Our Bold Adventure Continues

First, you have to resign yourself to being tired. As fun as Christmas is with kids, and it really is now that they're old enough to get it, there is an endurance aspect to it all. But, once you accept that there is a fatigue you cannot escape -- because Christmas Eve is never an early night and Christmas morning comes early -- it's wonderful. It's wonderful to listen to M explain that she REALLY heard reindeer on the roof last night, and watch O be more intrigued with the mechanics of her new Zingo game than the game itself (it's a bingo-like game with a little dispenser for the chips, and woah! is the dispenser fascinating). They're old enough now that they thought to distribute gifts as well as dive for the ones with their names on it, but they're young enough still that there was a steady chorus of "I want to open another one." The opening was over, breakfast was yummy, and then we had the time-honored, chaotic tradition of Christmas phone calls to

When alloted one piece per night -- provided they a) finish their dinner and b) remember to ask -- it takes four-year olds from Halloween night until December 5th to consume all their trick or treating candy. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups were the hands-down favorite. Tootsie Rolls were also quite popular, but Three Musketeers bars were thrown-away half-eaten.