Christmas 2008 Update

The week before Christmas was a bit more stressful than usual this year. I had a slithery little thing hiding under my bed for nearly seven days. I will admit that it was fun to think up how we might wrap such a gift in order to make a real wow factor. We were worried about the creatures lack of oxygen, we decided to wait and wrap him up first thing in the morning. Besides, we were up late enough as it was, but it wasn't because we were putting anything together, it was because of a long standing Allen tradition. Every Christmas Eve Mark comes up with some new and challenging booby traps to keep the kids from sneaking down to the Christmas tree without getting caught. I must tell you, it really makes gift opening somewhat dull in comparison. It's great to see Mark carry on such a fun tradition from his father, and it is even more enjoyable to hear the kids talk about it in anticipation. Needless to say, we had a great Christmas and yet we are breathing much easier knowing it is all over for another 11 months. Spring is now my dream and focus. Already I am tempted to look in the garden for the peeping of a daffodil, but I have refrained knowing I would only be disappointed. Snow and ice have dropped lightly from the sky now and again to remind me to stop dreaming of blue sky and flowers.