Today

This is what playing in the leaves in the backyard, after church, in December, in Texas looks like 

In Austin, Texas……

We get to enjoy these beautiful autumn colors extra extra long. 

Play outside year round.

Fall and winter clothes are completely acceptable because its just cold enough to need them but just warm enough to not be Eskimo-level bundled.

Instead of bundling up to go play in the snow in December, we plop into our rainboots and raincoats and go puddle-jump in the warm, pouring rain.

Last year Atlas was in love with the movie White Christmas. This year we introduced him to Holiday Inn. He calls it the other White Christmas. And if you’re wondering if he loves it as well, I’ll just tell you that he is currently working on a special dance number inspired by Fred Astair in Holiday Inn, if all goes well and nobody gets hurt, there should soon be a video here of the performance….

I’ve sworn to raise a well rounded boy. You know, the kind that would never be narrow-minded enough to say “I only listen to _______ kind of music” and would certainly never utter a phrase such as “Musicals are boring” (GASP). So far so good. BUT, that doesn’t mean I don’t allow him to be the little boy he is. FOR EXAMPLE….

Tonight at Sleepy Music Time, he was laying in bed, snuggled up under his covers, and I was sitting on his bed playing the guitar, as usual. Now, I swoon and die every time he softly sings along with me, and tonight, while singing Silent Night.  it would have been a lovely time to chime in. Very peaceful, very classic and touching. But what was he doing? He was shooting me with a gun he fashioned out of his hands. And people, this was not your average finger-and-thumb gun, it was some strange twisted-fingers-double-hands-arm-trigger gun. And there were sound effects. But I just kept on singin. Boys will be boys. And I love all that he is. Fred Astair dancing and Momma-shootin boy and all. 
            OUTTAKES

Lets end this post with a creepy-smiled-I’m-watching-you picture of me. I post it because Atlas took it, like, a real actual portrait style and framed picture! What?! I need to get this kid his own camera.