Saturday, December 21, 2013

secret santa squadron

This is our fourth Christmas in Virginia, and our third Christmas participating in the neighborhood Secret Santa.  We didn't participate last year because … I can't remember why.  But the kids were definitely ready to hit the streets this year.

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Watching them stealthily run from house to house, and hide in the shadows of trees, and then suppress squeals of delight when they could see the smiles on their recipients faces, is a memory that will surely help get me through some tough times in life. Tough times like those when all four children are relapsing with their third case of strep throat in a month, and tomorrow morning, all six of us - and the dog - will undergo strep testing to determine if one of us is a carrier.  (Yes, we still have Louie.) 

I just noticed in looking at this picture that this must be the photo that William tried to edit on the computer. Notice Henry's eyes. William very nervously had told me that Henry had red-eye, so he tried to fix it and he ruined the picture because there were now big black dots on his face.  I told him not to worry about it because it's just a picture and I can always revert back to the original. Like this:

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But I think it's important to post evidence of the very first digital photo my eldest son ever tried to modify. I suspect by the time he's 10, he'll be more computer savvy than me.

PS: Alex and Kathleen, can you see Elizabeth's necklace? She absolutely loves it and hasn't taken it off, yet.