Christmas 2008

First things first, stockings found outside the kids doors answered the question of what happens when there isn't a fireplace for the stockings to be hung on.
Apparently the haul was good enough to keep the kids from running to the tree.
"I got an elephant in a cart. I'm good" Danny is so easily pleased.

Mary made sure that she was showered and dressed before we dove into the presents.
It's super Lilly. Nanna and Mary went overboard on clothes for Lilly this winter.
"Press the tail Danny and it will bounce. Here watch daddy do it."
"Hey I did it." Danny is so proud and it looks like Lilly wants some play time.
"There's a puppy in this box. Now I just need to figure out how to get it out. Maybe there's something over there that can help." Lilly loves her new little hound.
"Time to play catch with Dad." Andrew received his first base ball mit.
Guess what Will got a new mit too so there's no excuse. Will is such a ham.
Okay now everyone take a minute and make sure that each other's gifts are good enough.
Andrew had asked specifically for some little horses for Christmas and these ones he called "big brother horses."
"Nice bag Mom." Lillian was showing off her double doll carriage to Mary and commented on the purse.
Danny has his stuffed elephant and Tigger. Now he's just browsing the other gift piles.
The ever popular "Honey do" gift. Will sure did take it well.
New pajamas and Will looks like he's ready to go back to bed.
Mary got a new frog. She get's at least one a year. This time it was very classy.
Okay Will enough already you're worse than the kids.
Thank you Rachel and Nanna for helping to make Christmas so much fun for our home.
Andrew's got a gun and he's not afraid to use it. Good time to teach gun safety.
Lillian got her puppy out and look it has a magnetic bone.
This is one of those rare Daddy, Danny moments. It turned out that Danny was showing the early signs of the flu that ran rampant through our home the next two weeks.
Andrew loves clothes especially if they have cars on them.
He had to put his shirt on right away.
Then he could play with his toys.
Lillian received a doctor bag and got right to work.
Daniel finally has one on one time with the alphabet town buttons.
Mary finally got a gift that surprised her. It was stemware for eight, both water and wine glasses.
The kids got more toys at Grandma and Grandpa Muir's.
William got Mary a .22 rifle and it wasn't one of those "it's for you but it's really for me gifts."
Will Rose (William's brother-in-law) brought his gun cleaning kit and Mary's gun got some real attention.

Christmas was a great time in our home and we loved sharing it with Rachel, Nanna, Jen and Will Rose, and of course The Muir Grands and Great Grandma Muir. There's no place like home for the holidays. We loved the white Christmas in Craig Colorado the year before but it was nice to finally spend a Christmas in our new home.

Just relaxing with Christmas movies

Getting ready for Christmas is very hard for the Muir kids they have Christmas Movies to watch,
and more Christmas movies to watch while they stay out from under mom and dad's feet. All that movie watching must be tiring.
It looks like Danny is so tired he doesn't mind sleeping on a soggy sheet laid down to keep the shampooed carpet clean.
Lillian looks like she agrees with Danny's assessment of holiday preparations.
Andrew just looks like he wants to get into a picture. He almost has us convinced he needs a nap too.

Andrew

Lillian

Daniel

Okay so Mary got a little excited about the Sepia feature of our camera but aren't these super cute.

Happy Birthday Andrew

So Andrew the oldest of our brood turned the bright old age of Five years old on Dec. 15, 2008. He asked for one specific thing for his Birthday dinner and that was a car cake. He lucked out and it looked a little like his favorite character from Cars.
He got a pretty good haul and was even excited about his new pajamas.
Andrew's great grandma Muir was there and he got to get a special hug from her.
He almost didn't want to tear some of the "Thomas and Friends" paper to get to the good stuff inside.
The present that took the cake was a little workman toolset with miniature work tools just like dads. (we've actually used the screwdriver a couple of times)
The tool kit came disguised as a fan and boy was he surprised when he finally got it open.
Grampa Muir gave him a spiderman flashlight that he managed to use enough that now the other two want one.
The look on his face when he got the bow and arrow almost made Mary want to take it back.
Oh and what would a five year old boy do if he didn't have snakes. Too bad his little sister likes them too so the old snake in the bed thing doesn't work.

We had a happy family celebration and can't believe how fast the kids are growing up.

The Muir's Halloween Walrus, Carpenter, and Curious little oyster.

Earlier this year when Mary was discussing the upcoming Halloween season with William the issue of theme and costumes came up. One year the Muirs went on a Halloween safari, another year Andrew was a car driver and Lilly was the bug his windshield missed. Then last year the kids made up a tool kit. So there they sat, William and Mary trying to decide what to do for Halloween this year.

In the background Andrew had started a movie and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were tempting Alice into staying for a bit with a story she had never heard before. The movie's version is a bit different from the book, but the words gave Mary and idea. So here we have it a Muir rendition of;

The Walrus And The Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
(Also known as The Curious Oysters).


The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright --
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.


The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done --
'It's very rude of him.' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun!'

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead --
There were no birds to fly.


The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand:
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
'If this were only cleared away,'
They said, 'it would be grand.'

'If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,' the Walrus said,
'That they could get it clear?'
'l doubt it,' said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.


'O Oysters, come and walk with us!
The Walrus did beseech.
'A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each.'


The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head --
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.


Out four young Oysters hurried up.
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat --
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more --
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.


The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.


'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings.'


'But wait a bit,' the Oysters cried,
'Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!'
'No hurry!' said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

'A loaf of bread,' the Walrus said,
'Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed --
Now, if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed.'


'But not on us!' the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
'After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!'
'The night is fine,' the Walrus said,
'Do you admire the view?'


'It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
'Cut us another slice-
I wish you were not quite so deaf-
I've had to ask you twice!'

'It seems a shame,' the Walrus said,
'To play them such a trick.
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!'
The Carpenter said nothing but
'The butter's spread too thick!'


'I weep for you,'the Walrus said:
'I deeply sympathize.'
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.


'O Oysters,' said the Carpenter,
'You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none --
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

So the Muir rendition didn't quite follow all the lines for instance they only had one "Curious little oyster" and the feed was on candy not on her. Their Walrus and Carpenter only shed tears at bed time and never any other time. Another dissimilarity was that Nanna Taylor sat and talked awhile but not of "ships and sealing wax," but rather Halloweeny things. And for those of you who wonder the candy was not eaten "every one," but Andrew sure did try.