Wednesday, December 24, 2008

I Need Some Elf Slave Labor!

As I logged on briefly to check my important mail (and wait for the last other member of this household to head to bed), I couldn't help but click back over to the NORAD Santa Tracker. We have been watching Santa's progression across the globe all evening. MS decided that Santa wants chocolate milk with his cookies, since that is what Ruby declares on "Max and Ruby's Christmas." He also asked an enlightened question at the beginning of "The Polar Express" this evening. He was watching the scene where the little boy tiptoes down to see if Santa has arrived yet. MS noticed the stockings were hanging empty over a raging fire in the fireplace. He looked up at me and said, "Won't Santa's bottom get burned coming down the chimney?"

I can tell you, Santa's safe at our house. We have three lovely fireplaces in this old home. I don't know if any of them have ever worked. My husband says when the house was built the flues were built incorrectly and don't vent properly, so we can't possibly singe Santa's behind!

What amuses me is that the Santa Tracker informed me that, at 11:45 p.m., Santa had already arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana. Yep, his gifts are under the tree, alright! Darn it all, I still have to wrap more of my gifts for the boys. How come Santa gets elf help and I don't???

Plus, I was actually expecting some elf help that never panned out (this happens to me often). My hubby planned to take the little boys over to Grandma's house on Monday and then leave them with her (with the help of his sister and nieces to watch them) and return home to help me pack, wrap, and clean the house. Alas, on Monday, we were still doubtful that the full ramifications of the flu bug had left the house. We couldn't risk taking anything over to my in-law's house, since my father-in-law is in very poor health.

Thus, I have had little boy help all week, instead of focused individual power-cleaning time. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure that my family is coming to visit US and not coming to evaluate the state of my house. We did decide to stay here for a personal family gift-time in the morning. Then, we will head over to my in-laws for a grand Christmas dinner (something my husband and the boys wouldn't have gotten if we stayed here for the whole of Christmas day - that has never been my forte!).

All I want for Christmas is some elf slave labor! But, knowing me, I'd try to hold them hostage so I could have that kind of help year round! Hope you all managed to get everything under the tree, the meals prepared, the family visited and the house reasonably clean (we don't want Santa to be unable to get to the tree, now do we?). I also hope that the reality of God's love as revealed in the birth of His Son Jesus Christ long ago, born with the express purpose of carrying our sins to the cross on our behalf, warms your heart and soul this Christmas season.

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