7 Quick Takes (Volume 163)

1) The Boesiger house is alive with the sound of laughter and walrus roars (Ladies Man is enjoying his better audience in Drummer Boy and Drama Queen) and video games (they call it "bonding"--mmm hmmmm, whatever makes you feel at all productive). I've had all my kids home since Monday night and we're enjoying it immensely. Things stayed pretty tame since Ladies Man still had finals, but look out now, folks. Let the games begin. (Who am I kidding? The games began the moment Drummer Boy brought out his xbox.)

2) It's that time of year when concerts abound. Last Thursday brought one for Ladies Man. I'm sorry to say with him in the back row, I didn't get any good shots. Miss Innocent One had hers on Tuesday and this is the best of what I got. If you haven't figured it out already, I'm not much of a photographer. You think this girl is ready for Christmas vacation?


3) Something strange happens to Miss Innocent One when she is around her peers. She gets sassy, not in a mean way, but in a playful way, uttering things you wouldn't normally hear from her. For instance, lately she's taken to using the following phrase with her dad quite often.

Miss Innocent One: You need to calm down, buddy.

She says this with some sort of moustache gesture I don't understand and finds herself quite hysterical. Apparently her friends understand this as I saw a note she attached to a Christmas gift with a picture of a little guy trying to do the gesture and the caption, "You need to calm down, buddy."

And the funny thing is, her saying that has quite the opposite effect on her father. She seems to like pushing his buttons a little. I think it's because she always gets a reaction. You know how I always tell Drama Queen she makes it too easy? (See #4.) Yeah. Like father, like daughter.

4) During the Christmas season, it's our habit as a family to eat dinner by candlelight. I keep waiting for the kids to outgrow playing with the candles, but alas we're no where close. Drummer Boy and Ladies Man, now 21 and 16, still look for creative ways to blow out the candles. Ladies Man did his walrus roar, extinguishing three at a time. They both tried "bro-snapping" (don't ask me--it just looks weird) with little success. Ladies Man did some hand actions that reminded me of the The Force from Star Wars. It got so out of hand last night, that Ladies Man ended up spraying wax all over Drummer Boy's face and shirt.

So I guess if you see flames shooting from our dining room you may want to call the fire department. Our pyromaniacs were probably playing too hard.

5) Drama Queen was given a television, but it's a 33-inch screen we think is a bit much for her tiny dorm room. We offered to swap our smaller television with hers.

Kevin: Our TV would be more reasonable.

Drama Queen: Dad, when have I ever been reasonable?

No truer words were ever spoken!

6) We're looking forward to time with family over the weekend. We celebrate Christmas with Kevin's family tonight and mine on Sunday. Saturday we'll hang by ourselves. I am so ready to be to this point. I find the whole Christmas season quite stressful. The best part for me comes when everything is done and you can finally sit and enjoy those you love. Of course this will come after much cooking in the next few days, but hey, it's in my sights!

7) And with that I bid you adieu. May you have time to reflect on the significance of Jesus and His coming to earth. May you find a personal connection to Him in a new way. May you gain fresh understanding into what great love was shown in His coming.

Merry Christmas, my friends.

Find more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.