810-Lancaster Farming, Saturday December 28, 2002
Kids
Christmas Coming Of Baby Betsy
GAY BROWNLEE
Virginia Correspondent
Much to the surprise of every
one, baby Elizabeth Betsy, for
short was born at great-grand
ma’s big farmhouse long before
daylight broke on Christmas
morning.
When their new sister arrived
three weeks early, Billy and
Becky the 10-year old twins, were
sound asleep in their guest room
beds.
That's because the evening be
fore. the twins had worked hard
helping their parents and grand
parents trim the fresh evergreen
tree for great-grandma. They had
strung lights, hung ornaments,
wove garlands, and dropped tin
sel for a festive family gathering
that would be held on Christmas
afternoon. Their cousins, aunts
and uncles were coming.
Then they had nibbled pop
corn and sipped rich homemade
cocoa. They had fallen into bed
with excited exhaustion.
But, suddenly, instead of sugar
plums dancing in her head,
Becky came wide awake. She had
a very strong sense that some
thing unusual was going on. She
couldn’t imagine what it might
be.
In her flannel nightie, she slid
out of bed and padded to the
window. Morning light was just
beginning to streak the sky and
during the night, more snow had
fallen
Christmas Day, at last! An ur
gent rap on the door was from
Billy. ‘Cmon Beck, race you to
the Christmas tree,” he said in a
hushed whisper.
Instantly they were in flight to
ward the living room wishing
they could have slid down the
banister. But that would have de
stroyed its wrapping of greenery,
bows, and berries.
Soon they were under the tree
shifting presents left and right to
find the ones with their own
name on the label. Then Billy
thought he heard quiet voices in
the kitchen.
“Hey, Beck. listen. I hear
something.”
Sneaking through the dining
room they pressed their ears to
the dividing door.
“Well, Grandpa,” they heard
their grandma saying, “How do
you feel now, any older? Are you
surprised, you old dear?”
“Ho, ho, ho,” laughed their
grandpa. “It makes me feel youn
ger, my lovely wife.”
Billy and Becky screwed up
their faces and giggled. Why did
old folks talk so goofy?
“Oh, children, there you are,”
Grow A Crystal Snowflake Overnight
1. Using a pipe cleaner cut
into thirds, twist the three
pieces together in the middle to
form a snowflake shape. Tie a
string onto one point of the
snowflake.
2. In a wide-mouthed jar or
bowl, dissolve borax in boiling
water at the ratio of three table
spoons of borax to one cup of
water. (You can also add a
drop of blue food color if you
wish.)
said Daddy, coming up from be
hind.
Startled, they faced him, guilti-
“There’s a surprise in mother’s
room that we want you to see,”
he said, kissing them each on top
of the head.
“But, Pop, it’s Christmas, and
you said we could open...”
“No buts, Billy. Come with me.
You, too, Becky.”
‘Daddy, can’t you just tell us
what it is? Can’t it wait until
after presents...where’s Mother,
anyway... Daddy, do you think 1
got the Barbie I wanted?” Becky
said, her words almost tumbling
over each other.
They had just reached the
stairs when a clatter of horses,
dogs and jingle bells erupted out
side. They pulled back the cur
tains and looked through the
window.
A fellow dressed in red and
white was in charge of a team of
horses that was pulling a sleigh.
He held the reins fast while a tall
passenger in a dark overcoat and
leather gloves sprang to the
ground from his seat. In the
man’s hand was a black bag.
“Daddy, who is that man and
what’s he doing here?” the twins
asked as the fellow waded snow
to the front door.
“If those were reindeer instead
of horses, I would definitely say
the driver is Santa Claus,” their
grandpa chuckled, on his way to
greet the man and let him in.
“Santa Claus? Really?”
“No, but there is a special rea
son why we were hoping the doc
tor could pay us a visit, provided
he could And transportation over
these snow drifts.”
“Doctor? Why is he here?”
3. Tie the end of the string on
the snowflake to a pencil. Sus
pend the snowflake into the
container with the dissolved
borax mixture, allowing the
pencil to stretch across the
opening. (Make sure there is
enough liquid to cover the
Kornei
Billy wanted to know. “Dont tell
me great-granny is sick? What
about the pumpkin pies she al
ways makes for us?”
“Is he one of our relatives
Daddy?” Becky asked, with curi
osity.
Just then a man’s voice rang
out: “Surprise, everyone... Merry
Christmas...l’m here at last.” The
door was shut and he was stomp
ing snow off his boots and setting
them on the mat to drip dry. The
twins stared while the man’s
overcoat was hung on the hall
tree.
Just then, great grandmother,
herself, appeared, demanding to
know what all the racket was
about. When she recognized the
doctor, she said, sternly: “Oh, it’s
you, is it? Well, its about time...”
Daddy said: “Doctor, I am on
my way upstairs with Billy and
Becky. They haven’t seen the sur
prise yet. They don’t know what
it is.”
Suddenly, everybody stopped
talking because from somewhere
above them the cry of a newborn
baby was heard. The twins eyes
grew round with astonishment as
they looked at their father for an
explanation.
“Children, you have a new
baby sister. Her name is Eliza
beth Betsy, for short.”
‘Oh, Daddy,” cried Becky,
with eyes that were misting over
with happiness. “A baby sister?”
“Wow, that’s really cool,” Billy
said, grinning from ear to ear.
Sweet Betsy had a tiny beauti
ful nose. The wee figure wrapped
tightly in a pink and white flan
nel blanket looked so precious
and peaceful.
“We love you Mother. This is
the best Christmas, ever.”
snowflake.) Leave the container
with the snowflake suspended
sitting out overnight.
When you wake up in the
morning you will be surprised!
These snowflakes can be dis
played in your window for a
sparkly winter decoration.
, WINTER SPORTS
gft ,
~ - Whether vou have snow on the ground
"'Si or just wish you did. these sites will
W- * give you <ill the scoop on wintei tun
On-line sports center. The myte.im com site is the on-line
souice foi .ill .un.iteui sports—wintei und summer The site
includes .1 news section, tips on playing all kinds ot sports
and the history ol more than 100 spoils
R http://www.mjleain.com/jsnim/home/index.jsp K
Snowboarding. The highlight ol this site is y T
the spectacul.tr photos ol snow boardeis In ' f>/'\
addition, vou can lead information on the ’>
lnstoiy ol the sport
hllp://w ww.geocities.com/Holljwood/Bungalow/2764/
Icc Skating International. If you ice-skate 01
enjoy w.iiclnng it this site’s for you It has a big
photo gallery, tankings in competitions and
<t schedule ot events
http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/
*
*
Winter sports and more. This site
includes information on everything
from snowboarding to keeping warm when you go winter
* camping to buying sports geai
http://www.advenluresports.com/index/skidir.htm
Salt Lake City 2002. Visa the Mte of the oigam/ing committee
fot the wmtei intcm.iiion.il games Read all about the mascots —a
rabhit, coyote and bear Then check out the puzzles and oilier tun
stuff in the KIDS section
http://Muw.slc2oo2.org/
->*j* California snow report. II sou enjoy snouboaiding. skiing or
both you'll enjoy this site, which includes information lor all
ages The site has great photos and details on wheie you can
enjoy wimei spoils in California and how tun •
wmtei spoils can be foi the whole family
.. http://uwu.californiasnow.com/
Ski tips. This Watendie Valley resent ’
site has a question and answer section , \\
to help with youi skiing *■ '* ‘v-*s*
•a. http://www.watersille.com/winter/tip.slibrary.html
505 Montana winters. In addition to promoting Montana and its
winter tun the site includes lacts on a wide vanety ol winter
spoils Just some of the spoils you cun find out about include
ice fishing, ice climbing, ski joi mg and snowshoemg And there
< V* are safety tips, too
http://www.wintermt.com/winter.htni
U.S. luge team. Meet the members of the U S Luge Team and
check out the photos ol the latest luge season The site also
includes information on the complex wheie the team Hams.
http://www.usaluge.org/
Canadian Ski Museum. Take a \ irtual tour of the museum,
O which includes a Canadian skiers Hall of Fame, photos of skiing
then and now. and mine
http://skimuseum.oUaw a.com/
Aspen activities. Check out the snow conditions in Aspen,
Colorado, or gel the local view on winter spoils Best of all,
' with the Mountain Cams, you can see the mounlam/snow
conditions The pictures aie updated eveiy 10 minutes, and
the cameras operate fiom 7 a m to 4 p m Mountain Time
http://wuw.skiaspen.com
IP
Canadian figure skating. Read about the athletes involved in
Sjj£- skating, find out who’s in the Hall ot Fame and get a schedule
of upcoming events
O http://wuw.cfsa.ca/
‘ fPHMk Dog sledding. History, trivia and much more
z -iSSf are a ** P‘* rt ls sltl! ‘‘bout the famous Iditarod
raCC m The Student’s Playground
secllon has inhumation on the mushers, the
v® ! ■ 'P? P L ’°P' e P dr| of the race games and more
y'"' y http.7/uuu.idilarod.com/
Please note This list only applies to the sites listed not to any sites
that may be linked Web sites change constantly At the time this
article was written these Web addresses worked Some of the
sites may call (or software you do not have You can still look at
much of the information on the site but you may need the software
for movies If you do need software be sure to have your parent(s)
read any software agreements before you download it