The Kassel Family Project Life 365

(By the way, Mommy is enjoying Laura having an American Girl doll nearly as much as Laura enjoys having one.  Matching girl and doll clothes are super cute!)

Sometimes the seemingly dumb gifts are the best (or they show how well your great friends know you).  The Lowery Family got me a “Woozie” for Christmas!  I love it!

This was in John’s papers from preschool today.  I asked him about it and he said, “That’s my official letter to Santa, Mommy!”  Right after he said that, I realized that *HE* had signed his own name to his letter.  I was so excited!  It’s the first time I have ever seen him sign his own name.  I said, “Buddy!  That’s so awesome!  You signed your own name!”  He said, “Yes, Mommy, I do that now.”  He showed it to Andy when we got home and Andy had the same reaction that I did.  After Christmas, *THIS* paper goes in his memory box.

It was Christmas Cookie day!  We made cut out cookies that the kids decorated and the Dothages came over to help.  That is, Andrea and Kathryn helped with the cookies.  Andy and Keith were downstairs enjoying some guy time.  I found this particular recipe for Holiday Bits Cutout Cookies last year and it’s a great recipe to use.

Because the dough needs to chill for about two hours, Laura, John, and I mixed up the dough before the Dothages got there.  I used the mixer because I enjoy letting it do the “heavy lifting.”  The kids think the mixer is pretty cool too!

Once the Dothages arrived, we put the assembly line to work!  I rolled out the dough while the kids selected their first cookie cutters.  They had a great time rotating through all the different cutters (eight in all) and getting the cookies ready for baking.

After the necessary baking and cooling time, the kids began decorating.  Andrea and I iced the cookies and the kids were responsible for the sprinkles and sugar.  I think it’s safe to say that this proved to be QUITE fun for all of them.  Upon finishing the decorating process, our carpet was a sea of green, red, and white.  There is no doubt that Kathryn, Laura, and John made sure to cover every square inch of the icing!

Each of the kids ate *at least* one cookie (I think John ate three…) and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  Around the end of the decorating process, Laura asked if we could go see The Magic Tree.  We “convinced” Keith and Andrea to let Kathryn go with us (it took less arm twisting than you might think) and off we went.  We stopped for a quick dinner at McDonald’s and then headed to The Magic Tree.  As always, it is just beautiful.

I don’t think I will ever get tired of seeing this tree.  I happened to notice the reflection of the tree in a large window across the street and just was more struck by how awesome it is.  I am so glad that the kids get to experience the Magic Tree every year.  It was a real treat to take Kathryn with us too.  I snagged a couple of great pictures of her for Keith and Andrea and even managed to take a good one of all three kids.  It was just a really great, fun day and I am glad that we got to share it with the Dothages!

Saturday has gotten pretty typical in the Kassel Household.  We seem to always be busy these days and today was no exception.  It started with Andy taking Laura to the Central Missouri Food Bank for “Kids Helping Kids” day with the Daisy Scouts.  The girls finished earning the “Considerate and Caring” petal.  They learned all about what the Food Bank does and helped make Buddy packs.  Buddy Packs are for children who qualify for free and reduced lunches and are filled with kid-friendly, nutritious food that students take home over the weekend or holiday periods to supplement their meals when there is not enough for them to eat at home. After the weekend, the kids bring their empty Buddy Pack back to school to be refilled by local volunteers.  Laura told me that the Food Bank does lots of good and she was glad she could help other kids today.

After lunch and a nap for John, Andy and the kids headed out to the Columbia Mall to do some Christmas shopping for Mom.  I didn’t tell Andy this, but just taking the kids for two hours was a great Christmas gift!  I actually got to read with no interruptions.  Ah…

We spent the evening with the Lowerys eating great food and exchanging Christmas gifts.  Laura received a “sparkly purple hoodie” sweatshirt and a “sparkly pink headband.”  John received a “Super Bacon” t-shirt (LOVE IT!) and some mini cars from the “Cars” movies.  Andy was given Reindeer Poop (Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Balls), which the kids *had* to try, and I received a wine glass “Woozie”.  It was great to see the Lowerys and was a great evening!

I’m in absolute shock and feeling extreme sadness for twenty children and six adults that I don’t even know.  Shocked and saddened that ONE MOMENT took away the hopes and dreams of so many families.  Before Laura and John were born, I would have been in shock and felt sad, but today was wholly different.  Today, my heart aches for those families, and yet I’m happy that I got to get Laura off the bus from school like any other normal day.  She came running when she saw me and ran right into my arms for a big hug.  I held her a little longer and squeezed her a little longer and I tried to hide the tears shining in my eyes.  Andy got to pick up John from preschool and give him a hug.  The families of those twenty children will never have that opportunity again and it’s so terrible for them.  Andy and I got the chance to mess around with the camera last night by our Christmas tree and take some fun pictures.  It’s something our family got to do that those families will never do again with their beautiful moms, dads, kids, sisters, and brothers.

Like many others, I found out about the shooting by logging onto a news website.  I sat with my mouth open staring at the computer for a couple of minutes.  Shock.  Shock.  Shock.  Nothing really registered in my mind except that.  After my office holiday brunch, I logged into Facebook and I have to admit that I was completely *disgusted* at the people who were already talking more gun control.  Talk about gun control tomorrow.  It was literally less than 90 minutes after I first read about the tragedy.  Later in the day a sorority sister of mine posted the following (this was posted before they announced the deaths of two more of the children):

“Forget your arguments on gun control, against violent movies, and prayer in schools.  Get off your soapboxes and political platforms for a moment and be human…  18 sets of parents will not have their littles waiting for Santa, will not see them graduate,  learn to drive, or any other milestone.  18 families lost all their dreams today.  8 other families also had their lives shattered.  Don’t insult their memory by making them part of your political agenda, just grieve for  them, if you are religious pray for them, if not respect them.”

It was exactly what I was thinking but what I couldn’t put into words.  You can talk about your personal soapbox and political platforms tomorrow.  For today, let it go.  Let every parent in American be relieved to see their kids and adult loved ones come home.  All I really cared about today was seeing my husband and my beautiful children at the end of the day.  I wanted to hug them all and just be with them.  I will not forget today and I will remember these pictures, because *I* was lucky enough to have this opportunity.