Santa Claus Came To Our House

Christmas morning came early. The little boys woke us up around 6:30 am. We awoke to a very White Christmas even though the sky was still dark. It had snowed on Christmas Eve and it continued all through Christmas day and the day after Christmas. There was so much snow! Santa was good to everyone and we were blessed to be able to get the kids some much needed gifts...warm clothes! We also got some fun family stuff and a Wii Fit.

The smile showed up on Brady's face when he received his cell phone back. It had been taken away for awhile. The gift came with a contract and an understanding about grades, etc...

But the real treat came after all the presents were opened. We told the kids we had one more present they needed to open. This is what they found inside:

A math problem: 27+15+20+89+17+101+60 = 4033.

Brady added the numbers in his head and said that the answer was not 4033. So Brad said that we would come back to the math problem later.

There were also five short poems in the box. Which were clues and they kids had to figure out the answers.

You'll find me thinly sandwiched

between the covers of a book,

covered with words and pictures

everywhere you look.

Answer: Page

Humphrey Dumphrey sat on a peak.

A glimpse of his kingdon was what he did seek.

And what which he treasured down deep in his soul,

was a beautiful banner attached to a pole.

Answer: Flagstaff

Along a little river

the Spanish name for green,

with tents and stoves and sleeping bags,

a setting so pristine.

Answer: Camp Verde

A bird of ancient legend

who never really dies.

A flaming restoration

and once again he flies.

Answer: Phoenix

Ship of the desert

covered by dirt.

Don't fall off the hump

or you're sure to get hurt.

Answer: Camelback Mountain

Flat as a table

down the middle is salt.

A bit more to the south

is a good place to halt.

Answer: Mesa then Gilbert

The kids did figure out all the clues. Actually, Braxley came up with three of them on his own - Camp Verde, Phoenix and Camelback Mountain - way smart! All of these clues were the places we would drive through as we drove to AZ for Christmas break. "But what about the math problem?" they asked. When you take the answer 4033 and turn the 4 and the 3's, you come up with

h o m e. The kids shouted for joy and Brady cried. This meant a lot to him. He was so happy.