Christmas catch up

Yes, it's late. But so are my Christmas cards.

Go figure.

We kicked off the Christmas season with the traditional Xmas program at school. They have done a very good thing dividing K-2 and 3-5 into two programs so the parents and requisite others can attend.

Zoe sang a solo this year. Her first. She was nervous but did a great job on the parts she had. I'm still impressed (mother or not) at her ability to face a crowd and give it her all. The girl can take that to places, I'm convinced.

Anyway...moving on to Christmas.

Woke up early. And who am I kidding? Didn't really go to sleep at all becuase who can sleep on Christmas Eve?

This goes down in history as the earliest and last best "early Christmas" that I will ever probably go for. As in WAY too EARLY in the morning ... as in 3 AM.

It was still good fun. There's nothing like a kid on Christmas morning with presents to unwrap.

We went to my mom's later that day. Spent time with family and friends.

Joe was with Tammy after making the long trip from Georgia. Sally was sick so we didn't get to see her, but did hang out with Court. Timmy Lew stopped by. Cork made me think the ghost of Grandpa was in the house. Mom and Bill announced their engagement. Dad and Elaine fed us well.

It was a very good Christmas.

Thanksgiving in Savannah

Zoe and I flew to Savannah to spend Thanksgiving with my middle sister, Tammy. We left Turkey Morning, arrived before noon and got to enjoy some long-overdue quality time with Turtle, as Tammy is affectionately known in our family.

Tam, the perennial bachelorette, wowed us with her cooking skills and layed out a spread of food that would make the Colonel (as in KFC) proud. Yes, we had chicken for Thanksgiving ... but it was fine, even if it did make Zoe ask if we were breaking some sort of rule or something.

After lunch and a nap, we went to see The Blind Side (loved it!). Next day's itinerary: tour of downtown Savannah, walked around the old part of town, had lunch at a quaint and tasty deli, went to the beach, shopped and then made our way to a rendevous station with a giant tour bus that Tammy "guides" as one of her part-time gigs.

From there, we rode in first-class style up to Nashville, Tenn., stayed at the Opryland Hotel, saw "Ice" and The Rockettes, just for kicks, and ate a whole lot more along the way. A 6-hour driving trip back to Indy rounded out our version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles for this holiday extravaganza.

The last time I was in Savannah, Zoe was about 6 months old and it was July 4 weekend. The weather was so unbearable I told myself I would never, ever return. There's something about having your lungs sear the instant you step out of a car or building that detracts from the whole vacation experience.

This time around makes me want to go back and back again, with a really great camera in tow. The architecture is stunning. The history is a storyteller's dream. The people are warm and gracious. And the pace is low-key and calming.

Our next trip may very well be sooner than later. Fall 2010 is sounding pretty good to me right now. And Paula Deen's restaurant is on my list of places to visit. With reservations this time.

What I learned at Camp Tecumseh

I missed a very special work-related conference and pre-kicked off my 43rd birthday with a trip to Camp Tecumseh near Lafayette with a group of 60 (give or take) rowdy fifth graders.

What a trip! Literally.

The fifth graders learned or refreshed themselves on various leadership and citizenship skills. And I learned a few things, too. Among them:

1. Never let them see you sweat. As in the fifth graders. When you're supremely irritated by the screaming sounds of their youthful voices -- on a bus, in a cabin, at lunch or just in general -- don't let on. Because they sense it, and they get even screamier (yes that's a word) just to see your reaction.

2. Listen. A lot. Because when you do, you learn things. Simple and complex, fifth graders have much wisdom to impart if you take a minute to hear them out. Even when they ramble (as my own is highly capable of doing.) What you'll learn depends on the topic of course. But I found it eye opening to hear what they're thinking about these days ... and willing to share with just about anyone who lends them an ear.

3. Appreciate the moment. There were all kinds of tasks and challenges that the kids had to complete at camp, and when put to the test, I'd venture to guess that 90% of them rose to the occasion. Sure, they were distracted from time to time. And there were a few who just did not want to participate. But when left to their own devices, they began to appreciate the "now" of the moment they were in and worked as teams to accomplish something together. When it was over, they talked about it. And they appreciated each other and the place they were at, both of which made success possible.

Fifth grade teachers should receive triple pay for what they deal with on a daily basis. God bless each and every one of them for tackling pre-tween issues of every shape and variety. It was an awesome experience, even if I came home cold and exhausted. I got to watch my girl do things I would have never tried at her age, for fear of failure or embarrassment.

That was worth it all. The lessons learned were a bonus.