As good as they come

Every now and then a weekend comes along that is as close to familial perfection as they come.   The moments shared as idyllic as an iconic Norman Rockwell painting.   For us, this past weekend was filled with memorable holiday activities that put us in a mood that could only be described as merry and bright (with just a smattering of impatience, back-talk, and whining.)  Jeff was on call; however, his pager did not make even the slightest of beeps, our first Christmas miracle of the season. 

Saturday morning started off with a bang as we enjoyed breakfast with Santa at one of our favorite local restaurants.  The fact that the place was not swarming with children, allowed us to enjoy our meal while our sweet ones minded their manners and chatted it up with the Jolly One (Christmas miracle #2).  

The little lady was not interested in taking her picture with the Jolly Bearded One, choosing to pose with her daddy instead.  She was; however, willing to accept the candy canes he was passing out before making our way to The Shaker Square Cinema, which was showing Christmas cartoons on continuous feed throughout the morning.  We were excited to introduce our children to the magic of movie theaters (free of cost).  The little lady found the bucket seats more than she could bear and found comfort in my lap, while the little man reclined in his like a true man, rolling his head back in laughter as the cartoons played on the big screen.

And, in my world the perfect weekend also includes a little bit of productivity.  It was all hands on deck as we covered our drafty windows with plastic in an effort to lower our outrageous electric bill.   We have yet to live in a house with proper windows; it appears that the seasonal covering of windows is becoming a Larson tradition.

Just before naps, the little ones and I enjoyed frosting and decorating Christmas cookies. The irony of placing large quantities of sugar in front of our children right before naps does not elude me.  Thankfully, the gobs of green frosting did not prevent them from cashing out all afternoon. (Christmas miracle #3) 

Saturday evening we attended Parkside's annual Christmas concert.  Jeff and I were especially looking forward to the concert as we have not attended an evening Christmas service since having children.  We thought the little lady would enjoy sitting with us with her love of music; however, the overcrowded sanctuary and noise level seemed to intimidate her and she opted to spend her evening in "high school" (aka her Sunday school classroom).  The night was filled with spectacular music as the large choir and orchestra filled the sanctuary with inspiring and uplifting choruses proclaiming the good news of the season. 


Sunday morning we returned to church, followed by a light lunch of corn chowder.  The little lady and man were clearly overtired, and quickly settled into naps.  I ventured out for a few errands, and enjoyed driving about town in a quiet and peaceful van.  I returned home to the Packer game blaring and quickly joined my crew in cheering on our beloved Aaron Rodgers.   That evening we shared a pizza dinner with our friend, Laura and her adorable daughter Ruthie,  who we have enjoyed getting to know this year.  Laura is also a fellow at the Cleveland Clinic, and Jeff and I enjoy looking for opportunities to encourage Laura and her daughter while her husband (also a doctor) finishes his naval tour of duty.  Spending time with them always reminds me how blessed I am to have a husband who returns home each day to care for me and our children.  

I'm so thankful for the rest and refreshment that comes from the weekends, especially weekends such as these.