coloring

Today the kids colored and colored and colored -- and impressed their mama with the results! Thomas said he wanted his to be a parrot.

Big Bay Balloon Parade

kids wait for the parade to begin

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I had a feeling last night when I went to bed that I should probably look up the Big Bay Balloon Parade's website for day and time. I knew it was coming up soon. This morning I looked it up and, of course, it was scheduled to start in 45 minutes. There was no way I could get the kids and myself ready and at the parade route in San Diego in that short amount of time. A little disappointing because I know they would have enjoyed it, but then I saw that the parade is being broadcast live on a local channel. The kids are enjoying the easy morning and Bela is enjoying the cuddle time as all four kids watch the parade.

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an old friend

We bought this juicer years ago, but it was one of those appliances that just seemed like more work than it was worth. So many parts to clean, a lot of fruit for a little juice - you get the idea. A friend recently told me about a juicer she had just purchased and it made me think that maybe I should drag ours out again. After dinner tonight we juiced a whole bunch of "cuties", crushed some ice and blended them together with frozen mangoes. Yum! The kids loved helping peel the fruit and dropping them into the juicer. I think this appliance will be used a bit more often now.

science projects

Thomas received a science kit from his cousins this Christmas so today they whipped it out to do some experiments. It was the perfect activity for Mike to do with the kids and they all had a blast experimenting with mixing colors, growing crystals, etc. Very fun!

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holiday cards

We love receiving good mail, esp. all the cards during the holidays. The kids participated in two exchanges so there were lots of cards from other little people on top of all those we receive from friends and family. I can't remember where we hung them last year but this year the stairs seemed like a good place. It was fun to pass by this wall several times during the course of a day and see all these smiling faces and fun cards made by other children. This will be one holiday "decoration" that will be missed.

silly Meredith

This little girl is so darn cute and smiling all the time, but taking a good photograph of her is a real challenge. It always has been. And now she's entered the "I'm not looking at the camera and smiling for you phase" and the "Want a photo? Take a photo of this!" as she gives me a silly grin or pose. Sweet and silly, fun and crazy... Thank goodness for digital cameras.

Merry Christmas!

his new ride ~ her new dollhouse ~ big smiles all day long

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snow in Southern California!

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It was a quiet, simple Christmas for our family this year. It was also the first that we've spent completely alone, just the four of us (and Bela and Greta, too!). Opening stockings and gifts lasted hours since we took breaks to play with something, eat or shower. The sun warmed us as we played outside and went for a walk at the beach. We made snow and scattered it around the front yard. And we ended the day with a Mickey Mouse holiday movie on tv. It was a very merry Christmas for our family. Hope it was for you, too!

all in a single day

kids outside the famous Julian Pie Shop (snow!)
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looks soft, but an extremely painful cactus
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another cactus in Anza-Borrego National Park
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kids acting silly in the desert

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Thomas prepares Santa's plate

holiday giving

the kids wait for their friends outside the assisted living home

(to deliver holiday cards they made)

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Playgroups come in all sizes and forms and we've enjoyed many of the different kinds, but my favorite is the one we're currently involved in. It's a large group of moms and their children, yet we've become good friends with many of them and have formed smaller groups within the larger whole. The big group of (60!) moms is really great because we have a large resource of information available since we all have different interests, there are varying opportunities for ourselves and our children and - for this special group - there is the ability to give back in so many different ways. Again this holiday season we were able to give a needy family a wonderful Christmas, we've donated books to establish a library at a shelter for women and children, we've given boxes upon boxes of toys and non-perishable foods to different agencies and so much more. The generosity ramps up over the holidays, but we all find ways throughout the year to give back in smaller ways. It's important to me that Thomas and Meredith be compassionate, giving and, most of all, thankful for what they have.

easy morning

recognize the items on their tree?

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It's an easy, quiet morning at our house. Thomas is decorating the Christmas tree in their playroom while Meredith hosts a tea party for her favorite Snow White doll and one of her babies. Easy mornings like today are good.

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When the kids dress themselves...

Both of these kids insist on dressing themselves and the photo above, I fear, is not an unusual choice. Last week when we opened up the advent box for the day and read the slip of paper inside - Spend the day at Disneyland!! - these kids were super excited and dressed for the occasion. It's not how I would have dressed them, but I have bigger issues to worry about than what they are wearing so this is how they went...

75*

Isn't the pool and the view at the Historic Hotel del Coronado lovely?

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We've had gorgeous weather since our return to California earlier this week. We can't resist spending much of the day outdoors when the weather is this good, esp. in December! Today's high was 75* and we headed down to Coronado to enjoy the warm sunshine. It was a beautiful afternoon spent walking up and down Orange Avenue, snacking outside the Del while watching the ice-skaters (yes, this hotel has an outdoor ice rink for the holidays so you can ice skate and watch the beach action all under the warm sun!), and then playing at the main park in Coronado. We all had such a great time.

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"flying" outside the Del ~ walking together

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Quack! ~ Thomas' favorite at the park ~ Meredith's favorite

preschool holiday performance & party

Can you spot our favorite preschooler?

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Today was Thomas' last day of preschool before the holiday break so that meant today there was a short performance by the class followed by a classroom party. It was terribly cute to watch all three 4-year-old classes file in, get in their places and sing seven carols together. Thomas told me later that he sang all the songs, even if I didn't always see his lips moving. The performance was made extra special for Thomas when Mike surprised him by attending. Thomas was grinning from ear to ear and waving at his dad the minute he spotted Mike enter the sanctuary.

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The classroom party was busy but fun for the kids. There was cookie decorating, a treat making project, ornaments to color with markers and plenty of yummy treats to eat. Meredith, of course, made herself at home in the classroom and participated fully in the festivities.

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Meredith w/daddy ~ the kids enjoy the treats

season of remembrance

One of our favorite family holiday traditions is visiting the local animal shelter with gifts. This morning we were lucky to have three little friends join us in the spirit of giving and remembrance of those less fortunate. We all came bearing treats, toys, and blankets/towels for the shelter. We also spent some time walking through the shelter saying hi to the dogs, cats, bunnies and a bird who are all currently calling the shelter home. All the kids agreed Candy the Chihuahua was their favorite dog and all wanted to take the sweet, little dog home with them. Last year a Vizsla pulled at my heart strings and we almost walked away adding a third dog to our family (can you imagine!!?). Fortunately, as sweet and loving as they all were, none of the pets today did that.

the Happiest Family on Earth (at Disneyland)

This is NOT a photo of the Happiest Family on Earth (I'm missing).

Pictured: 3 of the 4 people in our family pose with Goofy.

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Mike stayed in California while the kids and I went back to Oregon and oh boy! was he missed. It was wonderful that Mike could take today off so our family could spend the day together. After 10 days apart, there were many hugs, kisses and cuddles exchanged today. Daddy was a wanted man, for sure.

10 days in Oregon

Frosty - kids singing from c on Vimeo.

This evening the kids and I returned from a 10 day visit back to Oregon. The weather was extreme (so cold!!) and we ended the week with nasty coughs, but we all had a wonderful time seeing family and friends. Ten things we'll remember...
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10. Baking Christmas cookies and fudge w/Grandma and cousin Emily.
9. Seeing family at cousin Gwen's 2nd birthday party.
8. Ice skating at Lloyd Center Ice Rink (first for Thomas!).
7. Spending a day at the Portland Children's Museum w/cousins Franny, Cole and Delaney.
6. Early Christmas at Grandma's house w/everyone spoiling them.
5. Seeing the Nutcracker Ballet downtown.
4. Daily disco parties complete w/swirling flashlights.
3. Having whipped cream squirted directly into their mouths -- thanks, Uncle Peter!
2. Seeing friends from the old neighborhood (toys are in the mail).
1. And spending oodles and oodles of time with Grandma. We're already looking forward to having her visit us in March!

Elfie

Yesterday the kids saw Santa but not once did Santa mention he was sending one of his scout elves to stay at our house this holiday season. What a surprise for the kids to come home and find the elf at our front door! After dinner the kids named him Elfie and we registered him on Santa's Elf Registry. Mike read the book Elfie brought with him and we all welcomed him into our home and put him on the fireplace mantel for the evening. This morning we awoke to find he had moved and was sitting in the kitchen. I'm curious what things he might have told Santa last night, but hopefully they were all good things about Thomas and Meredith.

FACES by Meredith

Meredith scribbles all the time but last night her "scribbles" were these little drawings! Again this morning she was drawing faces, a mermaid, an octopus, and a few other things. She's been working on the letter M but has T and H down perfectly. I love how these skills just magically emerge one day!

Santa Claus

Today's visit to the mall included a stop to see Santa Claus. The kids were prepared with holiday colors in their clothing, Santa hats on their heads and their new wish books in hand. Thomas loves the guy and immediately rushed in to say hi and offer hugs. Meredith wasn't quite so eager and after a few minutes of talking to Santa decided it might be okay to stand in front of him as long as Thomas was also there. I figured I had to cease the photo op when I had one since she may not oblige again this season so we purchased (2) 5x7s of this photo. Fun, but doesn't his beard look a little yellow?

wish books

Both kids have been cutting things from catalogs and taping them to the doors in our kitchen. It started out nice, but then got way out of control. Their wish lists were migrating to the fridge, left out on the kitchen table... you get the idea. Some action needed to be taken so this evening our family assembled some wish books. I cropped the multitude of toy photos for both kids, they sorted them and then we all taped them onto papers, stapled them together with a cover page and some extra sheets in the back and - voila! - wish books. The bonus (besides the obvious of uncluttering the kitchen) is now I have a little book to take shopping with me and we can clearly see where Thomas' interests are. I think the kids will take them when they visit Santa, too.