Holidays

We spent a lovely Thanksgiving with friends yesterday.  The festivities started with a flag football game that, amazingly, even Oscar and Ruby were coaxed into playing.  Abe was a ringer, of course, and Paul's team saved his skills till late in the game and secured a win.  I didn't add much, but I was out there, holding Ruby's hand and trying to look open for a pass.

Later, warmed by our friends' hospitality and soothing fires we lounged and talked and played cards while the bird roasted.  Oscar managed well the uncertain timing that accompanies roasting a turkey. It is so hard for him not to know exactly when things will happen, especially big things, like the Thanksgiving meal. Well-meaning guests engaged him in lots of talk of hunger and favorite dishes while I tried so hard to distract him from thoughts of food.  I finally had to explain my seemingly odd behavior and they were ever so understanding and curious about his disorder.

Today we started off the holiday season with our traditional 7am viewing of Elf.  The kids excitedly dragged their pillows and comforters out to the family room and Paul and I bundled up on the couch.  Afterwards we queued up our favorite Christmas tunes (Christmas Jug Band!) and started the annoying task of sorting through drawers and shelves for clothes and toys we don't really need any more. By mid-morning the kids were all tired of my nagging so we headed out the door for a walk and a round of haircuts.

Tonight we drove up to the local park's Christmas Fantasy Carousel.  Santa was there too and both Oscar and Ruby eagerly climbed onto his lap though neither really had settled on a toy to request. (Ruby did say she was going to ask for a candy cane -- she's never had one, which I do feel terribly guilty about).  I remembered to ask the elves not to offer them candy and thankfully neither noticed the overflowing basket of sweets at Santa's feet.

Abe, sporting reindeer antlers was too cool to play along.  But he did ride the carousel, after trading Ruby for the Santa hat.

And so we begin the holiday season!  We'll start on outdoor lights tomorrow and perhaps some decorating too. It's early, I know, but we're heading back East before Christmas so we want to have some time to enjoy the season at home as well.