Rudolph the Red-Nosed AT-AT

So all day yesterday, a day after we made the small Lego AT-AT, Daddy was kidding Madison about the fact that this tiny little guy was looking for his mommy.  Madison would turn to Daddy and say, "That's silly.  It's just made out of legos."

Oh, did Jingle prove her wrong this morning!  We all woke up to find a winter white wonderland on one of the counters, and Jingle riding on a large AT-AT dressed up like Rudolph, complete with a red nose and antlers.  Madison wandered into the kitchen and gasped, "Oh my gosh!"

That's her new phrase of late.  It's used a lot when she's surprised by something, and this month she's been surprised quite frequently.  This morning she went off to school as normal, the last week before Christmas break.  Or, as they say now, "winter break."

Madison seems to be doing better today than before, which is good.  Her eyes are fine, although she still has a tiny bit of a cough.  Daddy walked her into school this morning, rather than simply dropping her off.  It was late enough that Daddy got to do the Pledge of Allegiance with the entire class.  What a thrill!  And how great to see all the kids rise and put their hands over their hearts to recite the pledge, complete with the "under God" part that was added fifty years ago.  I started to say something right after that, but it was then time for a moment of silence.  Oops!

It was somewhat of another recovery day, especially for Mommy, who worked so hard yesterday.  We pretty much sat around and watched Christmas movies all day.  We've got a huge list to choose from, and now it's actually impossible to watch every single one each year.  Still, we're getting new ones here and there - and just when you think you've spotted all the old ones, there are still a few gems lingering from the past.  A recent joy was watching an episode of the Shirley Temple show that was dedicated to "Babes in Toyland."  Jonathan Winters was Barnaby, with Joe Besser and Jerry Colonna as a few of his henchman.  Classic stuff!

When Madison got home, we did a bit of piano practice, and we even had time for Christmas cookies!

Get a load of those yummy patterns - and the pink trees too!  Madison wanted to make cookies that look sort of like her tree.  These masterpieces were fun to make - and fun to eat!

Afterwards, it was time to snuggle together on the couch in front of the fire.  Although... it's not like we've really needed a fireplace that much lately this year.  The weather has been unseasonably warm the entire month of December.  Dreams of a White Christmas are just that:  dreams.  Although the temperature is supposed to get dramatically cold pretty soon.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... maybe?