"Fosh-dee da Fo..man was a jolly and happy...show!" Tim sat in his car seat, bellowing the words of his favorite Christmas song, with an enthusiastic confidence as he kicked his booted-feet in the air to his own beat.
"Dad! Tell Tim it's Frosty the Snowman!"
Jenny turned in the front seat to make eye contact with Tony in the back. "Tony, honey. Tim is doing a pretty good job for such a small boy."
"But, it's 'spose to be a jolly and happy shawl!"
Jenny snickered.
"Tim." Gibbs was driving, catching Tim's reflection in the rear view mirror.
"Yus, Dad?"
"It's Frosty the Snowman."
"I know. Can't you hear me dad? Fosh-dee da Foman!"
"Dad!" Tony craned his neck so he could observe his father's expression.
Gibbs turned to Jenny beside him,"I distinctly heard Frosty."
"Yeah, I did too." Jenny's serious appearance, cracked after a moment of futile restraint.
"You're both not very funny to me right now. In fact, you're all radder 'noying." Tony threw his head back to bounce off his seat.
Gibbs snuck a smirk to Jenny. She tightly smiled, placing a hand on her mouth to hold in her giggle. Tim continued his song, his voice quieting as he began to focus on the places they passed. His thumb entered his mouth, his head lulling to one side as he leaned against the side of his car seat.
"Looks like our entertainment is falling asleep. I'm really looking forward to sliding with the boys, I haven't gone for ages."
Gibbs adjusted the dial for the heater. "It's probably too warm in here. I'm feeling sleepy myself."
"Mom, is Santa really coming tomorrow?"
"Oh, Tony, I guarantee it."
"What's that? Guarantee?" Asked Tony.
Gibbs piped in, "Let's just say, Tony, that in all the years I've walked the earth, I've never known a year that he failed to come." Tony smiled, sitting back in his seat, assured and more able to relax.
Gibbs pulled into a vacant parking lot, "Okay. Here we are."
Tony began to unbuckle his belt before Gibbs was fully parked as he let out an earsplitting screech causing Tim to open his groggy eyes. Tim peered out his window, looking at the pristine snow-covered hill. "We're sliding dare, mommy?" Tim pointed with his mitten-covered hand.
"Yes, Tim."
Gibbs had made sure they each woke up early to get a good start before the hill was covered with kids celebrating Christmas vacation from school.
"I have to admit, Jethro, as much as I hated getting out of that warm bed this morning I am glad we have the hill to ourselves. I've always been so worried about being plowed over by another sledder."
"I bet you're just so amazed that you married such an intelligent, efficient man, full of common sense and surprises."
Jenny comically glared at Gibbs. "Well, I wouldn't push it."
Gibbs leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek before she wrapped a woolly, purple scarf over her face, covering her glowing smile.
They fell into routine, Jenny retrieving Tim from his car seat and Gibbs helping Tony with the passenger door and holding his hand once he exited the car. Tony and Gibbs went to the back of the car to get the snow tubes from the trunk. They all trudged to the end of the parking lot, reaching the bottom of the bank with Jenny holding Tim.
"Dad? Do you think we'll make a hunderd miles perd hour when we go down that hill?"
"Oh, at least. And I bet if you flap your arms you can go even faster." Jenny swatted Gibbs in the arm. "Honey, don't listen to him. Jethro, do you want him to look foolish?"
Gibbs shrugged at her. "I would have let him in on it after the first ride. Besides...we have the whole place to ourselves."
"Hey, but maybe he's right and it will help, mom." Tony was hopeful as he began to run, his bulky boots and the depth of the snow slowing him. Gibbs admired his determination and energy. Jenny shot her husband a stern; delicate look.
The only sound was the noise of their boots digging into the snow. Jenny stopped to inhale deeply, unzipping the top of her jacket to allow in some cool air. "I forgot what a good workout it is trudging through deep snow."
Gibbs laughed, "Well, it is when you're carrying a big boy like Timmy!" Gibbs grabbed Tim from Jenny's arms, giving him a kiss on his red cheek. "Do you want a ride up the hill, Tim?"
Tim nodded as he sucked on his bright-red lips. "Wide up and wide down!" His mitten-covered hand moved up and down to clarify his meaning, excitedly.
He climbed onto the snow tube, Gibbs holding a rope that was attached to the handle."Tim. You have the best of both worlds. Enjoy it while you can." Observed Jenny.
"Want to sit wid me, mom?" Tim patted the side of the tube he sat in.
"Oh, sweetheart, I'd love to but mom has a big bottom."
Gibbs stepped closer to Jenny, pressing his lips to her ear, "Mom has a perfect bottom," then kissed the top of her neck sending shivers over her chilled body.
She squealed then hugged him tight. "You always know just what to say."
Tony yelled for them, as he waved, standing half way up the hill.
"Hey, we're slacking. Time to pick up the speed." Motioned Gibbs.
They both clomped through the icy snow to catch up with Tony, their breathing, working overtime. The air was still and the sky was a luminescent, misty gray that made the day appear calm and dreamlike. The snow muffled any noises creating a therapeutic atmosphere that was inviting. A light snow started and Tim caught the flakes on his tongue.
They had almost reached the top when Tony jumped on his tube to start his ride.
He was already picking up speed when Gibbs noticed he had started his way down the hill. He yelled as he passed them, "See ya guys, I'm outta here!"
"Tony, wait-"
He flew past Gibbs, Jenny and Tim flapping his arms.
"Tony! Hold on to the handles of the tube!"Jenny directed her attention to Gibbs. "Look what you created, Jethro!"
Gibbs had to laugh as he waved her off. "Ahh, he's good. The tubes are pretty safe." They watched him until his ride ended at the bottom.
When they reached the top Jenny nudged, Gibbs. "You go down, I'll bring Tim down with me."
"Okay... if you insist!" Gibbs had already started running, jumping flat on his stomach onto the tube as he picked up speed. "Geronimo!" He heard Tim giggle before he cleared the top.
He met Tony at the bottom. "Did you see me Dad? I was faster than you!"
"How did the flapping work for you?"
"I started to feel kinda dumb doing it. I think it only works for the birds."
Gibbs rubbed the top of Tony's winter hat, chuckling. They both looked up to see that Tim and Jenny were still on the summit.
"What's taking them so long, dad? Do you think they're scared?"
"I dunno; maybe. Let's go see."
Tony and his father raced their way up, catching quick glances of Tim and Jenny to see if they had started their ride yet. Gibbs took off his hat as he began to sweat. They made it about halfway up when Jenny and Tim came barreling towards them.
They flew past their astounded faces, shouting in excitement, snow whirring from the sides of the tube causing a spray. Gibbs became concerned when they picked up speed instead of slowing, heading straight for an old, icy snowbank; they seemed to make no effort to abort the ride. Their tube began to spin them backwards as they still laughed showing no fear. Tony followed his father as he began to run towards them.
"Jenny, bail!"
"Bail out you guys!"
At the last second Jenny still holding Tim leaned to the side and rolled until their bodies came to a complete stop. They lay there, still, both on their backs.
"Jenny! Tim!"
Tony heard the concern in his father's voice as he kept up with him. "Dad? Are they okay?"
As they approached, they could hear laughter as the two, spread their arms and legs through the snow.
"Mommy and me are making fo angels, daddy!" Gibbs playfully dropped to his knees beside Jenny then grabbed her, rolling her over so she was on top of him as he hugged her. "You scared us for a second. I thought you guys were hurt; you really flew past us!"
"Jethro, honey, I am a very skilled, experienced sledder, I know what I'm doing. The whole fun of it is the suspense."
"Have I told you how much I enjoy learning more about you the more I'm with you?"
"Well, Jethro. Let's just say there is more from where that came from." Jenny winked then jumped up grabbing her tube. "Come on boys, before it gets crowded!"
The time flew as they rode their tubes down the hill for the next two hours, ending it with a small snowball fight.
"We better head out, Jethro if we want to have the house ready for the party tonight. I still need to bake a special batch of cookies with Tim and Tony."
"It seems that you have been baking cookies all week."
"Well, I realized I forgot to bake chocolate chip."
"What makes chocolate chip so special?"
"Because I'm baking them with the boys."
"Yes, that will make them very special, and I hope you have a very BIG apron."
They loaded the car and headed home. Depositing their wet clothes at the door Tim and Tony stayed in their long underwear, helping Jenny bake while Gibbs brought the Christmas tree in from the garage for them to decorate when they were done. Gibbs dragged the tree through the door, leaving behind a trail of pine needles.
"Dat tree smells good daddy." Tim was licking a spoon standing on a chair next to Jenny.
"Yeah. Almost as good as our cookies." Tony yelled, standing on a chair on her other side, hunched over a big bowl as he diligently mixed the ingredients.
"Okay, now comes the worse part, the lights; whenever I unpack them, they always seem to be tangled. It doesn't matter how careful I am storing them the year before."
Jenny greased a pan, flour streaked across a side of her face as she brought her attention to Gibbs. "Now, don't you worry, honey. Let me pack them away this year. I have a one-hundred percent proven trick that will keep your lights tangle-free even after those little, evil light-tangling elves sneak into our attic over the summer."
Gibbs smiled, looking at his family, their faces covered in flour and chocolate smears. "See? You continue to amaze me."
Jenny finished baking the cookies, arranging them on the counter to cool just as Gibbs finished weaving the strings of lights through the branches of the tree. He plugged in the chord then stood back to admire it.
"Wow, dad, that looks beautiful!"
"Thanks, Tony. Now it's time to decorate it, boys. Come on!"
Jenny was leaning over a small cardboard box rummaging through the decorations that they had combined when they were married. "Wow, Jethro, we really don't have a lot of decorations."
"Don't worry, they'll grow as our family does. And they'll belong to all of us."
"Ooooh. What a lovely thought, Jethro." She reached up and rubbed his arm.
"Can I put this one on mom?" Tim held up a shiny red, glass Christmas ball with glitter glued on it formed into words.
"Yes, Tim. That is a very special one, my brother gave it to me; he made it when he was in sixth grade."
"What's it say?" Asked Tim.
"To a beautiful sister...that's all he could fit."
"I don't know your brother, mom." Tony was kneeling beside her rummaging through the box. Jenny and Gibbs exchanged a look.
Jenny wiped her eyes. "That's because he got very sick when he was young."
"He'd go to heaven?"
Jenny nodded towards Tim as she ran her hand through his hair. "Den he's wid my mama."
"Yes, he is Tim." Gibbs reached down and squeezed Jenny's shoulder, as Jenny grabbed it, squeezing it back.
"What was he like?" Asked Tony.
"Well...he loved baseball-"
"Hey, I do,too!" Yelled Tony.
"And he was the fastest runner in our whole school-"
"Did he winned a wace?"
"Yes, Tim. He also, loved apples so much that he ate them every day. We used to have a dog named Spike and they were the best of friends. He would feed Spike apples and they would go fishing on the weekends at a little creek down our road."
"Was he oder dan you?" Asked Tim.
"Yes, he was my big brother like Tony is to you."
"Den I bet you weally miss him."
Jenny pressed her lips together and nodded quickly.
"It's okay." Tim took a step closer and wrapped his arms around her neck. Gibbs sniffled as he rubbed Tim's back.
They finished decorating the tree then stood back to appreciate their work.
"Time for baths!" Gibbs clapped. We got a full house coming in about two hours and we still have to get the kitchen prepared and the bonfire started."
"I'll start the fire dad!" Tony jumped raising his hands up and down.
"Huh, no you won't. And... look at me Tony. It's not negotiable, got it?"
"Aaaaahh, all right." Tony slumped as he headed towards the bathroom following Jenny and Tim. Gibbs stepped back to admire the tree one more time then disappeared into the kitchen.