Peculiar Mistletoe

Ham picks up the kids and they are already bouncing on their heels to go home. A testament to all the sugar they have had the last couple of days, no doubt. He wishes he had that kind of energy. Unfortunately, his back has been reminding him all day that he is too old to be sleeping on the floor instead of their custom California King bed. But man, was it worth it! He also promised the kids a surprise each day for the twelve days of Christmas and he was never one to renege on a promise. He no sooner has them buckled into the car before Trisha asks, "What's our surprise for today, Daddy?"

Harm knew when he made the plan that activities for the work week needed to be a little simpler than some of the more involved ones as he couldn't devote as much time for preparation as he could on the weekends. Thankfully he had been able to find a few ideas that were fairly easy to do. He slides into the driver's seat and answers, "We are going to make a fruit wreath today. You can make it as big or small as you want, but we have to at least take a picture for Mommy before we can eat it."

Trisha sighs, "Okay, but can we make them quick. I'm really hungry."

He tells her, "We only have to peel some clementine's to prepare, so it should go rather quickly."

They reach the house and the kids are scampering towards the front door, ready to make their latest creation. Harm grabs his briefcase out of the passenger seat chuckling, "You guys know that you can't get in until I put the key in the lock, so you will have to wait for me."

Matthew announces, "Faster, Daddy!"

Harm opens the door and tells them, "Please hang your coats up, set your bags on the table, and come sit down in the kitchen. I will get the fruit out and we will have a peeling party."

Trisha and Matthew quickly do what their father has asked. He sets two paper towels in front of each of the seats, and places the roll off to the side of the table. He grabs two bags of clementine's out of fridge and dumps them into a large bowl. He also pulls off a few stems of red grapes and places them in a smaller bowl. Grabbing a stack of green paper plates as well, he carries all the items over to the kids. "First we need to peel several of these and then I will show you how to arrange them."

Trisha looks at him, "Can I eat one now?"

Harm smiles. His daughter definitely has his wife's looks and brains, and her appetite! If it wasn't for her already evident aptitude in math and her smile, he would swear that he hadn't helped with the conception of this child at all. Laughing he replies, "Yes you can, but that just means you will have to peel extra! If you make a big wreath it will probably take three or four clementine's to make it."

Harm and Trisha spend the next half an hour peeling the sweet fruits and making a large pile with the rinds on the paper towels. Matthew tried, but he kept having trouble of sticking his little fingers in the middle of the fruit and announcing "sticky" so he just munched on the grapes and the slices that Trisha would hand to him.

After they finish peeling, Harm shows Trisha how to separate the slices and how to line them up to make a perfect circle. He lines the pieces of the orange side by side creating a ring almost as big as the plate. Once he is sure that that Trisha has the hang of it, he helps Matthew assemble one as well.

Trisha asks, "Can I make one for Mommy too since she isn't here to do it with us?"

Harm answers, "I think that would be lovely. I'll peel a few more just to make sure we have enough when I am done helping Matt."

Once they all have their rings perfectly assembled, Harm takes a stem of red grapes with three grapes on each stem and places them on the circle in the 1 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 7 o'clock, and 11 o'clock positions to resemble mistletoe. He pulls a package of thin red licorice strips out of his pocket and takes out a few pieces, and ties them into a pretty little red bow in the 6 o'clock position.

Matthew claps his hand when he sees, "Pretty!"

Mac has just entered the kitchen and inquires, "What's pretty?"

Harm flashes her his megawatt smile replying, "You."

Matthew slides off the chair and runs over to grab Mac's hand, pulling her towards the table. He points at the makeshift wreath, "Pretty, Mommy!"

Mac scoops her son up and rubs her nose against his, "They are very pretty. I'm sorry that I missed out on the fun."

Trisha said, "We made one for you also Mommy, but Daddy said we had to take pictures too."

Mac chuckles, "Of course we do. Don't I take pictures of all your art?"

Trisha nods in the affirmative, "But we can't hang these on the fridge, they would fall apart!"

Harm smiles, "That's okay, honey. As you have seen the last couple of day, sometimes art is meant to be eaten!" Walking up to his wife with a group of grapes he hangs them above her head, "I saved some mistletoe for you."

Mac quirks her brow in question and Harm whispers, "Play along…"

She leans in and whispers, "Okay, but it's going to cost you all of your remaining licorice."

Harm wraps his arms around her teasing, "Hmm. I don't know, you might whip me with it."

Mac curves the corners of her lips upwards, "You are right, I just might" before giving him a thorough kiss.