naughty boys get "coal"

First, my star for my tree.

I get my own tree.

The problem is that I haven't been able to make too many decorations for my tree.

This is what I was talking about - how Cade's teacher taught me how to make these star-snowflaky things.

Pretty hey?

We just made them with white paper, but I had some beautiful shimmery bronze paper, so I made it into my star.

But much more importantly:

Cade.

While eating dinner tonight, I started singing

"You'd better watch out,

you'd better not cry,

you'd better not pout,

I'm telling you why.....

He sees you when you're sleeping,

he knows when you're awake,

he knows if you've been BAD or GOOD,

so be good for goodness sake....."

(emphasis was place in the actual singing of the song where the emphasis is placed in the typing of the lyrics, if you know what I mean)

I've warned the kids a few times in the last little while about the possibility of coal in their stockings.

It could happen.

You never can tell.

So when things started to go unfavorably at meal time, this little ditty served as a reminder.

Immediately after dinner this is what happened!!

Cade volunteered to wash dishes.

In fact he got frustrated when I tried to pre-rinse some dishes for him.

Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

Hilarious kid.

But I'll take it.

He did a great job, too.

After Cade and Lucy were in bed, Eric, Maddy, Mia and I were talking and somehow coal in the stockings was brought up.

I had thought I would make some fake lumps of coal and put them in Cade's stocking, but I've just plum run out of time.

Eric said, "We should just shove Cole (our neighbor from upstairs) in his stocking!"

"Or a picture of Cole!", I said.

All four of us looked at each other, grinning, thinking the same thing.

We grabbed the camera,

ran upstairs

and took this:

This picture of Cole will be put in Cade's stocking.

And the great thing is, although we ask Cole to make a grumpy face, it wasn't a struggle for him.

He looks like that a lot.

He's a hilarious kid, too.

Tomorrow (hopefully) I will blog about today.

It was a great day (other than shopping and traffic!).

Now I will go to bed and hopefully not dream about the fumes from all the chopped onions (for stuffing) and roasted garlic in the fridge contaminating my yummy chocolate mousse pie.

Nobody wants onion and garlic enhanced chocolate pie for Christmas.

No one.