'Tis the Season

With less than three weeks between the day we returned home from our Thanksgiving trip and our departure date for our Christmas trip, we were, to say the least, BUSY fitting in all of the Christmas fun and magic that is both joy and requisite for a family with young children.  Of course, peppered in amongst all the events was plenty of Christmas song singing (Sam knows the words to lots of songs now!), Christmas Movie watching (Charlie Brown Christmas and Cat in the Hat Grinch were big hits this year), Christmas light viewing, decorating and shopping.  We read Christmas stories, completed nativities and ate far too many treats.  Annabelle learned the words for “cookie” and “candy” (nini).  Here's a peak into some of this year's Christmas celebrations:

First up was the annual Women's Christmas Dinner at church.  This year I co-hosted some tables with a few friends.  This was "mine" - doesn't it look beautiful!  Wish I could take credit, but someone else did the centerpiece.  I merely provided the dishes and napkins.  Kelly was at my table - so glad they joined our church since we moved neighborhoods and don't get to see them everyday anymore.

We attended the Sewing Seeds Christmas Party at church as a family.  Crafts, cookie decorating, games and a live nativity.  A bit too cold for the petting zoo and bounce houses outside - it was an unusually cold December in Houston, almost like real winter!

 

  

The church that houses Sam's school (Second Baptist - West) sets up an amazing Christmas display between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The kids - especially Annabelle - are really going to miss watching the trains travel through their winter wonderlands in January.  I will not miss convincing them not to climb on the sleigh every day!  That's Reagan, Sam's first bestie from school this year.

We also attended "Kids Crazy Christmas Show" at Second Baptist.  I tell you, its accurately named.  A loud, colorful, busy, fun puppet-based Christmas program aimed at Children.  But I assure you, there are some nods in their for the grown ups.  Without question, my favorite part was the cover of Bohemian Rhapsody retelling the entire Christmas story - Mary's convo with the angel through the young family's departure to Egypt.  I would love to have a copy of it.  Anywho, we got great seats because Reagan's dad (Family Pastor at Second Baptist!) snuck us in. 

I didn't get to go to a fancy party for Chris's work party this year, so it was exceptionally fortunate that MY work had one.  All three of us in the company, and our dates had a lovely dinner together.  Don't we dress up well?

There was Christmas in my kitchen, too.  I’m not entirely sure what the most accurate description for my approach to Christmas cookies would be – Hobby?  Tradition?  Obsession?  Probably a bit of all three.  I added two new kinds this year and was exceptionally pleased with the results.  With cookies complete, I decided on another use for my cookie cutters, thanks to Pinterest.  Stocking, tree and gingerbread shaped pizza anyone?

And of course, sometimes I’m just too busy having fun to take pictures.  This would be the case for Kelly’s annual cookie decorating party, a nice night out just for the mama’s.  We all met in playgroup when our oldest kids were babies only a few months old.  We’re spread out now, but its fun to catch up over bowls of frosting and sprinkles.  Nor are there pictures of the family-friendly Christmas party at some friends’ house – more bouncing, more cookies, more celebrating.  Nor our Community Group Christmas party, complete with Erica’s delicious dinner and an amazing cookie spread provided by everyone else.  Thanks to a White Elephant gift exchange, we also came home heavy one colored glass “Celebrate” plate and one singing picture frame!

Sam learned this year that the last week of school before Christmas break is to be thoroughly enjoyed with little to no work realistically expected.  Wednesday was the Christmas Program, joyfully put on by the 3 and 4 year old classes.  Sam has been practicing his songs since October and really knew them quite well.  I enjoyed listening to them at home and on stage.  Unfortunately he had a horrible cough, aggravated by his attempts to sing loudly, so he spent much of the program with his arm up to cover a cough.  Still the cutest little shepherd up there, in my completely unbiased opinion.  There was much waving and smiling at us between songs.

Thursday was PJ day at school – how else are you supposed to watch The Polar Express (experience complete with popcorn, hot chocolate and a sleigh bell on their shoes when they returned to class)!  As soon as the movie was over, it was party time!  Maria and I planned and executed a fun and festive affair, if I do say so myself.  There was musical chairs, a book exchange, pizza, a craft and decorating Christmas Tree Cones for desert.

 

Post party we headed home to finish the laundry and packing…

Thanksgiving 2013

It was Thanksgiving in Ohio this year, and for the first time in forever, everyone was going to be there!  The Stegmillers arrived on Saturday, so by Tuesday morning I wasn’t surprised to read a text from my sister that said, “Molly needs some kids to play with…she’s bored of grown-ups!  Hurry up!”  I relayed the message to Sam, to which he replied, “I’ll pray for Molly.”

Due to the outrageous ticket prices at Thanksgiving, Annabelle did not have her own seat on the plane.  Fortunately – and oddly – there were about 6 empty seats on the plane!  We took over to 2-seater rows all to ourselves.  Thank heavens we did – 21 months is a bit old to be a lap child.  And the way-past-bedtime arrival time failed to produce restful children.  Instead, toddler learned to latch/unlatch her seatbelt and lock/unlock her tray table, while preschooler decided he wasn’t much interested in the iPad that night.  Doh!  But we made it, and were all frozen just walking through the jetway.  Good thing mama packed the jackets on top of the suitcases!

As the frigid temperatures were showing no signs of rising, there was still snow on the ground on Wednesday morning.  Sam had not forgotten about his fun in the snow at Christmas last year, so he was eager to go “sleighing” and shoveling.  He was willing and excited to get bundled up.  Never wanting to be left out of something that Sam is excited about, Annabelle let us bundle her with confused anticipation.  I’m glad she did – she had fun out there!  Of course she lasted less than half the time that Sam did, but I was impressed that she stepped outside the garage at all.  And hats off to Papa for taking them – Mommy and Daddy had so much fun watching them through the window!

What do you think of their outfits?  Stylish and on-trend, no?  Considering the grand total I spent on what you see on them, I say they look great.  They are both in hand-me-down jackets, Chris’s snow pants from childhood, Sam’s hat, gloves and boots were gifts.  I only purchased Annabelle’s tennis shoes and hat, but even that is handed down from Sam.  Fortunately Molly’s snow outfit was pieced together as well.

Thursday Morning – The Flying Feather Four Miler.  Picture me wearing 3 pairs of pants (running capris, black stretchy pants and lined wind pants), 3 tops (running tank, running long sleeve and hooded fleece), a hat, my hood and a pair of gloves.  The start was at least a half mile from the parking lot, so we waited in the cars as long as we could – we weren’t the only ones.  We were chilly waiting for the start, but a bit of bouncing and a bit of excitement helped.  And then we were off!  By the end of the first mile I wasn’t even cold anymore!  I wasn’t exactly removing a single one of my layers, but I wasn’t cold!  My dad and I ran together and finished in a time that we were pleased with.  As we waited for the others (Chris was a bit behind us, followed by the group that opted for run/walking), things started to change.  Turns out maybe we did sweat a bit, and we were getting very cold very quickly.  By the time we turned for the cars my hands hurt.  By the time we got to the car they hurt badly.  If I’m honest, I think they weren’t all the way back to normal for several hours after returning home.  But I’m glad we went – a fun thing to do on the morning of the feast.  Can you believe THOSE words came from me – running and fun?!  HA!  And we are all very thankful for Gommy’s willingness to stay home with the shorties so that they didn’t have to turn into popsicles!

Don’t the girls look adorable in their matching outfits?  Kristen ordered the shirts off Etsy and I think both will fit again next year.  I made the tutus (Annabelle’s still fit from last year!) and we both happened to pack brown leggings!  At one point Molly had taken her tutu off.  I asked her where it was and she said, “I took it off because it was hurting me…But thank you for making it for me!”

In the kitchen it was “cooking by committee.”  I set my alarm to get my primary dish done before the race – I am always assigned to mashed potatoes.  I did the mac ‘n cheese for the kids and spinach salad just before meal time.  Kate was on sweet potatoes and brie, Kristen on corn crap casserole (that’s what they call it!) and grocery.  Gommy headed up the turkey, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, cranberries and roles.  And the pies, but I mean she had tons of help with those, and none of the helpers tried to steal the cinnamon sugar mixture for the apples OR ended up with bowls of it for their desert afterwards.  None of them.

We all ate too much, and my grandparents were even able to join us for the big meal!  Well, maybe the kids didn’t eat too much, but we didn’t mind much since they were at their own table.  That’s right, our first official kids table!

We had a grand plan to attempt the zoo lights on Friday night.  Our experience with horrific crowds and a temperamental two-year-old two years ago inspired us to get our tickets ahead of time.  But we wanted to use my membership to the Houston zoo to get a 50% discount (it saved $50 for all those tickets!), so we had to go to the zoo to get them.  Since the zoo is 4 minutes from the house, we did just that.  And then we walked in to see the gorillas, because they would be asleep by the time we got back.  It was weird and deserted and felt like a creepy amusement park from Criminal Minds, but we had fun.  Sam wished that he had worn socks and gloves for our “quick car trip to get tickets,” but Mommy shared hers.

We all bundled to the hilt AGAIN to face the crowds that were apparently scared away by the cold.  We had a fantastic time that night!  We met Santa, decorated cookies, watched the musical light display around the lake.  We visited the manatees and the fish aquarium, and yes my daughter cried when we made her leave the fishies.  That girl and her animals – pointing and ahhing at every one she saw.  We ate a civilized dinner, the kids and grandparents rode the carousel.  After walking through some Small World-type Christmas displays and seeing the biggest bats I’d ever seen, we found the tiger and her cubs we’d visited over the summer.  My how those babies had grown!  But Annabelle could not stop announcing to everyone around that the mama tiger was “NighNigh!  NighNigh!” over and over and over again.  Such a successful and fun night!

Saturday, after a quick shopping trip to get new clothes – I mean, support small business Saturday – it was time for the OSU/Michigan game!  Quite the nail biter, but fun to watch it in Ohio.  Sad that the Stegmillers were on a plane and missed most of it!  Out to dinner that night and then pack it up for our early Sunday morning flight.

The week brought many group bath times, lots of football watching, and more pots of coffee than I can count.  Many trips to a beauty salon staffed by shorties, feeding dollies and chasing each other.  I love Thanksgiving!

Team Monkey Joe's

Well we did it, our first foray into the world of team sports.  Sam has completed his first season on a soccer team.  That's right, I am no officially a soccer mom.  And actually, I am Team Mom as well, but that's another discussion.

I signed Sam up through Katy Youth Soccer Club, a huge league that organizes teams all the way up to the teenage bunch.  Sam's U5 division was the youngest, and is a non-competitive 3-on3, no goalie division.  Their fields are tiny and the kids are taller than the goals.  Each team has 10 kids and plays 2 fields simultaneously on Saturdays.

I can honestly say that we saw dramatic improvement over the season.  Honestly, after the first few games I had resigned myself to the fact that Sam wasn't going to be good at soccer.  He was great when he had his own ball, dribbling around, shooting, etc, but as soon as he got onto the field, he lagged the others, didn't get after the ball and showed little interest in the actual game. 

Halfway through the season something clicked.  At his 8:15 game in mid-October the boy scored about 10 goals.  He was in there, he was aggressive, he ran down the field with drive and purpose.  He wanted to score, he wanted control of the ball.

And here is where I show my true colors: I had more fun watching Sam play that day than any previous game.  Maybe Mommy is a bit competitive?

It wasn't just Sam that was getting it, though.  The coach was able to start working on things like passing (a novel concept in the pre-k world) and you could see the boys trying to use team work on the field!

Lest I paint you a picture of some near-pro athletes here, I will also reveal that by the last game: play still continued behind and around the goal (think hockey), parents kicked the ball back onto the field, there were no penalty kicks or throw ins, and very few conceptualized that kicking off was a bad thing (meaning that the other team had just scored).

The game schedule was all over the place and kept us guessing, but it was nice to have a game to look forward to each Saturday.  The boys practiced once a week and I got to know some parents that way.  They group the teams by elementary school, so I met people who live close by, too.  It was a bit comical to see the varying levels of commitment and "enthusiasm" amongst the parents in our league.  Some are of the notion that sports are of end-all, be-all importance, even in preschool, and some have zero commitment at all to the activity they signed up for.  It'll be interesting to see how the dynamics change as Sam gets older - I am told we moved to a sports-obsessed community and I'm already seeing glimpses of it!

Sam really enjoyed himself.  I think he felt quite big being on a team, with a uniform and all.  He also started having more fun with the games once he started scoring goals!  He has told me that he really likes soccer and wants to play again in the spring - since Daddy says he is too young for t-ball, he just might get his wish!

Oh, and the boys and coach cam up with the name Team Monkey Joe's.  Monkey Joe's is an indoor party play place around here - and we're going there for our team party tonight!  

Lately...

An update via iPhone pictures...

We've had two cold nights.  Temps in the 30's folks!  Sam and I decided it was time try out our fireplace for the first time and it was lovely.  So lovely that I sat there to finish my bible study after he went to bed.

Someone has been loving her baby doll recently!  She used to just hug and hold but she is getting better at feeding and trying to brush hair.  Just for reference: she calls baby dolls and stuffed animals "baby."  She does will not call a human baby "baby."

Sam asked me to take this one at the mall playground.  Your wish is my command!

Chris and I had bruschetta as a side dish recently, but we just gave the kids plane bread.  After watching us put things on top of our slices for most of the meal, Annabelle decided to put her carrots on her bread.

Sam was assigned a "Family Art Project."  How did we do?  That would be sequins, saw dust, ribbon, candy wrappers and newsprint adorning our bird.

Annabelle now recognizes the sound of the phone on my camera and says "see see!" as soon as I snap a picture.  She loves looking at her own pictures.

A big moment in a boy's life: his first time looking through the Toys-R-Us Christmas Toy Book/Ad.  Believe it or not this is more a lesson in restraint than greed - he is learning that he doesn't need all of the toys they make and he should think carefully before making a decision!

Halloween 2013

Wrapping up the October fun, its Halloween Week!

Sam's school does not officially recognize Halloween, but they do throw a might cute Noah's Ark Parade.  Everyone must come in an Animal costume.  Truth be told, most of Sam's class had no interest in being an animal for Halloween, so most of their costumes were back-ups or quick pull-togethers.  Sam was fortunate enough to borrow Leo's Elephant (you've seen this before!) and looked great for the parade.  I told him to wave to me during the parade, and he did with enthusiasm.  Only down side, I couldn't really get a picture without his hand in front of his face!  He was excited that "he was first" in the song they played - meaning that the elephant was the first animal mentioned.  Oh how that child loves to be first.

Sam's parade was only half the school - its so big!  I love the way they parade the toddler around - keep 'em contained!  And I love the picture of Sam's teacher playing double duty, parading with her class while simultaneously snapping a picture of her 2 year old in costume.

Pumpkin carving was a family affair this year.  Sam and I did they drawing, and yes there are 6 eyes per Sam's request.  And a tooshie, also at his request.  Sam and Annabelle made their best go at scooping out all the insides, and really they made pretty good progress.  Daddy and Sam did the carving, daddy with the knife and Sam with the pokers.  I think the end result was pretty awesome!

Trick-or-Treating almost didn't happen this year.  It rained HARD for 6 hours on Halloween morning, and most of the day before.  Streets were flooded, and the interwebs were abuzz with people making plans to head to the mall, etc.  But things started to clear up about 3:00 and we ended up with a really beautiful night.  The kids were comfortable in their costumes (not sweating!) and the skies were clear.  So thankful!

Annabelle totally got the hang of Trick-or-Treating this year.  Honestly, one house and she was on board.  She marched right up all those front walks and knocked on the door, ever more excited when she heard a "woof woof" inside.  She'd reach her hand in the bowl and pull more and more candy out until the bowl or her hand was moved away.  Occasionally she was so focused on the process that she dropped her loot into her brother's bag!

Sam of course is old hat by now.  He declared the requisite "trick-or-treat" for both of them, and was careful in his candy selections.  He declared that he was tired after a small number of houses, but I think he really just wanted to go home and eat candy.  I knew he'd be bummed later if we cut it short, so we pressed on.  Both kids returned home with a pretty good stash!

When we were done making our rounds we joined the rest of our neighbors in the center of the cul-de-sac for a mini block party.  All the candy bowls on one table (efficient for the kids!) and the neighbor's hobby truck all decked out with smock machine, pop up goblins and the like.  The adults hung out there until about 9 and had a great time being neighborly.

Happy Halloween!