The boys are away

About a month ago Fergus came up to me and asked if he could go and see his Papa for a few days. "Why?" I asked, curious. (It is important to note that while Fergus LOVES seeing and spending time with his Nani and Papa and he asks if we can go there, this is the first time he has asked to go without Doug or me there.) "I want Papa to make a go-kart with me." "Does Papa know you want to make a go-kart?" "Yeah. We made part of one before but this time I want to finish it or make a different one. Can you call them and see if I can come visit?"

Hmmmm . . . time alone for Doug and I without either one of us needing to be out of town or the country???

"Sure!" I rapidly crossed the room, grabbed the phone and called my parents to make the arrangements before our indecisive child changes his mind. He never did. A month later and he and Quinn left Sunday for three days at Nani and Papa's. I speak with them every evening and it sounds as though the go-kart is really coming along. I miss them like crazy!

Is it terrible that I am half hoping they will come home and let me know that the go-kart isn't finished and will require more time up north in a month or two? I want them here with me but I have been enjoying having the house to myself during the day and some time alone with Doug in the evening. We even got some holiday gift shopping done this week too!

I was out this afternoon for coffee with a friend. I love Karen but she and I both work such different hours that it is often hard to have time to get together. She and I are part of the same book club and even that is feeling hard to schedule lately. It was wonderful to get out and visit with her. She and I met through La Leche League when I was pregnant with Fergus. She was the Leader who encouraged me to look into leadership and I will forever for grateful for that.

We met at the coffee place downtown which is right by the butcher so I popped in there first to order the turkey. Whew! One more thing off my list. I picked up supplies for cookie making and will get that started in a few minutes. The boys decorated the tree last Friday and you know what??? The place is starting to look festive. It isn't looking likely that we will have any snow for the holidays but we are getting used to that. I am just grateful that we will have lots of family around.

Doug and I have decided to try something new this year. I have long struggled with the celebration of Yule/Solstice on the 21st and Christmas on the 25th. One reflects what I spiritually believe and the other is what our extended family believes. This year someone on one of the pagan parenting lists I am on was kind enough to let us know how she works through respecting both within her family.

On the 21st they take their Yule log and drill holes into it, making it a candle holder. There are five places for candles. On the first night they light a red candle, celebrating Fire. They eat a meal that has "firey" elements (i.e.: tacos, roasted red pepper dip, BBQ'd anything). Each member of the family opens one of their Yule gifts.

Each night for the next three nights they light an additional candle. On the 22nd they would light the blue candle for Water and eat fish/seafood, soup, or something that has a very high water content like cucumber, celery or watermelon. Everyone opens another gift.

The 23rd would be a chance to celebrate Earth by lighting a green candle and eating root vegetables and or animal that lives off the land followed by the third gift. Finally the 24th is the night to light the white candle and celebrate Air. The meal is all light and fluffy like eggs, pancakes, angel food cake and the fourth gift is opened.

The morning of the 25th is when the brown candle is lit. A celebration of all of the previous elements and invoking that of the Spirit. Who embodies the Spirit or renews faith and hope for children on the 25th? Santa! Their final gift will be from Santa and the menu for the feast that day will have items which reflect each of the previous four days elements.

I am excited about finding a way to tie the two holidays together for the boys. It won't be what my parents want in that they would like us to observe the 25th as a celebration of Jesus' birth but I can't do that any more than they can be comfortable celebrating the birth of the Sun King on the 21st. We will continue to agree to disagree and hopefully this will be a positive compromise. I am just so excited about having everyone here. I am really hopeful Nathan and Chantel have access to Skype for that day so we can talk to them and see them. The holidays are hard with family so far away.

Hope your holiday preparations are coming together.
Take care