Lists

Every Saturday morning (or after soccer games) we do Saturday jobs. I make job lists for everyone with little boxes to check off completed jobs. The lists are pretty much the same every week: bedroom, bathroom, play room, laundry, dishes, yard work, messes down stairs... Sometimes there is an extra job like washing walls or cleaning out cars or washing window, depending on what needs done. After 5 years of doing this, one would think the boys would not need lists. They will not do a job unless it is on the list. I take the liberty of adding to lists if I need to. Last night, as I was preparing this mornings lists, I had a memory. The real reason for this post!

A couple of years ago in December, I was grocery shopping with Cannon. He was 3 years old. Santa and Mrs. Claus were in the store talking to the children and giving them candy canes. We stopped to visit. Santa asked Cannon what he had on his list. Cannon looked him in the face and replied, "jobs". I about fell over laughing. Santa had a very confused look on his face. I do not think he had ever had a 3 year old tell him he had jobs on his list. I explained about our Saturday job lists and then Santa understood and restated his question.

We had not talked about lists of wants for Santa nor had the boys written letters with lists to Santa so, when asked about a list, the only thing in Cannon's experience with a list was Saturday jobs.