. I remember sleep when it was simply something required at the end of every day, or something occasionally necessary in the afternoon after a big night out. I remember sleep as a flagship of weekend mornings, along with the paper and a single cup of coffee.
Now, sleep is a hunger. I lust for sleep like I once lusted for sex. I still do, of course, but not the way I lust for sleep. It is a force, a dream, a brimming pool of water on the horizon of my desert, or more often, a mirage.
Occasionally, the mirage does turn out to be real. I crawl on the sandy shores of despairing exhaustion, maintaining optimism and fortitude for the sake of my children the way I would maintain forward motion in the desert for the sake of my life. Instead of busting through the mirage, as usual, being allowed a mere hour or two of consecutive sleep due to interruptions by one tiny captive or another, or by my own aging bladder, instead I’m indulged. Sweeter than a Sex on the Beach. Sweeter than actual sex on a beach. Sweeter than well water from my childhood farm even to a thirsty desert traveler. That is how sweet sleep is on the unexpected night when I’m given 8, 9, once not so many days ago, nearly 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
To sleep and sleep like this, to dream, and remember some dreams, and forget others but know they were there. This kind of sleep is simultaneously shockingly indulgent and long overdue. If a full night’s sleep ocurs again the next night, and the next, as it has a few times in my three years of parenthood, I become overconfident, like the desert traveler with a full canine and good directions to the next watering hole. I forget that sandstorms are frequent and bearings are easily lost. I forget that toddlers are easily disrupted by new milestones, busy days, or minor colds, among other things. I forget that big sisters are also disrupted, by scary dreams or exciting tomorrows, among other things.I forget these things, and am taken completely off guard when I am once again lurching parched and disoriented around my world, wondering if that touch of shimmery blue on the horizon is the next watering hole, or simply another mirage of two hour interval sleep.
Except for a few last minute items, our presents are wrapped. Rather than wasting fancy pants wrapping paper, which some recipients find difficult to tear open, I'm using Maya's art.
She was given an easel for Christmas last year, and spent a significant portion of Elliot's nap time last winter and this fall painting and drawing. I just couldn't bring myself to throw all of that artwork out!
Instead, I rolled it up, thinking I would figure out some use for it later.
Ta, da. It's festive wrapping paper! She's adding stickers to it as we wrap up gifts, making her part of the whole gift-giving process. Unfortunately, she has also become a little informant for anyone whose present she spotted, but it's still a fun way to get ready for the festivities!
Until this year, I didn't really realize how much work it is to prepare a good Christmas for kids old enough to remember the experience!
First, there is the challenge of shopping for gifts. The girls were really well behaved when we shopped for everyone else, but it was still exhausting.
Picking out their gifts obviously requires a babysitter (thanks DO!), and a working knowledge of the grandparent's gifts for the girls, so that we don't accidentally shop off of the same list! When we finally do think of a few good things, we grapple with the big question: which one is from Santa? Do we get the credit for the best gift, or does the scary man that breaks in through the chimney... the man Maya won't even wave to at the mall, unless she is peering safely down at him from the second story balcony outside of Herbergers!
And it's a good thank Maya can't read! I found her coloring on the Amazon.com invoice of her Santa gift today.... One more year, and that might blow the whole charade!!
Don't forget the gifts for the preschool teachers. Other parents compared gifts for bus drivers, piano instructors, coaches, etc (obviously they have older children, so I guess I can see what's on the horizon.) Some of the mom's even bought gifts for the other kids in preschool. That's exactly what I needed, 20 chocolate Santas to defend. I, along with several other NON over achiever parents vowed to abstain from that level of compulsive giving.
Then, of course, there are the non-gift related traditions we're all trying to maintain. We wrote up a list of nice things Maya can do for others this holiday season (help them make their beds and give hugs were the two biggies!) We're waiting until she's a bit older to establish a volunteer tradition. We made the construction paper chain, to help her understand when we get to go to the farm, and when Santa comes... Oh, and lots of classic movies have been featured during these cold evenings.
And the baking! How are we expected to have at least a few different goodies and STILL fit into our holiday garb? I've taken to chewing gum while a bake, so I can't sneak the chocolate chips!
Not to mention all of this must be accomplished while still fulfilling regular life requirements, fresh, healthy meals, creative play time, regular work and preschool schedules....
Phew! I haven't even started packing for our week long hiatus from baby proofed surroundings and regular schedules!
Hopefully, it gets a little easier with practice, but still.... Thanks mom....
At 14 months, Elliot is a very proud new member of this oh-so-chatty family!
She loves to preform her new words, and like her older sister, she will repeat her tricks until someone applauds loudly. Here is her vocabulary so far, from what I can tell.
Mama Dada Book Maya Uh Oh (usually right before tossing something on the floor) Good More (sounds like MA, which causes some confusion) Hi (usually a two syllable word for her - HA-IE) Bye (also two syllables - BA-IE) Night-Night (more like ni-ni, but still) Drink (sounds like DAT) Up (precluded by a little squeal, every time) One (when asked out old she is... or how big she is) Quack, Quack, Quack (when asked what's a duck say) Bow, wow, wow (when asked what's a dog say) Moo (obviously, cow) Meow (sounds more like a drawn moo, but she's trying for a cat) Kitty (sounds more like, um, kitty if you replaced the k with a t) Tickle (followed immediately by an attack!) Hot (though she seems to think it refers to coffee cups as well as anything mom is drinking) Ow (accompanied by a rubbing of whichever part of her head has been thwacked) Button (usually comes out more like butt, but meant to describe her belly button)
More importantly, she can understand almost everything that goes on around her, which makes her a very entertaining little companion!
Because without goals, I flounder, I'm setting goals.
All I've really done since the big November rush is dawdle around with daily free writes and brainstorming exercises and peruse the Amazon website for good writing books. I'm expecting more of myself in the coming months.
So, just a bit into my reread of the book formerly known as Prairie Apocalypse and currently without title, here's the plan for pushing it to a second draft:
1) Read it through, taking notes one what is in each scene and highlighting what is already working pretty well (by Jan 7, when I get my first real mini-holiday since Elle was born a year ago!)
2) Write a new synopsis to wrap my head around what the story is supposed to be (by Jan 15)
3) Revise the outline based on my notes and the new heart of the best (by Jan 20)
4) Touch up (or create new in at least one case) character sketches for the 4 biggies (by Feb 1)
5) Begin chapter by chapter re-write, taking my time (finish by April 1).
Hopefully this way, I'll have a second draft that I can really and truly revise (as opposed to totally rewrite) before the big 30th birthday (I'm an April Fool's Baby, lol).
In the words of my daughter's favorite television show: Great Googily Moogily (translates to Holy Crap, I think).
I'm putting the book about revision and self-editing aside until after the holidays.
I definitely want to keep writing and editing for the next two weeks, but on page one, James Scott Bell assigns his readers the following task:
Read 6 books. Then re-read them, taking notes on the setting, plot, and character development in each scene. Then re-read the notes.
A valuable task? Probably.
Will I do it? Probably.
Should I stop editing PA or writing The Prodigal Sister while I study this stuff? No!
Where's the fun in that?
No, I'm going to put the book aside, and use my limited time these days to read through PA, and see where that gets me. Maybe before the next draft, and before the rewriting of TPS, I'll do my homework on the craft of writing.
I'm just getting into the writing habit, if I pause now to study, I may scare myself away from it all together!
Well, I'm officially editing the book formerly known as Prairie Apocalypse and currently between titles.
I've already cut the first two sections ( I fully expected that, but it was still painful! ) I'm just reading passively, taking notes on what characters and scenes actually made it in there ( nano is already just a blur!), and making side notes whenever I have a thought about improving it.
I intend to start the rewrite in January, moving chapter by chapter through a new and improved outline. Not everything will be redone, but probably most of it. I'm already merging two main characters into one, more fully developed character.
So, that's the story. I'm moving ahead with the re-read, making editing notes...
Oh, and I'm reading James Scott Bell's Revision & Self-Editing. It gets five stars on Amazon, with loads of reviews. Hopefully it can give me a little direction regarding the revision process. I actually have a lot of confidence that I can find and enhance the heart of this story based on instinct alone, but I always like to back up my instinct/muse with a little sage advice from writers who have been there.
Check out my latest addition to the sidebar. Just below About Me, you'll find the Best of 2007... oops, I mean 2008. This year really did get away from me!
It's a list in progress, and please, feel free to make your own suggestions. These represent my favorite 12 posts of the year, but it was hard to choose. I would love to add your favorites to the list!
It is remarkable how much the girls have changed over the year. It's equally remarkable how cyclical even one year can be. We have enjoyed blissful phases of calm and smooth family fun, interrupted by battles with sleepless nights, toilet training mishaps, and general feelings of being overwhelmed.
If nothing else, this blog has been a helpful way to keep it all in perspective. And, as always, to capture the fleeting moments as they race past us!
The story first dubbed "Sister Savior" during a brainstorming exercise has won a huge place in my imagination and some of my writing time, though I swear I have now started editing the nano manuscript. We'll see how I do with divided loyalties!
Lilly Cashet, a newly promoted program director at a Mediation Center, is leading a gloriously independent life, surrounded by good friends, a deepening romance, and a fulfilling career. She attributes her satisfaction to the fact that she severed all ties with her family a few year's earlier when her sister Dahlia's so-called miracle launched her into the national spotlight as the suspected second-coming. Her biggest challenge is fulfilling the demands of her new job and deciding whether to inform her boyfriend of her connection to the nation's Darling Dahlia.
As the phenomena of Dahlia's fame and followers spreads, however, it becomes impossible for Lilly to maintain her distance. Just before Easter, Dahlia receives a series of assassination and abduction threats targeting her entire family. The FBI and the Catholic Church insist on placing the family under protection until the holiday weekend passes.
Essentially trapped, Lilly is forced to wrestle with her neurotic family and their spiritual clashes. Will she get so engulfed in sisterly disagreements that they all miss the signs that someone has discovered there whereabouts? Will the assassins succeed? And will Lilly ultimately want them too?
I haven't really outlined, researched, or even thought through the cast, so it's likely to change a lot. But this skeleton will hold, I think.
I'm looking forward to working on it over the holiday break, when my own family may offer some inspiration!
To be honest, I'm afraid to read the manuscript staring at me from the dining room table where I write.
I've purchased a lovely legal pad, to help with mapping and note-taking as I read through it. I've given myself a pep talk. I've talked to the one person who has read it, and she's given me a pep talk.
Yet every time I sit down during my alotted (or stolen) time to write, I find something else to do. Brainstorming, free writing, random day dreaming... anything but read the Nanowrimo draft.
I really don't want to just move away from it, leaving it all jiggly, unset like the failed quiche I attempted to make the other night, when I truly believe that a few of the changes already percolating in my sleep-deprived brain will improve it greatly.
The problem is, I think, that I love it, and I don't want to look at what it really is out of fear that it is not salvageable.... but everything is salvageable, right?! And a major blizzard is heading our way, leaving me with no plans and no excuses.
I will read this thing, and I will start the editing process.
I will!
In the meantime, I've drafted a synopsis for the next project that has stolen my heart. It will be comedy/satire, called Sister Savior. I'll post the synopsis tomorrow!
After about two of the cold, dark months of the great North, we've finally found our rhythm.
Let's be honest. It's almost the middle of December. It's taken us a long time to move past the stir-crazy, how-are-we-going-to-survive-a-winter-inside phase. Thankfully, our days have found a rhythm, the girls have discovered how to play with each other, and our odds of making it to April without mommy having to move out to the chicken coop are once again high.
The girls are back into predictable sleep patterns, with Maya happy in her own bed in the basement (monitored of course), and Elliot finally consistently sleeping through the night in her crib.
Dance Party is once again a focal point of our day, complete with a whole new list of songs. Maya now leads us with choreography, and Elliot simply spins around in the classic Dog-Chasing-Tail move.
Also too (sorry, I channel that Palin saying far too often), fort building is once again a staple for those "I'm Bored" moments, because of course, all books and toys are infinitely more interesting in the dark, confined, and constantly caving in space of a living room fort.
The high temp today is 14 degrees (F), and the low was just -1. Add that to the 4 or 5 inches of snow on the ground and I can honestly say that it feels like winter.
Finally. After a long summer and a really long fall.
Our hardy northern girls are doing just fine. No, I don't mean Maya, who keeps refusing my requests to go play in the snow for a bit, or Elliot, who is essentially immobilized by her snow gear.
Our chickens are weathering their first winter with ease.
After a finger numbing, nerve frazzling trip to the grocery store, I ran back to the coop fearing the worst. Chickensicles. Or at best, expecting to plug in their heater.
I was truly astounded at the sight of 5 happy hens jumping from one roosting bar to the next, in and out of their nesting boxes. They seemed completely unconcerned by the cold, or the fact that they are literally cooped up.
The coop was actually toasty, thanks to their body heat, a little lamp, and the slightly heated water dish... and of course excellent construction!
We're already mid-way through December and I haven't yet had second thoughts about keeping our ladies year round.
Especially after the Star Tribune's big story about high egg prices and potential fraud on the part of the big egg producers. Is it just cynical to think (as many lawsuits are accusing) that industry leaders are using new environmental regulations to artificially cause dramatic reductions to the hen population, thereby raising prices? After the ugly mess in Illinois, nothing would surprise me?
Wasted solid writing time this morning revamping my blog.
The real problem was that I was so surprised that my 1 year old took a morning nap, I wasn't prepared to jump into a new project. Hopefully, her sister and I can wear her out enough that I'll get a second go at it this afternoon.
I'm going to try to flesh out either Paisley Perkins or How to Interpret the Small Minded, or maybe Sister Savior, and try to alternate my rewrite efforts with something fresh.
Finally printed out the manuscript though, and regardless of the content and my love of trees, that neat stack of lovely white paper filled with my words does sends a bit of electricity down my spine!
Everything really is different with your second child.
With Maya, we were hyper aware of every milestone.
First smile, rolling over, sitting up, solid food, pincher grasp, standing up, walking, running,... We watched for and celebrated each one, closely reading the Baby Center updates that told us exactly what an average child would be doing at each stage. And of course, ridiculously proud when she reached each milestone a bit early.
We celebrate Elliot's milestones, too of course, though we are in much less of a hurry to reach each one. And the Baby Center updates now go straight to my bulk mail folder, since I'm not much interested in the official time line or all of the ridiculous must-have products they peddle, like The Medicator. Sheesh!
And unlike Maya, Elliot has an entire set of alternative milestones that we are tracking!
For example, as she approached her first birthday, we waited expectantly for a fresh round of sleep disruptions. She had been sleeping really well for a long time, just as Maya had. Then suddenly she reached the "Life Is Much Too Exciting To Sleep" stage, and suddenly started waking up at around 5:30 AM, ditching her morning nap, and wanting desperately to play if anything happened to wake her in the middle of the night.
A friend of mine has a 1 year old that just reached that stage too, so it's not just us and our sleep defying offspring!
Today, as demonstrated in the picture above, Elle reached the long-awaited, "Here Is Your Coffee, Mom" stage. It's a really good thing that the coffee the French press is barely warm by the time I fill my cup. With Maya, this milestone wreaked havoc on our entirely impractical and no longer white carpet. It means that coffee cups must be stashed at shoulder level if they are to be kept safe.
And it means that in a matter of days or weeks we will reach the "Hey, I Can Climb on the Couch and Reach Anything, Anywhere!" stage. Her access to the kitchen chairs has already put everything on the table at risk. Once she figures out how to get up on the couch, nothing on the window ledge, our preferred storage space for the camera, the laptop, and beverages hot and cold, will be safe.
Like Maya, I'm sure Elliot will reach that one long before she can accept and obey the word "No." Oh she can say it back to us, but only as a game, "No, no no no no," she says, shaking her head somberly, then grinning like a fool.
No, no, no, no, no..... no more coffee for me for a while!
Following a helpful suggestion (thanks Cassie) and the directions originally on A Paperback Writer which I found on A Dragon Writes, I took the challenge posed by Dictionary: Impossible.
First: Pick 10 words at random from a dictionary or thesaurus.Originally, I was too lazy to get up and get my dictionary, but the only tool I could find on line was something I had to download…so after a bit of lazy searching I dragged myself to the bookshelf and dusted off my lonely, heavy dictionary.Below are my 10 words… Yikes!
1. Acquiesce
2. Cadre
3. Damp
4. Ephemeral
5. Interpret
6. Musk
7. Pang
8. Rope-dancer
9. Small-Minded
10. Westward
Level 1: In 5 minutes, create at least three novel titles using only the words on your list (I took the liberty of using alternate forms of the words, and adding articles or prepositions when necessary).
Ephemeral Pangs of Acquiescence
The Rope-Dancer
How to Interpret the Small-Minded
Level 2: Create a story premise for the titles you've created from your list.
Ephemeral Pangs of Acquiescence: Always the fierce and unforgiving dictator, Gemini Sandstone was troubled by recent urges to undermine her father’s legacy with a kinder, gentler sort of leadership. Was she softening with age? Or was her new, mysterious lover spiking her cocktails? (oops, does this or does this not demand to be a dirty book?)
The Rope-Dancer: A new age circus comes to town, inspiring local activists to stage boisterous protests over animal rights violations. When their leader starts to fall for the star of the rope-dancing act, however, he discovers a far more egregious crime and finds himself as the next target.
How to Interpret the Small-Minded: Jill Rubin’s self-improvement books were wildly popular, landing her a regular place on hit talk shows around the dial. Unfortunately, her philosophy fell short for one famous politician, who is rising from the ashes of his ruined career in a crusade to destroy hers.
Level 3: Write an opening line for the title/story premises you've created – 30 minutes (admittedly, I couldn’t stop at one line)
Ephemeral Pangs of Acquiescence: Gemini had never before used the words, “Let it be so,” in judgment of a defendant. As she watched the effect these words had on the raisin-skinned woman hunched before her, Gemini found it impossible to overcome her own astonishment and fulfill her immediate instinct to retract the decision. Instead, all she could manage was a terse nod of dismissal to the room in general, so that she could be alone with her thoughts.
The Rope-Dancer: Adam struggled to keep his balance as Jenny positioned her not-quite-petite body atop his back, wondering whether this imitation of the Next Century Circus horse and rider act was actually discouraging would-be circus goers from participating in animal cruelty or if it was simply starting the entertainment spectacle 100 feet from the circus entrance.
How to Interpret the Small-Minded: Blinded by the stage lights, Jill Rubin walked to her center stage seat, uncomfortably aware that this interview would be unlike the hundreds of others she had given in the past three years.
Level 4: Write the story to go with one of your opening lines, premises and titles. You may take as much time as you need, but remember that any idea may self-destruct in as little as ten seconds. Added to my To Do list.
Level 5: Write the stories to go with all of them, and you win Dictionary: Impossible. We’ll see!
This was fun! Now I have at least two stories in the queue that I really want to get started on... just have to pick one and forge ahead!
We almost missed this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas tree event, due to my Oklahoma-rooted aversion to driving in snow.
But we're Minnesotans, and the roads weren't all that slippery... So off we went to the Erickson Brothers Tree Farm, joining our friends, The Ericksons themselves, for a picturesque afternoon of memory making.
The girls seemed to have a great time (after their initial though). They played nicely with their friend Anya. At two years old, she plays equally well with Maya and Elliot, which is always fun to see!
I won't dwell here on the bloopers and outtakes (including Elliot's hilariously unfortunate tumble out of the sled and into the snow or Maya's prompt sabotage of the model train display).
No, I'll simply say that we found the perfect tree to add holiday drama to our dining room. Maya helped pick it out, though she was much more excited about a few of the 2 foot tall Charlie Brown trees.
After an accidental derailment, Maya fell in love with the model trains... and Anya's grandpa, who let her and Anya take turns making the trains stop, go, and whistle.
We even got the tree lit up before bedtime., though the decorations will have to wait for tonight.
After reading about a book challenge that's making it's way around the web, most recently on In Sunlight and In Shade, I decided to flip the challenge. What about creating titles for each category. I added a couple of categories and changed one or two. This is the silly way I spent my writing time this week, looking through my little notebooks and creating titles for ideas that have been floating around for a couple of months.
This little project was originally going to take 15 minutes, but each title led to a bit of synopsis and quite a bit of brainstorming. I've summarized it here... I'm sure it's silly, but it was a lot of fun, and now a few of these ideas are vying for space in my thoughts. I just might start one of them in order to add variety to my Nano editing effort.
1.A book with a color in its title.
Beneath the Beige Veneer: A wood working artisan recovering from a tumultuous affair with her instructor comes to understand her overly proper mother in full color and is forced to re-examine where she is headed and what lies behind her.
2.A book with an animal in its title.
The Buffalo behind the Butterfly: As a girl she chose a totem, a butterfly, and for much of her adult life she was committed to actualizing the creative, flighty, uncommitted inner-self she loved. When a family tragedy burdened her with responsibilities and roots that she never anticipated, this artist was forced to become the architect of a life that revealed a truer more abundant existence than she ever believed possible.
3. A book with a first name in its title.
Paisley Perkins and My Year of Yes: I was always the organized one, the practical one, the efficient one. I was always saying no. No to invitations because there was no time. No to opportunities because they didn’t quite fit with the plan. No to people because they made me uncomfortable or seemed unpredictable. Then, in spite of my plan and my efficiency and all of my nay saying, my world fell apart in a crumbley pile of economic collapse and familial upheaval. Suddenly saying no, made no sense and offered no advantages. And when Paisley Perkins moved in next door, I started saying yes. After that first adventure, when Paisley helped find me a job selling a local farm’s produce at the daily market, I promised myself I would say yes to see where else it might take me. For a whole year, I said yes whenever I felt compelled to say no, whenever I felt uncomfortable or out of my depth or overwhelmed. I can’t tell you that saying yes made all the difference, turned my life around, and put me back on top. But from the other end of my year of yes, I can tell you that 12 months did transform my outlook and help me replace the old plan with a new way of thinking
4.A book with a place in its title.
Escape from Baby Lake: Former college roommates reunite at a remote lodge for a delightful long weekend of reconnecting, only to discover that something won’t let them leave once their time is up.
5. A book with a weather event in its title.
Snowfall on Fleeing Footprints: A massive, months-long blizzard caused the evacuation of much of the northern Midwest, leaving only a few hardy survivalists to cope with a radical governmental plan to de-settle the region and reconstitute the prairie ecology.
6.A book with food in its title.
Tomatoes in January: She couldn’t tell if she was blessed or cursed. Her life resembled the perfect tomato, abundant and delicious for about a quarter of the year, but barely worth the effort in the off season.Inspired by a popular psychology author as her life cycled into a fresh tasty season, she vowed to be unabashedly mindful and present of each moment, hoping to savor it through the next dark spell. Unfortunately,when the seasons of her life were suddenly scrambled together, everything she though she knew about coping and healing and caring for herself was useless, and she was forced to find a use for tomatoes in January.
7.A book with a relative in its title
My Sister the Savior: How she came to believe she was the second coming is a mystery to our entire family. Now that she’s a second-tier celebrity, half-mocked, half-worshipped by the entire country, she refuses to answer any questions that she deems sacrilege, which means, essentially, any question I would want to know the answer to. Now, because of threats from a radical group, my whole family is in hiding over the Easter holiday and it’s entirely possible we may off each other before this is all over!
8.A book with a job in its title:
The Hesitant Healer: One woman’s journey from accountant to aura mystic.
We even made time for several scrabble games, movies, lots of eggnog, and a few naps. We have now read The Adventures of Louise the Chicken about a hundred times, along with the Nutcracker, and Goodnight Washington D.C., and few other really great books.
Santa wisely brought Maya her very biggest Christmas wish... A Unicorn Costume. She loves it, though we remain baffled.
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