Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Death and A Holiday Giveaway By Harley

Can you believe it is already December 1st? Time sure flies when you are old and closer to death than ever before in your life. Speaking of death, I had the most interesting conversation with one of my three year old granddaughters yesterday. Ahni and Corina spent the day with me yesterday because of strep throat, pink eye and boogers. Theirs not mine. Anyway, since the school and daycare both have these crazy rules about no sick kids welcome, the girls got stuck with me for the day. I think, in all truth, they were pretty happy to hang out with their Nona. I can be quite entertaining at times.



Ahni the Strep Throat Kid and her side kick, Corina the Booger Head


So, we had some homemade chicken noodle and veggie soup which even picky eater Bob said was extremely delicious. Ok, he didn’t say extremely delicious but he did say something about it being good.


Booger Head and Mr. Picky Pants. Aren't they cute?


Anyway, the girls ate and chatted with us even though they were not feeling all that well. After lunch, while I was cleaning up the kitchen, Corina, the three year old, came up to me and had lots to talk about.



“Nona, I want to die when you die.”

“Um…what?”

"When people get old they die and then I would miss you so I want to die when you die.”

“Well, I am not old and won’t be dying any time soon so you don’t have to worry about dying, Reenie.”

“Well, grandpa died and so when you and me die we get to see him again and that will be fun.”

“ Well, that’s true. I still think I want to live a bit longer if that’s ok with you.”

“Yeah but when we die we get to see God and my teacher says He’s a nice guy so that will be fun.”

“You know what would be fun right now? Cookies!”



Seriously, these deep thinking three year olds scare me.



Anyway, let me tell you about a giveaway that Butts and Ashes is hosting and just in time for the holidays to boot. The good folks over at CSN Stores have offered to give one of my readers a $45 gift code good towards anything offered in their more than 200 stores. Looking to update your bathroom cabinets before the in-laws come over for the holidays? They’ve got you covered. Need a beanbag, bar stool or bedspread? CSN Stores has them. Desperate for one last toy to go under the tree? You’ll find it at CSN and at a price that makes sense. Check them out for yourselves.



So how do you go about entering this fabulous giveaway and what does Harley have to do with it anyway and why am I so constantly long-winded instead of getting to the point? Glad you asked.



To enter the contest all you have to do is tell me your family’s favorite Christmas tradition. Something that sets your family apart from all the rest. Come on, spill the beans. Go on, I’m waiting.



The winner will be hand chosen by Harley himself. Ok, actually the winner will be beak chosen. That’s right, Harley the amazing African Grey will pick the winning name from a bowl, or something like that. I’ll even take a video of it for you to make sure he doesn’t cheat.


Harley, the Amazing African Grey


As for the long-windedness part: It’s a gift.

Marla, the Amazing Long-Winded Woman



Oh yeah, a few last things:

  • Contest is open to those living in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Last day to enter is December 7th.
  • Why are you still reading this. Comment already, will ya?

20 comments:

Cheeseboy said...

Ha ha! Great stuff. She has an outlook on death that most adults would love to have.

J.J. in L.A. said...

When I was a kid, Christmas was really fun. Since there was 7 of us, we picked names on Thanksgiving Day so we only had to buy for 1 sibling.

We'd go to Midnight Mass then open presents (1:30 am). Then mom would make breakfast (4 am). We'd finally get to sleep (6ish) and sleep in.

I've only opened presents on Christmas morning once. I was 22 y.o. and we were at my CO bro's house. My s-i-l made us wait. lol!

Brian Miller said...

i find that out look in common with a lot of kids...and the they get scared of death eventually...

ok christmas tradition...we watch nestor the long eared christmas donkey...

The Good Cook said...

We always cut our own Christmas tree down at the Quick Family Farm. Then we tie it up on top of the roof and have lunch at Johnny's Hot Dogs. They are the BEST dogs around for miles and miles. Hot Dogs, French Fries and Birch Beer. REAL BIRCH BEER. They don't serve anything else and we only go once a year - with the tree tied up on top of the car.

Glen said...

Damn my superior tea drinking ancestry (Boston still hurts) - I can't enter.

Kids are scary and NEVER pick up on subtle attempts to change the conversation. A certain announcement about Santa could have deflected it, though you'd have had some explaining to do later.

Katharine said...

We have chinese food on Christmas eve, and Christmas morning we all pile on our bed to open the first gift...
I love visiting here! Thank-you for once again making me drool my coffee, trying not to laugh!
Blessings!

Amber at The Musings of ALMYBNENR said...

Wow what a three-year-old! Still, that conversation was sweet. She obviously loves you very much!

As for Christmas traditions, well, I don't know how unique ours are but on Christmas Eve we all get to open one present, usually the choosing of which is done by the giver. Then on Christmas morning, we have sticky buns and turn on the Christmas music and continue the gift-giving.

Abi said...

My three year old is similar, she keeps a list in her head of things she is allowed to do when she 'gets big'. She lists it to me every once in a while, usually in the car. Yesterday's list was 'touch a chicken- the raw kind, be the driver instead of the sitter, drink bubble juice (soda)' They are the cutest at this age aren't they?

Abi said...

Oh, I forgot- our family has a special plate that we use to lay out Santa's cookies on Christmas eve. He gets a special tray and cup too.

Prudence said...

I get the kids each a hallmark ornament every year they open on thanksgiving and when they leave the nest they will have all their ornaments to decorate their own tree. and I'm stealing the name Mr. Picky Pants for my husband cuz he was so spoiled growing up, his mommy never made him eat anything he didn't want to... so he wont' eat eggs, beans, salad, any veggies unless it's corn, I just got him to start eating taco flavor in the last 5 years, it's pathetic. and when mommy comes to visit?? she whines the same way he does when I cook. I'd like to send them both to the barn to eat corn and oats with the cows.

Oklahoma Granny said...

It's amazing the things little ones think about!

Every year at least one of the grands (but usually all of them ask) want to make sure that the Christmas pickle will again be put on the tree for them to find on Christmas morning. The coveted prize is a small one for the winner(actually there are 2 winners because we have older grands and younger grands and how would that be fair for the little ones because the older ones have been at this for many more years - whew!)but the bragging rights are what they're really after - a whole year to rub it in the face of their siblings that they found the pickle first. I hope that's the type of traditional thing you were planning on getting.

Monkey Man said...

Three years old....wow. This child is gonna require some heavy answers.

Christmas - Crab Sandwiches.

Deborah said...

Don't you think the years from 2 to 5 are the most tender and amazing years for kidletts? I love how they think.

A couple of our family trads now are going together to get our separate trees. This year I'm making some stew and we'll hang out for a hot, busy minute enjoying the process.

Another one is every year since my girls were teeny, I get them a pair of slippers, a watch, and a stuffed animal. Who knows how this one started!

Sandra said...

Yeah, they look realllllyyyy sick! :)
They are adorable!

Teresa said...

very cute kiddos - even sick. deep thinking for a 3 year old. when amy was that age, she used to ask me if the devil would reach up through the cracks in the ground and get her.

traditions... we have to watch The Santa Clause at least once. It's my favorite of the series. I also have to watch some of the old stop-motion Christmas specials with Isaiah. I think I enjoy them more than he does.

Domestic Diva said...

We always deliver a complete holiday celebration (meal, gifts, decorations, etc.) to a family in need.

Matty said...

It's something just that they could hold a conversation with you being sick. And then to have it be so grown up like is something too. And ole Bob is a wise man saying the soup tastes good. He has obviously been around the block a few times.

Our tradition starts on Christmas eve with a dinner of spaghetti and sweet sausage. (Don't ask). We bake cookies for dessert, and they MUST all be eaten that night. We leave milk and cookies at the fireplace for Santa. Christmas morning starts with fresh baked cinnamon buns followed by gifts. Then the rush of the day with family visiting, and a gigantic Thanksgiving like dinner. Followed by board games at the dining room table.

Coby said...

Ha! Always, always, ALWAYS, we watch the movie Die Hard during the build-up to Christmas. It's TOTALLY a Christmas movie (it takes place during the holidays, so it counts).

Another favorite tradition we have is that we hang these super-ugly Christmas ornaments that someone made us as a wedding gift...on the very BACK of the tree where no one can see. I tried to throw them away, but Hubby was all sentimental. So to the back they go! We laugh about it every year.

We (I) make chili and beer bread every Christmas Eve, and then go and drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Liz said...

Ha! Better beak-selected than crapped on by chickens, I s'pose! When I was a kid, we opened presents on Xmas Eve (except the "Santa" ones), so I got to go to bed full of satisfaction about my new toys instead of unable to sleep because of anticipation. As a result, I would always sleep in. I think that's how my mom managed to keep the Santa ruse going for so long...

eemoody77 at gmail dot com

Mrs4444 said...

This, too, is terribly sweet.

I remember when Kyle (a little kid at the time) said that he thought it would be better to die when you are a kid, because heaven would be a lot more fun for kids.