Easley’s Fun Shop, an iconic family owned costume store here in Phoenix, is closing it’s doors after a good long run of 72 years.  Cody and Carter are very aware of this and have been for some time.  (Both boys have gravitated toward Theater as their Encore classes at middle school – Encore classes being a fancy name for electives – and their Theater teacher shops at Easley’s.)

Late November found the boys and I at Easley’s.  We wanted one last peek around the old place.  The boys picked out a massive birthday card for their Farmor (Swedish for Grandmother) and we headed up to the register to pay.  On our way there we were accosted by a small fluffy dog, who wanted us, needed us, to pet her.  This dog happened to be with one of the owners of the store.  The boys, never ones to miss out on telling a complete stranger all about our lives, proceeded to carry on a lengthy discussion with this poor woman and her dog.

Behind the counter Carter spied a large inflatable pool raft in the shape of a cockroach.  He exclaimed in his loud boy voice just how much his mom hates roaches and what a great thing it would be to have such a pool raft in our pool.

Well, the owner with the fluffy dog agreed.  She took down one, new in it’s packaging, and handed it over to Carter.  Free of charge.  But it didn’t end there.  Next to her there was a rack of Santa hats.  She picked out a large one and explained her vision of an inflatable cockroach, wearing a Santa hat propped up in our front yard as the focal point of our Christmas decor.

Christmas Cockroach Collage.

And so it was.

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

And would have continued to be if the boys had not had the wild notion of bring Christmas Cockroach to bounce with them and a gaggle of neighborhood kids on our trampoline.

Christmas Cockroach is deflated at the moment and I am not sure he will make a full recovery.  It would take a Christmas miracle, one I am honestly not wishing for.

I do, however, wish you all a wonderful holiday in whatever form you celebrate.  Be on the lookout for those small moments, that make our lives magical.