CHRISTMAS IN OHIO

Robert and I returned late last night from a week in Columbus - very, very cold Columbus - visiting the Hill branch of the family and had a great time. After taking off over an hour late from SLC in a snowstorm, waiting to be de-iced, waiting our turn on the one runway that was plowed, we had a non eventful trip to Minneapolis, where, although it was noon, it was 2' below zero. I don't think I was ever completely warm again. We again had to wait to be de-iced and watched as snow flew around. I don't think it was actually snowing - just blowing around stuff that will never melt till July. Columbus was incredibly cold and yet no snow. Freezing rain, and frozen roads bad enough to suspend school, but no snow until, of course, as we drove to the airport yesterday to fly home! There is nothing that gives you confidence in your flying safety as you taxi toward the runway (the same week that the Continental plane skidded off the runway in Denver) and your pilot keeps jamming on the brakes as if to test them and makes sure they really work - I hope those weren't all close calls with other aircraft, that's even scarier. And then when that plane landed in Cincinnati and we were taxi-ing to the gate, the jet skidded and fishtailed on the frozen ground. Such fun. And then our flight to SLC was delayed quite a bit by the storms. But when we finally boarded there were no problems, no ice, no storms and we're home!


But leaving Ohio was so hard! We had fun and Zoe and Jimmy didn't want us to go. Robert and I got to go to Zoe's school and volunteer at her holiday party, making Gingerbread houses. Robert made some good friends at his end of the table, and after Zoe made her house say OHIO on one side of the roof and UTAH on the other, suddenly all the kids wanted to write words on their houses, too. But some of them couldn't figure out that you had to pull the strings of licorice apart first and got very grumpy when they couldn't bend a huge hunk of licorice into a letter. Later that night we went to the Columbus Zoo to see the lights. They were on a level of magnitude higher than Hogle, just as the huge zoo is higher than Hogle, but they didn't have all of the cute moving and running animal lights that Hogle did. A really impressive display though was all of the lights in the trees and areas around the lake were set to dance to music and it was wonderful. If the kids would have braved the cold better, we could have gone all over the zoo - there were millions of lights everywhere! There was also Santa and this posed a problem. The item that Jimmy wanted is sold out everywhere - a certain Thomas the Tank Engine train. Allison finally found one that is not that specific one, but is from the same movie and is bigger and has been trying to talk him into it, but no luck. So she managed to get to Santa first and quickly explained things. Santa told Jim that he knew what Jimmy wanted, but he knew of something even more wonderful and that Jimmy would be happy on Christmas morning. And Jimmy was okay with it. For about two days. And then he was right back to the original and how Santa can bring it because his elves can make it, etc. The other problem at the zoo was Zoe. She has steadily wanted one thing since October - the Tinkerbell movie. Nothing else will do. So, she asked Santa for movie tickets to see some movie I can't remember the name to. Allison and I were agape (we already bought the Tinkerbell movie). Zoe just shrugged and said, "I changed my mind." Kids.
On Sunday, we had our own Christmas dinner and mini-Matheson party. Ben and Amanda came over. Allison set the most gorgeous table. This was in the afternoon after leading her choir in their Christmas program in Sacrament Meeting. Robert made a pork roast, Allison made mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, Amanda brought Grandma Matheson's homemade rolls, and Allison made a hot fudge cake with peppermint ice cream for dessert.

We had British crackers to pull and wore the paper hats that come out of them. The food was wonderful and it was nice to have an extended family group together.
Afterwards we opened presents from the Matheson draw and from Grandma and Grandpa Matheson and other presents from SLC family. Zoe was wearing her new Christmas dress that looks like the one Rosemary Clooney wore in White Christmas and every time she entered a room while wearing it, she would pose dramatically and sing, "I'm dreaming of a White Christmas".

Jimmy was completely attached to Grandpa. He had him in his room almost the whole first day we were there, building the most elaborate train track, with tunnels and bridges, and 5 trains running on it. At night he refused to go to bed because he thought we'd leave while he was asleep. Robert finally manged to convince him we'd still be there in the morning and Jim said, "Good, because, I certainly need you tomorrow." Every morning Jimmy and Grandpa would start the day watching the movie Cars.

At night after the kids were in bed, Allison and I and which ever husband we could get to join us, would play games. We played Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Sorry, Life, Apples to Apples, Rummikub, Rummy royal - I know I'm forgetting some, but we had a lot of fun. Especially when we ran out of hotels in Monopoly and used candy instead. Then as you got foreclosed, you could just eat them up!

We got to see Allison's cafe, got to shop for Christmas presents, wrap them up and have fun together. I even got to be a duck in Relief Society. All in all, we had a great time, and it was very sad to say goodbye again. But gratifying to see how well they are doing in Columbus.

LIGHTS, ANIMALS, ACTION!

We went to see the Hogle Zoo Lights with Dan and Dawn and their family on Saturday evening and it was a lot of fun! We thought we'd go while the weather was still warm, and judging by the snow piling up outside, we made the right decision.

We arrived at the zoo shortly after 5:00 - just at dusk. The zoo was just starting to fill up and the weather was just nippy. We were glad for our coats, hats and gloves.





The lights are everywhere in the zoo - lining the walkways, up the trees, and in moving displays of animals. There were frogs leaping, foxes chasing rabbits, bears hunting prey, a beautiful peacock spreading his tail and many more. I think they have to do this because most of the animals go to sleep when it gets dark and there aren't many to see. The monkeys were awake and playing, as were the leopards. Some of the buildings were open to warm up in, like the small animal building, and the snakes were as awake as they ever are!



They have put in a carousel since I was there last and the kids clamored to ride it. Well, all except Morgan, who was terrified of the wild animals. Dan was never able to actually sit her on one and ended up standing and holding her as the ride went round and round, and she called "Need you!" as she saw Dawn. After the carousel, I took her on my lap to cuddle her and warm her up as we scootered along on my Rascal. The next time we went into a building and I let her down and told her to go to Daddy, she said, "No, Cappaw!" and went straight to grandpa and very decidedly held his hand. So, little Daddy's girl, who insists that Dan do everything for her, has a limit, and evidently Dan crossed it with his carousel ride of torture. Morgan stayed with either Robert or me the rest of the night. I loved it!

We saw some Irish dancers perform and inspite of the cold, none of the three kids moved a muscle while watching and we had to drag them away. (I need to point out here that Noah was also with us, and aside from waking up once to eat, he very politely remained asleep and contented the whole time.) About 6:30 the wind picked up and it became horribly cold. We put our heads down into it and struggled to the exit, with our minds full of the hot chocolate we were headed home to, and were glad we were not one of the hordes who had gathered to come then - the parking lot was filled to overflowing and long lines streamed to each ticket window!
If you go to see the Zoo Lights, and I recommend it, go early!

DECORATING WITH CHILDREN

Hurray for December!

I was in a funk about decorating this year. It didn't seem worth hauling out 50 or so nativities and other Christmas things if no grandchildren were going to be around to enjoy them. I had even bought new Fisher-Price sets to expand the one the kids play with the most before I realized that no one is around to drop in during December to play with them!

So I decided to make my own fun and invited Audrey and Holly to come and help me set up the Nativity sets. And we had a ball. Robert and I got all of the books and other displays out of the


bookcases before the girls arrived and Robert brought up most of the boxes I thought we'd need. When Audrey and Holly ran through the door and saw the big empty cabinet with its doors looming open, they both took a breath and said, "Oh boy, this is going to be a lot of work!"


I showed them how to build up varied heights on the shelves with blocks and how to pick a good color drape to show off the pieces. We looked through my photo album of all 120 sets and I let them have quite a bit of (guided) leeway in picking what they wanted - and did not - want to display.


The first shelves we did were the two filled with the Santas from around the world. We read where each was from and the story that goes along with it. They were fascinated by the different costumes and customs, especially by the Japanese figure, which has two faces, and the two women, Italy's la Befana, and Russia'a Babushka, who missed their chance to see the Christ child and then spend the rest of their lives seeking Him. Audrey wanted to know exactly where each country was, so we set each figure out as if they were on a great big map of the world before they split them up into the two shelves.

They were so eager to open each new box and unwrap each new piece that Robert, sitting in his den, said it was like listening to people watching fireworks -- all the oohs and aahs. Occasionally, in their enthusiasm, I had to remind them that these were breakable, but for the most part they were great and we really had a fun time.

After about three hours, we were almost finished and the girls were about at their limit, so I gave them the job I had saved for last - the Fisher-Price sets. This was just what they needed to rejuvenate them! So many people and animals and tents! Plus the musical angel. They set it all up according to the box pictures and then immediately began to change it all as they made up their stories and played. The stories began right from the scriptures and deteriorated from there. As I put the finishing touches on the displays, I overheard bits and pieces. Holly is definitely picking up her Dad's vocabulary, because one line shouted over and over was, "Baby Jesus is freaking cold! He's freaking cold!" I guess they got over the cold because the girls paired up all the figures: wiseman & camel, Mary & Joseph, sheep & sheep, etc, and they all danced to the angel's music. Audrey and Holly took turns dipping each other. It's a good thing that all of the work was over and all breakables were under glass!

Having the girls here made the whole day fun and now my living room is festive and cheery and my funk is gone. We'll have to make this a yearly Christmas tradition!

PS -The unsung hero of the day, as usual, is Robert, who had to bring in the empty boxes for the bookcase stuff, haul those away, bring up all of the nativity boxes, and more nativity boxes, and more, and search for some more that we wanted, and at the end af the day, take them all away - all while suffering from a really bad chest cold. Thank you.