Christmas Errands With Alayna and Jayden

WWE TRAINING

(In case you don't know, WWE stands for World Wrestling Entertainment.)

(For context, Jayden is 9 and Alayna is 6, riding along with me to do some errands in town.)

"That's when I was training for WWE," said Jayden.

Alayna, "Yah, on me."

I chuckled quietly, I knew this was more bluster than dangerous reality.

Jayden says, "When I was 3."

Alayna says, "And.  I was one years old."

Jayden affirms, "I was doing a WWE super slam"

I asked, "Who's letting you watch that?" thinking it was on television during prime time.

"Oh, youtube," says Jayden.

Me again, "Does mom know you're watching that?"

"Of course." he responds.

"And Mom doesn't care?"

"She's does.  But it's still fun."

Alayna, "He still gets in trouble."

THE BANK

We stopped at the bank and wasn't it our lucky day!  They had a table set up for customers.  It sported cookies, marshmallow squares with their logo imprint, and hot cocoa.

When we walked in another customer and her granddaughter were stacking and unstacking Christmas boxes that made a Santa and Snowman under the bank's Christmas tree.  Very cleverly there was a cane residing in the far corner - a nod to Miracle on 34th Street - and, wrapped around a nearby decorative foyer tree was an elf, another movie prop.  

We enjoyed the vignettes, took some photos while nibbliing on the snacks, but carried the marshmallow square with us into the car.

First bite, and I said, "That's disgusting!  That should be banned everywhere.  That did not taste like a good marshmallow, right?"  I had torn off two bites one for each to let them have a taste.

Alayna said, "Yah."

Jayden said, "It tastes like soap.  And you know, boys know what soap tastes like."

PARKING?

"Where do you want to go?  Tractor Supply or Hobby Lobby?"  I asked the two grandkids in the backseat as we were making my runs.

"Park!"  announced Alayna.

"Park?" I quizzed. "You mean you wantta go park the car somewhere?"

"No," she says, "I wanna go to the park."

"What do you mean, the park? Where you go to play?"

I'm wearing a red poofy long coat, a Santa hat, and a white scarf around my neck.  True signs that it's brrrr cold outside.  And she knows it.

"Yes, where you go to play....ha, ha, ha, ha, ha."  She snickered. 

LOVELY BRANCHES ON THE WAY TO JESUS (CHILDREN'S CHURCH CHRISTMAS PROGRAM 2024)

LOVELY BRANCHES

Lilly (Angel), Alayna (Candy Cane), Jayden (Star), David Wayne (Ornament), 

Annie (Bell), Jacob (Gold), Ainsley (Treasure), Noelle (announcer) "Baby Jesus is Born in Bethlehem!"  

Very nicely they kept their heads prominent through the tree's ornament's holes.

We'd set out gold boxes on the faux gifts on stage on which 3 of them would sit.  When Ainsley went up to sit on her gift box, saw the gold pentagon, she dropped her arms, dropped her chin, stood stock still and just looked at it.  At first, I didn't understand why she wasn't doing her part.  Mary Ann, the pianist whispered, "She doesn't like the box in her seat.  Move the box."  I did.  She sat.  LOL!

About 3 of the children asked during the practices if they could dress up.  But Lilly was the only one that really wanted to on the day of the program.  So glad she did.  We had to stack two boxes for her to feel secure, not on tippy-toes, as the angel at the top of the tree, she "shouted the news".

Jacob, holding the open gold gift box, virtually yelled, "I. Am. Gold."  Everyone laughed.  Though not the oldest, Noelle was chosen to say the final line.  It took a bit of doing to get her to put the B sound on Bethlehem, but she had the strongest and clearest voice, and did it well, "Baby Jesus born in Bethlehem."  

After church, to ready for the childrens' Christmas program titled "The Way to Jesus" we all set up the stage with the Lovely Branches Tree and then behind the curtain, set up all the doors made of cardboard for the kids to knock on as they sought to find Jesus in a manger.                                                              

                                              THE WAY TO JESUS

As a welcome they sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and ad libbed with umpth, due to Mary Ann directing from the piano.  The children also sang The B-I-B-L-E with Miss Lilly conducting.  They shook bells all through Jingle Bells.  Dear Annie tried to help little 3 y.o. Ainsley swing her bells.  It upset her so she threw them down.  It was quite a night for timid Ainsley.  At the end of the song, every child raised their bells high making a grand noise. 

Ainsley Snuggling with Spencer

 

"I have experience with toddlers," wrote Theresa Wherle, a friend from New Jersey.  Needing ideas, she kindly suggested the lines for the little kids.  The sayings worked great.  They brought booties, and a pacifier, the dog barked, they heard giggles, and David Wayne, (he, too, was loud and clear) started the whole thing by standing center stage with arms stretched in a question "Where is baby Jesus?"   

Now, I have to tell you the sweetest thing.  

During rehearsals, I kept the baby doll Jesus hidden, I didn't want it to get bedraggled or dirty.  So, during the final set up, we put the doll in the manger scene.  When those 2 little boys, David Wayne and Jayden, each opened a side door to the manger scene, one squealed, "It's here!"  The other boy exclaimed "There's a baby!  LOOK!"  

ALL THE KIDS, I mean ALL THE KIDS,  left their positions.  ALL rushed on stage.  All in a cluster put their heads in the doors, "Where?  Let me see?"  "Hey, let me in!"  "I wanna see!!!"

It was hilarious!  Oh, so sweet!  Wonderful!

You think now they know the meaning of Christmas?  LOL, what a hoot!  No one predicted that would happen!

We in the audience never did see the baby Jesus.  All we saw were backsides!

    

 

Clipboards! We like 'em!

 

Clipboards!  I like 'em!

As the head of his own construction company my dad had clipboards.  I do, too.  Now, add granddaughter Lilly!  

Clipboards come in all sizes, letter paper size, legal paper size, mini size like 4 x 8, and mini size with a base stand, and, they can be the lid of a box.  They come in all kinds of colors like cardboard, some are white, some are acrylic clear, and one I have is an irredescent pinkish-purple.  And, one's covered in pretty paper.  All convenient for stablizing a sheet of paper on which to write.

And, what fun to park a notice on the small clear one with a base for all to see!  Look at me!

Miss Lilly loves to write.

She, too, likes a clipboard.  The gene can't be denied.

I found hers after she left for home.  It has two clipped pages.  It's scrawled in waves immitating lines of cursive writing.  I know cuz I've done it.  Dad kept a little blue notebook for almost 50 years.  I found it going through his papers when he passed away.  My signature was there in child print.  Mom taught me to write P-A-M before I ever went to first grade.

And, in there, in this little notebook that Dad kept was NOTHING, except for 3 lines of scrawling waves on the first page.

NOTHING!  And he saved it.  I was touched.

So, back to Miss Lilly's paper.  It has 4 columns - Yes - in a box, and - No - in another box, and far right is check marks in a column of boxes.  The middle column has 3 names LillySilly, bady daddy, and Jacub-um.  Isn't she funny using funny monikers?

 Hum, I wonder, where's the rest of us?  Also, curiously at the bottom of the first page is a drawing of a pillow.

Turn the page, or rather, squeeze open the clip, pull the first paper out, put it behind the second paper and when they all fall out, gather 'em up and square 'em up with several taps on the board, and release the clip.  That snap sound's satisfaction.  Snug as a Bug on a Clipboard!

Scrawl

Scrawl

Scrawl

Scrawl

Wait!  There's adult printing!  What's this?

"I hear approve of the Pillow Fight with the use of GrammyPam's Throw Pillows.  The Dad"  Signed in cursive, Clinton Bays

Oh, you don't say!  Now, I know; the pillow pic was foreshadowing!  And who gave him authority in MY house???   We'll just see about that!  (I'm in Mom mode here.)

Scrawl

Scrawl

Scrawl

Wait!  There's more adult printing!  I think I've discovered the opponent!

"I Decline this offer and will persue legal actions if said pillow fight commences."  Signed in cursive, Ian Bays

Refuted, Rebuttal, Recourse, Refused, which word do I choose to cover the next little addendum quickly jotted in the far right corner.  

"Pffft....ain't scared. 

Bring.

It.

On!"

What a little squall a little lady doth stir up with a standard clipboard!  We like it!

POEMS - Ho, Ho, Ho, Where's The Mistletoe? and JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Preface

When I was in fifth grade, the music teacher, old Mr. Warnick, short, rotund, motivating and very smart, came into class and chose me and Bruce Whistler to read The Night Before Christmas.

At first I didn't realize what was going on, but we took turns reading segments of this poem between choir classes that were singing specific songs for specific passages.

 

There we were standing in the auditorium, before 2,000 people!!! 

Mr. Warnick had one of those microphones on a poplar cabinet with wheels set up that would once in awhile give out a high-pitched squawk!

To this day, I can recite that whole poem.

I was just doing what adults asked me to do, so for years it didn't dawn on me that it was an honor. 

Here's a couple of poems I wrote just for the fun of it.

HO, HO, HO, WHERE'S THE MISTLETOE?

Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't know
Ho, ho, ho, where's the mistletoe?
Up on your toes, get you a kiss
From your jolly own St. Nick!

Fill up the stockings, over the cuff
Little red boxes, full of hot stuff,
One that will open 'n' twinkle your eyes,
Sparkles n'glitter, what a surprise!

Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't know
Ho, ho, ho, where's the mistletoe?
Steal you a kiss, quick, quick, quick
From yours truly, good St. Nick!

Up on the housetop, watch the sunrise
Wish on a star, dreaming through the skies.
What comes next, a knock at the door,
Amazon's here, let's wrap some more!

Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't know
Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn't go?
Up on their toes for a quick kiss
From mom 'n' dad hug master & miss!

JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS

It was a few days before Christmas when all through the house

we watched the cat Piper chasing a mouse.

Our kids were not snuggled asleep in their beds.

They weren't jump-jumping and hitting their heads.

I had diced fruit, made drinks for a snack

Dad had just settled in for his digestion attack

When what to our surprised ears should we both hear

but a knock at the door "It's open.  Come in, m'dear!"

Then in walks the sons, with little ragamuffins

Breathless from running just a'huffin' and puffin'.

They tore off their shoes, they gave them a fling.

They threw down their packs, those zippers went "zing".

They ran to the toys like elves on a mission

lined up the trucks in dumping position.

Some grabbed a doll stroller, not just one but two

"Zoom!" Sister said, "Come on!  Race you!"

Green 'n' red orbs flew, the balls were all scattered,

The noise level rose and the sound barrier shattered.

Hours and time passed, adults chatting was done

The kids were pouting, "We're still having fun!"

When moms and dads called "To the table, let's eat."

One's put in a blue booster, to swing and dangle feet.

"Bring out the cooked goose and all the pumpkin pie."

"No toys at the table, get that spoon out of yer eye!"

Grandpa winked at grandma "You'll all wanna miss this,

Go ahead and say grace."  And he snuck a mistletoe kiss.