This seems like old news now, but every time I look at the pictures, my mommy pride starts oozing out of all my pores. So I had to share. Emma, Mary and Elizabeth had their theatrical debut this December in our church's Christmas play. My sweet friend Lori, (thankfully) re-wrote a horribly cheesy play into a classic nativity story.

Mary played Mary, Emma was the angel and Elizabeth was the star that the wisemen followed to the stable. Mary had no lines, but was on stage for most of the play, including during her "pregnancy"--a balloon stuffed in her dress, which when Jesus was "born" she pulled out of her shirt and threw on the ground...and it floated and danced across the stage for the remainder of the play.

I warned Lori that I didn't think Mary would be able to pull it off. When push came to shove, I thought she'd chicken out. She is so shy and worries so much about people laughing at her (sometimes, this worries me about her, I have to admit), I couldn't imagine her feeling brave enough to go on stage in front of so many people. But after I had a confidence-building talk with her about why people might be laughing, and that they weren't laughing at her, she embraced the role. She pulled it off and is already talking about doing it again next year.

Emma was an angel and delivered a mouthful of lines with volume and clarity. She's had her lines memorized since the first evening Lori put the script in her hands. But for her, the evening was more about the wings and the glittery white dress than anything else.

And Elizabeth. Dear Elizabeth. She was the star that the wisemen followed to the stable. At the proper cue in the play, Dan was supposed to strap the cardboard star I had made onto her back, strip her down to her little white onesie and send her wandering across the front of the church.

Dan got so caught up in the play, he nearly forgot. She made it to the stage, the star thrown over her overalls and red wool sweater at the last minute, just as she turned the corner in front of the audience. And wander she did. Across the front of the stage, up the aisles, onto the stage to pick up Mary's "pregnancy balloon" and check out the baby Jesus, and over to me at the piano. I think she wandered around the church for the rest of the play.

We've created a monster and haven't gotten her to sit still in a church service since.

I sat behind the piano for all of it to play and sing the carols. I missed most of the play except for a few lines. And Dan sat awestruck in the pews, completely caught up in the moment, with my camera and Flip sitting untouched beside him.

Oh well. Some things are better left for our own memories, I suppose.

Of course I did maul my children with the camera once the play was over. But Elizabeth had already wandered into the kitchen, tasting each of the Christmas cookies and then throwing them in the trash.

More Christmas catch-up coming soon....
...as well as the news of a new project I'm working on with Emily, and some exciting "newness" here on mommycoddle as well.

Cheers!

Two weeks ago, I was out running errands with the girls and we saw a sign that said, "Happy Holidays". My children asked what that meant and why it didn't just say, "Merry Christmas". I did my best to explain to them that at this time of year not everyone celebrates Christmas and I used the example of my "bloggingfriendEmily" (that's how you say her name in our house), who's family celebrates Hanukkah.

This of course, required me to explain to them more details about Hannukah and as I fumbled through I realized my description was falling short. And I told them I would just have to ask Emily to tell us a little bit about how her family celebrates Hanukkah and all the wonderful traditions that surround this holiday.

So I am so happy to turn things over to Emily on my blog today. Enjoy her lovely words and beautiful photographs. If there's anything I've learned about Emily, in getting the chance to get to know her in person, it's that she lives her life very thoughtfully and mindfully. And that same mindfulness and thoughtfulness overflows into her relationship with her children.

Thank you Emily for taking several moments out of your holiday season to share this with us.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was thrilled when Molly asked me to write about Hanuukah for her blog.  But also overwhelmed – there’s so much to say about this holiday, about any holiday.  So I asked my kids.  I asked them what they’d want Emma and Mary and Elizabeth to know about Hanukkah.  and this is what they said:

*they said tell them about the miracle of Hanukkah.  Not the part about the one drop of oil lasting for eight days, which everyone thinks is the miracle, but is actually a legend.  Tell them about how the tiny Jewish army of the Maccabees beat the great Syrian army to regain their religious freedom and their holy temple – that’s the real miracle.  (you can read more about the story of Hanukkah HERE.)

*they said tell them that presents don’t have anything to do with Hanukkah.  That Jews in America saw their Christian friends exchanging gifts on Christmas, then Jews adopted the custom.  tell them that traditionally, and in Israel still today, people don’t give presents on Hanukkah – they give coins to children.  That’s all.  (which is why we have chocolate coins, or “gelt” on this holiday.)

*they said tell them that Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday for the Jewish people.  Unlike some holidays when we don’t work or go to school, and instead we go to synagogue to pray - on Hanukkah people work and go to school (unless it falls during winter vacation like this year!).  and there are no special Hanukkah services in the synagogue.  We celebrate this holiday at home.

*they said tell them that we celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a “menorah” or “hanukkiah” which is a candelabra with nine arms – one arm for each of the eight nights of the holiday, plus one extra arm for holding the “shamash” or “helping” candle.  each night, when we light the “hanukkiah,” we strike a match and light the “helper” candle – which sits apart from the other eight candles (maybe it’s taller than the others, or off to the side.  somehow it’s separate.) – and then we use the “helper” candle to light the other candles.  each night, we light the number of candles according to the night of the holiday – so on the first night, we light the “shamash” and one candle.  on the second night, we light the “shamash” and two candles.  and so on until we light nine candles on the eight and final night.  we light 144 candles over the course of the whole holiday!

*they said tell them that we like to play the dreidel game during Hanukkah. And they said tell them that we sent them some dreidels in the mail so they can play too!

*they said tell them that we eat delicious fried foods on Hanukkah – latkes (fried potato pancakes), and jelly donuts - because of the legend of the oil.

that’s what they said.  These are the things my kids wanted emma and mary and elizabeth to know about Hanukkah.  There’s so much more, of course.  I wish I could tell you everything.  I wish you could hear the singing.  And see the lights shining from the candles on the hanukkiot.  And smell the oil from the latkes frying.  It’s a beautiful holiday.  and I’m thankful to molly for the chance to share a bit of it with you here. 

I do hope you enjoy your holiday season – whatever holiday you are celebrating.  And I wish you much peace and joy in the coming year.