A Christmas Message

Here is one of my all time favorite "modern" Christmas songs, by what I believe to be one of the most gifted composers of the late 70's, early 80's, Greg Lake. The song is a classic, with an eerily timely message. Scary how similar situations are from 1975 to today. Here's wishing everyone a 2009 filled with the opportunities of renewed hope, inspiration, and joy.

Check it out

Wow. Just, wow.

Typealyzer

Following Molly's lead, I checked out this site which claims to analyze your blog writing style, and then predict the type of person you are. I had it analyze Cadence, and here is what it came up with:

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

I will have to say that I do not agree with this assessment. Either, I write as a different person than I am, or I am a different person than I believe.

So, what do you think, those that know me. Is this assessment of my writing an accurate statement of who I am?

Let me know.

Got myself a buddy.

I finally have myself a buddy. A ski buddy. I have to think that every father has the same thought when they are handed their first son. "Now I have a buddy to do things with. Father and Son." Then, if other father's are anything like me, the next few years are spent waiting and wondering. What will we do together, and when will it be? Will our Father, Son activity be fishing? Biking? Music? Cub Scouts? Skiing!

The weekend before Thanksgiving we went to get Gavin his first set of downhill skis. Man, was he excited, and so was I. Here it was. Our first activity. Donna doesn't ski, so this time would be all mine from start to finish. Gavin was perfect as we went from the skis, to the bindings, to the boots, to the helmet (more on this in a minute), to the goggles, to the gloves, to the jacket. The whole nine yards, from head to ski tip, smiling the entire time. Now, what was his favorite part? The helmet and goggles. Gavin picked out a cool shiny red ski helmet, with flames down the side. It was the first one he picked off the rack, and after trying on several others, it was the one he stuck with. He was so proud of his helmet and goggles that he wore them through the rest of the store, and all the way home. If only I had my camera to capture the huge grin staring back at me from under the helmet in the rear view mirror.

I picked his skis up from the shop on Monday, and he put them on as soon as he got home from school. He walked all around the family room with them on with surprising ease. Again, with both of us wearing a huge smile.

I am not sure which of us is more excited for our first trip together, but I am checking the slope report regularly just waiting for that bunny hill to open up for us.

Heavy Metal Follow Up

A follow up to my previous post from September, Heavy Metal. Simply put, the fireplace is wonderful! We had our first fire in the "new" fireplace the other night, and it was picture perfect. Right out of a storybook. Donna, Gavin, Isabelle, and I all gathered around the fire and watched Frosty the Snowman. As always, the fire had it's typical effect on Donna, and she was sound asleep, all cozy and warm, in no time.

A special thanks goes out to Dan Schreiner for the generous donation of firewood that will provide us plenty of warm, fireside family time this winter.

Commentary on Thanksmas

I wanted to devote a quick minute to comment on the every increasing prevalence of Thanksmas. You know what I am talking about. At what point in time did Thanksgiving, and Christmas blend into the Thanksmas holiday? I consider myself a traditionalist. I like my holidays separate. I want to enjoy the fall colors and decorations. I like to see the pumpkins sticking around a while after Halloween. I enjoy the anticipation leading up to Thanksgiving. Good food. Time with my family and friends. Winter is just around the corner.

However, the past few years, my Thanksgiving anticipation has been rudely interrupted by Christmas music, decorations, Christmas sale advertisements. Thanksgiving is no longer a stand alone Holiday, but merely a convenient family get together sandwiched in between Halloween and December 1st used to plan Christmas shopping, Christmas gifts, Christmas parties.

Now, please don't take this the wrong way. I had a terrific Thanksgiving this year with my family, and enjoyed plenty of fantastic food. However, I did see some Christmas gifts lurking around, and overheard more than one Christmas related conversation. Noone is to be faulted. We were unknowingly participating in the new Thankmas Holiday.

We too fell victim this year. No sooner had my tryptophan induced slumber worn off, I was pulling the Christmas decorations from the basement and completing the transformation of our house from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Thursday we had pumpkins and scarecrows on the walls. Friday, we had Snowmen, Santa Claus, garland, and lights. Thanksmas strikes again.

So what can be done. Which Holiday is next in line to be absorbed by the ever increasing vortex of Christmas season? Will it be next year that we shop for the Happy Hallogivmas cards? We are pretty close to that today.

The Binky Fairy

We achieved yet another huge milestone in our house. The Binky Fairy came to visit Isabelle. She has grown into such a little girl, it still amazes me everyday how much she has changed from the little pink bundle that was handed to me just yesterday. Okay, I know it was three years ago, but in Parent-time, that was yesterday.

Anyway, Isabelle was a very big girl, and has adjusted very well to her binky being gone. The visit was a very special occasion, which is best told to you by Isabelle herself.



Now, if I can just get her to let me put her big-girl bed into the room....