Merry Christmas

The Iowa Football team took to the practice field on Christmas Day as the Insight Bowl is only three days away. Weather in Tempe was sunny as temperatures reached the middle 70s, a distinct difference from what their friends in Iowa City were experiencing.

After practice children of the coaches and support staff were waiting for the team to arrive to provide Christmas tidings. For some of the team this was their first time away from home for the holidays.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name! "Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose! He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Christmas Eve may be the most special time of all the Holiday season. Children all around the world fall asleep in anticipation of Santa's arrival druing the night. One by one, each of them set out a set of cookies and milk for the jolly old man with each awaking to see crumbs left behind. The magic that surrounds the night before Christmas is irreplaceable. The waiting and excitement by children is very rewarding for any member of the family. Once morning comes and the gifts are exchanged, the magic decreases as the celebration of family grows.

This is one Holiday season that is very extra special. It is not often to spend Christmas at home with my son waking in his own bed on Christmas morning. He not only gets to do that, but he will also be rewarded with a semi-vacation by joining the Hawkeyes for another bowl game in sunny South Florida.

Merry Christmas

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

--Matthew 1:18 - 2:23 New International Version

Wickham Holiday Party

In Iowa City it isn't correct to have a Christmas Party so I attended his "Holiday" Party at Wickham Elementary on the last day of school in December. Gifts were not exchanged (a favorite part of my elementary Christmas Parties), but students had the opportunity to participate in different activities of the holiday season.

The party was broken up into different stations and each student rotated around either to create or to play different types of games. Colin's first station was to frost, decorate and eat a sugar cookie. He took advantage of being the first one to scoop out the frosting as he enjoyed piling it on. With a little juice the cookie tasted very good.
The second station was using different materials to create a bookmark. Glitter glue and felt symbols of the season were used with Colin's sporting a snowman and plenty of glitter. From there he went to try his luck at the football throw. Nothing says the holidays more than football. By making it in a designated spot he was rewarded with a candy cane.

Then he went on to the popular holiday game, Pin the Sticker on the Reindeer's Nose. He admitted later he could see through the blindfold, yet he was very proud to hit the nose every single time.

Although I joke of his holiday party, Colin has excelled in Mrs. S's class and looks forward to going to school every day. He is excited about the weeks off over the holiday season, but we know he is going to miss his class and teacher.

Santa Comes to Coralville

With the Engelbert family heading to Tampa, FL for the Holidays, Santa made a special appearance in Coralville Saturday morning. Colin awoke to many gifts from St. Nick as well as his family and buddies. Among the highlights were many GeoTrax items, a Brett Favre Green Bay Packer jersey, Thomas the Tank Engine blanket and Water Tower as well as other presents.

Colin was awake well before 6:30 to see what was brought and it was well within the hour before many of his GeoTrax sets were assembled.

Colin's Christmas Pageant

Colin's Pre-School, Frog Hollow, hosted their first Christmas Pageant at the North Liberty Community Center. His class, with teacher Ms. Alisha, sang a number of Holiday Tunes including the popular "Jingle Bells" with the entire school all shaking bells. Colin is the "cool" one on the far end.

Buying a Christmas Tree

The day after Thanksgiving is full of activities. Waking up early to shop, sitting at home watching college football, putting up Christamas lights or catching part of the "Kelly's Leftovers," the Beverly Hills 90210 Marathon on the Soap Network are among the some of the options. The one trip we made was to find a Christmas tree.

I am not a believer in pushing the Christmas hoiday any sooner that commercial America already pushes it. Shopping starts too early, Chirstmas music on the radio is unnecessary, and my preference to buying a tree would be a couple of weeks prior to the 25th, not the day after Thanksgiving. But with the cost of a tree, and spending the Christmas holiday at the Iowa bowl site and not Coralville, we want to make the most of the tree we can. That led us to Lowes today to pick out the best one possible. It will be decorated Sunday.