Snow and Lights

We were blessed with both this week. A light dusting of the white powder fell on our driveway and a smattering is still left on the lawn. We've got perfectly strung colored Christmas lights adorning our eaves. I prefer the opposite juxtaposition of color, as anyone who knows me will tell you. I like fresh green grass, brilliant blue skies and the shining hot yellow sun. I like my house lights white. I am old-fashioned? Do I lack creativity? I don't know. I just always thought white lights on the home were classic and beautiful. I never went for colored lights. This year marked a difference because Lily is vocal and has an opinion on almost every topic. As we were speed-shopping through Target before Finn had his obligatory meltdown caused by cart confinement, we slowed to toss in the two gigantic light reels that would perfectly string around the house. As Mark and I were discussing warm versus cool white, Lily chimed in that she loved the beautiful colors. I told her that they were nice, but we were getting white. The look on her face was not one of disappointment but of defiance and incredulity. She had literally not one moment where that even registered as a possibility.

"No, mom. Christmas lights have to be beautiful colors." she stated.

Mark's mom was with us and she said she wasn't going to say anything but since Lily had mentioned it, she liked colored lights best as well. As the turquoise light-up leopard print backpack fiasco of 2012 should have taught me, when you get Grandma and Granddarling Lily Kidwell voting on the same side, there is no countermeasure that is strong enough to sway the decision.

Mark painstakingly put up those beautiful lights with minimal assistance from me. He brought us all out and we lit them up just for the inaugural first evening. I instantly had tears spring to my eyes. They looked perfect. The twinkle and the glow was so festive and cheerful. Lily looked up at me and said, "I picked the perfect lights didn't I, Mama?"

So my preference has changed toward a more colorful glow around our happy home.

I got my mind changed as well toward a more colorful and kitschy Christmas card by my husband. My initial choice was just our professional photos on a nice slate gray stationery. Mark gave that the old thumbs down and convinced me that the classic red/green motif with pictures both professional and amateur mixed together was a much better choice and more suitable to our ramshackle little clan.

Maybe they all have it right. Those Kidwells are something else.

The mess of nonsense below should give you a preview of said Christmas card.



<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8GatG7dy3YYA&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=118"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/8GatG7dy38/8GatG7dy39zQ/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1352735353000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none;  box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Photo Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>