Christmas with 2 Kings

Adele and Lea King joined us today for some co-op childcare and some: constant snacking, cookie making, constant correction of one another's pronunciation (big girls), babbling (little girls), and dancing (everyone [not me]).

Great Gift Idea

I'm so proud of my brilliant sister in law - Beth (AKA Elizabeth) Lareau - who is working at a fabulous little ebook publishing company in NOLA. They're doing some great things - publishing great ebooks, producing clever accompanying video clips (think the "extras" on your DVDs) and selling ebooks on flash drives - so you still have something to wrap. Or to drop in the stocking, as the case may be.

Check out one of their promotional videos below - just a little Christmas story about a virgin birth - in current day Midwest America. Go to http://www.booksbnimble.com/ and see all the fun stuff. Support New Orleans. Support small publishers. Support clever.

Comedic Timing

She's got it.

Christmas, Santa and Water

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Memphis. I love that the Advance Memphis Christmas party is always early in December - it's a great way to start the season (oh, and also it's where I work, so then I get to check that off my list). Anyhoo, above is a pic of Meredith and Walt with Santa at the Advance party.

And speaking of Santa, we're not speaking of Santa too much this year. It's not that we're avoiding the topic - at all. But Meredith is much more interested in - and obsessed with - a project going on at Neighborhood Church. We're trying to raise $5,000 to build a well in Peru for a village that doesn't have access to clean water.

PLEASE hear me when I say that Meredith is not some perfect angel child who cares more about those who need water than about her own Christmas list. Because I could tell you some stories about her behavior the last few days that would probably cause you to ask me if I've been parenting AT ALL, or just letting her do as she wished for the last 5 years. That said, I think she does grasp that we're working together to help something good happen for people who have less than we do. It's about having a goal, and wanting to be part of working toward that goal. She insisted on having a yard sale last week. She even rang a bell the ENTIRE time (thank you, Salvation Army). But it was cold, and she didn't have much to offer. As you might imagine, it didn't go so well. So now she's doing chores to earn money.

There is no shortage of worthy causes, and this is not meant to pressure you into giving. But if you haven't gotten around to doing any research this year, and if you're overwhelmed by the mailers you're getting, you can consider giving to Charity Water, and as a bonus, making Meredith super happy. Watch the video below. Click here to give, so that it will go to NC's fund for Peru (click "Create Account;" it's quick). And let us know you did, so Mer can experience all of the joy. katelareau@gmail.com

Thanksgiving