Ho, Ho, Ho and War Eagle!

Instead of the usual trek to the mall to visit Santa Claus this year, we were able to take Margie Grace to see Santa in front of Samford Hall (after all, it is his vacation home, right?). AU's Photographic Services, which is part of our office (Communications and Marketing) started a new tradition this year. Folks could either get their picture made with Santa or in front of the big Christmas tree on Samford lawn and the proceeds from the event benefitted SIFAT, a Christian missions organization. My brother's fraternity volunteered their time to help with the event. Because it was so successful, there are plans to continue it next year. I am hoping this marks the beginning of a new Christmas tradition for our family as we document Margie Grace every Christmas with Santa Claus and Samford Hall. For the record, MG's tolerance of Santa was much better than last year when she clung to me like a koala while I tried to inch ever closer to Santa Claus. She was just short of bursting into tears. This year, she held on tight but with a little coaxing I was able to actually set her on his knee. You can't see me in this photo but I'm right there to Santa's right -- not too far from Margie Grace's comfort zone! As you can tell from her expression, MG still isn't too sure about this Santa Claus fellow. (Many thanks to Jeff and Melissa for letting me share this picture online!)

Good to the last drop!

Margie Grace recently discovered hot chocolate and she couldn't be happier! She loves the stuff and requests it often. We fix her a mug (of lukewarm chocolate) about once a week as a special treat. She downs the stuff and wears her hot chocolate mustache with pride! We usually end up changing her pajamas after a round. The funny thing is that since we have been reading "The Polar Express" this month, (the kid is obsessed with trains and won't go to sleep unless we read the "choo choo" book and the "Baby Jesus" book) she insists on referring to it as "hot cocoa." The kids riding on the Polar Express drink "hot cocoa" and she loves to point this out every time we get to that portion of the story. I honestly didn't think she realized that "hot chocolate" and "hot cocoa" were synonymous. But when I changed the word in the book from "cocoa" to "chocolate," she noticed and quickly corrected me. "Hot cocoa, Momma." Either way, Margie Grace thinks it is the best stuff ever!

'Tis the Season

The Wilder house has been as busy as the North Pole preparing for Christmas. I can't believe it is only a week away! This is the first year that Margie Grace really "gets it" (well, she sorta gets it -- definitely more so than last year!) and we are having lots of fun experiencing the season with her. Earlier this month we visited Lakeside Tree Farm to cut down our Christmas tree. I've never seen such excitement on a face as when Neil learned that the place is phasing out its business and our years of cutting down a fresh tree are numbered. This is his least favorite family activity and he remains bothered by the fact that he does all the work -- find it, cut it, haul it -- and he still has to pay to take the tree. This year he had a great assistant in MG, who insisted on crawling on the ground and helping work the saw. Watch out, Paul Bunyan! Here are a few photos from our Saturday at Lakeside as well as trimming the tree at home.

The Mystery Song

Since her birthday in October, we've noticed how much Margie Grace likes to sing while she is playing around the house or riding in the car. "Happy Birthday" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" are staples in her repertoire. Yesterday on the way home from church we noticed that Margie Grace was singing but I didn't recognize the song. I asked her to sing it again and teach it to me. The words consist of "Mary riding donkey." For the life of me, I can't think of any sort of song with that phrase; it isn't part of any song we've listened to or sung to her. I assumed that maybe it was something she learned at Sunday School. She kept singing it all day, "Mary riding donkey, Mary riding donkey." Obviously it is some sort of song about the Christmas story, which she loves reading about every night at bedtime. (Since Thanksgiving we have switched our bedtime stories to all of our Christmas books and MG's favorite has been a children's version detailing Mary and Joseph's trip to Bethlehem and the birth of Baby Jesus.) Then it occurred to me that she might have just made up this little ditty inspired by her favorite book. So if any of you recognize this song, please let me know. I'd love to learn all the words and teach them to Margie Grace, although for the time being she seems quite happy singing "Mary riding donkey!"

Three Princesses

We spent the weekend before Thanksgiving in Camden and were able to visit with our friends Barrett and Tara Falkenberry and their two sweet girls. Their eldest, Callyn, shares the same birthday as Margie Grace -- only four years apart. And their youngest, Avery, is only two months older than MG. Margie Grace enjoyed playing with them both and was very excited when they introduced her to a new concept: dress up! First Callyn came out dressed in her princess outfit and then she helped Avery and Margie Grace dress up too. They looked so cute and Margie Grace had the best time! Who can resist three precious princesses!?

Raindrops on roses and footed pajamas

If good ol' Julie Andrews decided to belt out a tune about her favorite things after spending some time in the Wilder household, she'd most definitely have to add a few things to her list. What are some of our current favorite things? Hot chocolate with lots of marshmellows, the Charlie Brown Holiday Collection DVDs (thanks to Uncle John, Margie Grace loves her some "Noopy!") and best of all, footed pajamas! Neil is envious every night when MG gets ready for bed. I told him I've heard that they make these in adult sizes but I don't think he believes me. Hhhhmmm, Christmas is just around the corner . . .

A Fond Farewell

On Nov. 15, my brother John closed a long and memorable chapter in his life when he marched in his last home football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium as a member of the Auburn University Marching Band. This marked John's fourth season with the AU band and he said the finale has been bittersweet. John has remained dedicated from that first summer at percussion camp to this last year when he served as leader of the bass drum line and every hot summer practice in between. He has even served as one of the band's four freshmen orientation leaders for the past two years. All the time he has invested has helped to shape his college experience. Here are a couple of pictures from the senior recognition ceremony and from John's last march around during the AU vs. UGA game. Margie Grace is convinced that football exists solely to allow John to play his drum (this year that's been the only exciting part!). It is strange to think we won't see him over in the student section anymore banging on that drum but of course this won't stop John from drumming on things in general (the table, the dashboard, the wall . . . you get the idea)!