2 day pass

we woke to find st. nick visited in the night filling stockings and then some.

i guess the kids and the cats have been real good this year.

the best gift for the whole family was the cats' nano bug.

the boys are stalking it right now as it roams around the living room disappearing behind couches and under armoires.

t. bone spent most of the weekend at one ski hill or another, and was perfectly happy to do so.

miss bit was happy to hang out with mike and i.

we cheered her on in a swim championship saturday.

she was, however,  less than excited to see the back stroke as one of her events again.

lily did fine with it as we knew she would, and she rocked the breast stroke and free style.

her team was in the lead for the entire meet and then ended up in second place.

she was just thrilled to get a real medal.

lily and i trimmed the tree after catching up on masterchef jr.

she is learning the significance of each and every ornament, and i think loving them more for their story.

the oral tradition lives on at casa wags.

ted returned home in time for carryout from our favorite tacqueria and we settled in to watch the badgers.

miss bit and i only lasted for the first half before retreating upstairs to watch its a wonderful life.

i had never seen it.

well, i still haven't seen much of it as it put me to sleep.

i guess i'm more of a christmas story girl.

is that blasphemy? it feels like it.

we slept in sunday morning and almost missed church, which certainly would have been blasphemous.

while t. bone was at sunday school, the three of us went for hot drinks and bagels, and then we all celebrated the second sunday of advent at late church.

and also said special prayers for my grandma who went to heaven 7 years ago that day.

it seems impossible that it's been 7 years and also that christmas is in less than 3 weeks.

i know the days aren't shorter and the years aren't faster, but it sure feels like it.

lily and i stopped at a friend's holiday craft fair to do a little shopping.

miss bit picked out a few gifts for herself and for others too.

ala one for me one for you.

and then she won a door prize because she's the luckiest person I know.
also purest of heart and most deserving.
and then the phone rang to say she and coach both won prizes in the church raffle, which just reinforced her lucky streak.

coach made my salsa and our favorite dough for pizza.

the salsa tasted better than when i make it and the pizzas were more cumbersome down an oven, but just as delicious.

my brother and sil stopped by for a little holiday cheer and we wrapped up the weekend beside the warm glow of the tree.
 and at that moment in time all was right and good and at peace in the day, weekend, world.