3yr old: “I want lights like that.”

6yr old brother: “That would cost, like, a THOUSAND dollars.”

3yr old: (simply) “I’ll just ask Yo Ho for them.”

Apparently Santa gives you whatever you ask for and is a pirate or the Jolly Green Giant.

Today I melted when my husband returned from an “errand” with dark chocolate (the pricey, delectable kind) purchased just for me. I’d been grumpy all day, and he wanted to cheer me up. He held my hand, I ate the chocolate, and we talked about getting a Christmas tree. It was all so very melty.

I melt when my only daughter comes home from school and tells me that she thinks this boy she has had a crush on for ages–who broke her heart–deep down really must like her afterall because he always looks to see if she’s open when they play football at recess.

I melt when my 15-year-old son and I get in a physical “fight” in the car because he’s desperately trying to talk to one of his friends on my cell phone while I am desperately trying to crank up the Gorillaz song on the radio and his other friend (a girl) tells us “I just love your relationship!”

I melt when I come home from work three days in a row and find my 17-year-old son–who would really rather be taking a nap–has cleaned up the family room and the living room and piled all the dirty dishes in the sink.

I would melt over a sandwich on hazelnut bread, only I don’t think I’ve ever had hazelnut bread and I’m still waiting to find out where I can buy some.

I most definitely would melt over chocolate truffles. And they would melt in my mouth, too.

I don’t have a dog, but I do have an almost three-year old that I like uh-lot. I melt when he asks for something–who knew that a spoken sentance could be so adorable? I melt when he spontaneously says “Love you, Mama” and when he wants kisses. I also melt when he tells me to leave the room, directing the traffic of me so that he can do something bad.

I am in love with my new tree–tinsel, retro, disco balls and feather birds. I was distracted by the tree when Isabelle shoved those nuts down her dress.

I love those tuna on hazelnut sandwiches, they make me happy.

Do you like the memory bed pad? I think I want one, if it will help save my ancient mattress from certain garbage-heap future.

And, I LOVE CHRISTMAS CARDS! I send Christmas cards to people I haven’t talked to in 10 years, just because it’s the only time of the year I can say I remember all the friends I’ve ever had. It’s my one chance to connect to the world every year.

I want everyone to send me a Christmas card! I put them all on the mantle, surrounded by holly and other froofy decorations. It makes me feel warm and cozy and loved by all the planet.

Maralise, my husband hates Christmas lights. But my kids give him their saddest “You’ve-killed-Christmas” faces for about a week, and then he always relents and gets out the ladder.