Manicure Date

Good Thursday morning... and Merry Christmas!

I'm not going to post a super-long story or thought today. I just want to simply wish you a wonderful day with family and friends, safe travel and many, many moments to remember throughout the years. Take a thousand pictures of everyone and everything that happens today.

I know it's Thursday, but I will give you the final Christmas Card Count today. It is 64. However, as I have said before, I expect three to six more cards AFTER Christmas, so I'll let you know if the number gets any bigger. I know, I know. Some of you are very upset right now. But I'm fine... really. No, I didn't reach my goal... but there's always next year!

Also, take a look at the Gallery, and you'll see a picture of my friend, Robin, The Commenter. Merry Christmas, Robin!

I have a date AND a book for today so I'll get right to it.

Manicure Date

Every year for the past five years, Roxie and I have gotten Christmas Eve manicures. (See new pictures in the Gallery.) We go to our local manicure shop five minutes before it opens and run inside. Yesterday we both got French manicures. She has tiny snowmen on her fingernails, and I have snowflakes on mine. This is another "transition tradition" as well as a date, and we'll be able to do this even when I'm older and grayer, and she is an adult. (I hope one day to include daughters-in-law and granddaughters, too, if possible... and then maybe a brunch. Yeah... that's a good idea.) But this Christmas Eve it was just me and my Roxie, and we thoroughly enjoyed this "unrushed" time together.

When we got home, because of our nails, Mikie was in charge of the kitchen clean-up for a day, Austin and Josh were in charge of bathroom clean-up for a day (all three), and Roxie and I did things like cooking, wrapping, folding clothes, ironing, etc. This worked for us... especially the kitchen clean-up part!

Now for the book (a day early... you've got to know this is driving me crazy to put the book selection on Thursday instead of Friday, but I'm trying to be flexible!).

Book

I love A Christmas Carol. I love the movie and all the variations they've made. I love the book, too, but I realize that the Dickens' version is much too much for little ones. However, the story is a good one. I love Scrooge's change of heart, his total generosity at the end of the book, the realization of his faults, etc. And I love the last line when Tiny Tim declares, "God bless us, everyone." Out of the mouths of babes.

For little ones, you can buy the Disney version or any other children's version of the book. There are several to choose from.

Also, some of my favorite secular Christmas books come from Disney: Winnie the Pooh's Stories for Christmas, Disney's Christmas Storybook and Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings. These books contain great short stories for little ones with shorter attention spans, and they are told by all of the kids' favorite Disney characters. Disney's Christmas With All the Trimmings also has crafts and things to do at the end of each chapter, so that is a very fun book.

Again, I'll talk to you on Monday, December 29. "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"