A Wonderful Christmastime

Our wonderful Christmastime this year was filled with memory-making in Minnesota.  We spent Christmas Eve at Melissa and Adam's, and Christmas Day at my parents' house.  Adam's parents were in town, and so was Grandma Lou, and it felt great to share time and laughter with such a fun bunch.  Besides Christmas festivities, our MN trip included experimentation with my new selfie stick, a night out with M & A, lots of snow play (!), watching a Vikings win plus the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler SNL (twice), finishing three - yes, three - 1000-piece puzzles, playing with cousin Expo, a day of rides and shopping at MOA, time spent playing pool and pounding on the drums, and food - so much food.  What a wonderful Christmastime!

Christmas Eve at M & A's.

 G Lou and Expo (and Bill Murray).

 The excellent hosts.

 Sisters.

 Cousins.

A hat only a Minnesotan can appreciate.

 SELFIES!

 

After multiple failed attempts on my part, Steve got this group shot with the selfie stick.  Everyone else agreed that I need lessons.

 Big Kids' Night Out!  We hit the Surley and 612 breweries before bellying up at the 1029 Bar.  At the end of the night we swung by Nye's for a goodbye bev before their doors close forever.  Good times!  (For the record, I did take this selfie, not sure why I felt the need to crouch and make myself even shorter.)

 For the longest, Emma has said she wanted a puppy bed from Santa for her puppies to sleep in.  We all got a kick out of how cozy she got in it, too.  She fell asleep in it at least two of the nights, and went straight for it one morning when she was still a little sleepy.

 MOA day!  Both girls had a blast.  Sara was in line for a roller coaster with Steve when I got these shots of Emma.  A little while later, she and Grandpa rode the log chute.  She sat right up front and enjoyed the ride, but did not enjoy being wet.  Luckily, we were in a place that sells lots of new pants.

 Auntie was the lucky chosen one to go on a couple different rides with Emma, including one that I think gave her whiplash.  I made it up to her with a glass of wine when she and I sneaked away from the group a little while later (we went to exchange a couple of Christmas items including a pair of serious mom jeans I received (which resulted in a lot of entertainment for everyone), and the wine happened to be right on the way).

 Sara really honed her pool skills this trip while Emma found her drumming rhythm.

Game faces.

The fun never ends in G & G's basement.

 Four Generations.

 Although we didn't have a White Christmas, what we got was just as good.  The first batch of snow came Friday night/Saturday morning, and we rushed out to play.  When the second round came Monday night, there was a LOT more white between us and the grass than in these first pics.  The girls loved stepping into it up to their knees.  One highlight was climbing to the top of the snowplow pile ... a thrill you have to experience to understand.  Sara made the climb to the top and declared, "This is a dream come true!"  Music to my Minnesota heart. 

Sara worked on perfecting the snow tackle, and Steve impressed both of us with his "snowboarding" skills on the sled.   

 Sledding with Auntie.

Yes, I let my kids watch the TF/AP SNL.  So sue me.  Sara is still talking incessantly about the "commercial" for the fire-inducing  hover boards.  She also took good notes during the "Meet Your Second Wife" skit and correctly concluded that since Steve is currently married, he could be a candidate on the show.  Nice.

 We set bowls outside Monday night to see how much snow would accumulate, and after about thirty minutes brought them inside more than half full.  The girls loved snacking on the snow, which Emma said tasted like strawberries.

 Did you and yours enjoy watching the yule log on TV this year?  My parents' fireplace is about three feet left of the TV, but the yule log was going with such force this year we could practically feel the heat without the real fire on.  If this is isn't already on your list of go-to traditions, tune in next year, and be on the lookout for when they poke the embers or throw in a new log.  You won't regret it.

When we got home tonight, the girls were thrilled to find that Santa had also stopped here, leaving new bikes.  It was already dark outside, so the riding will have to wait until tomorrow ... but they're ready to ride!

 And now 2015 has nearly come to an end.  I'm thankful for such a special holiday with family, and we are especially grateful, after all of the terrible storms in our area, that we had a house to come home to.  We'll head into the new year counting our blessings and eating Hoppin' John in hopes of many more for ourselves and all of you in 2016.  Happy New Year!

Wishing You the Merriest

Wordless Wednesday: Santa Edition

Party Time!

Sara's birthday weekend was a success! On Friday she was happy to have lunch visitors, who came bearing a happy meal.

 December 11th was a beautiful day this year.  Seven years ago it was very cold, but this year the temp was in the 70s and the sun was shining, so Sara spent time after school at the park and jumping in a huge leaf pile in the front yard.  That evening, we had Jet's Pizza and lemon bundt cake ... and, of course, presents.

 Emma was a dealt a real blow when she was told that it was Sara's birthday, and Sara's birthday only.  Of course we had reinforcements in the form of a couple small gifts for her (a pair of shoes she had requested from Target and a pillow project from Grandma).  And as usual, Sara was quick to share her new treasures.

 

 After it was assembled, the girls got to work coloring this doll playhouse from Auntie.  Their AG dolls have been slumbering peacefully in it since.

 Seven glowing candles ...

 On Saturday we had Sara's first real "friends party" at Paint n Party.  We had a really nice group of nine girls attend, and they had a great time painting.  There was lots of girl talk and laughter, too.  It was fun to watch Sara interact with her friends in this setting.  Look at my beautiful 7-year-old. *sigh*

 

 

Sara was sad Monday evening when the decorations came down ... it's always hard for the party to end.  But it was a lot of fun while it lasted, and we're so thankful that we have such an awesome kid to celebrate!

Lucky 7

I'm beside myself trying to do the math, attempting to determine how on earth I have a 7-year-old ... but today, I do.  The girl who made me a mom, who changed my world, is Lucky 7.  

At 7, Sara is silly at home, assertive at school, and shy in public.  She loves to read and do art, has recently hung up her dresses in favor of jeans or "athlete clothes", and claims to no longer need my help with things like showering (although I sneak in occasionally for a shampoo rinse).  She is a good big sister who is sometimes quick to push her little sister's buttons, but who is also always the first to come to her rescue.  Sara is full of questions about just about everything, including big and serious topics; I am learning so much about being honest yet careful.  Being able to stand by and watch Sara's brain and heart learn about life is truly an indescribable experience.  She opens my eyes everyday.  

Sara is full of light and personality.  I already find myself fearing that I might need her more than she needs me.  Although I know that's not totally true (for now), I'm so proud of her independent and confident spirit.  I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my girl will accomplish all she sets out to do.  She really is that great.  I can't imagine anything better than celebrating her today.

Wordless Wednesday

All Good Things

As much as I'm not ready for our Thanksgiving break to end, the time has come.  We've had a wonderful and productive week together.  In addition to getting the Christmas decorations up, we painted both girls' rooms (Sara's is a light aqua, Emma's a light purple), cleaned the house (including the fridge!), and got some Christmas and birthday shopping done.

Earlier this week, my friend, Erica, and I took our kids to see "The Peanuts Movie".  It was really cute, and since our weather was less than desirable, it was the perfect excuse to spend a couple of hours in the theatre.  If you are a Peanuts lover - young or old - I absolutely recommend seeing this movie.

 Thanksgiving morning was quiet and enjoyable at our house.  The girls requested French toast and bacon for breakfast; Steve and I had our own version of a breakfast feast while we all watched the Macy's Parade.  We spent the rest of the day celebrating with the Brittains.  We enjoyed a fun and relaxing day filled with lots of food, laughter, and terrible football. 

  The cold rain that started on Thanksgiving continued throughout the weekend, but that didn't stop us from getting out and about.  Of course we totally skipped Black Friday, but yesterday Steve and I got a date day while the girls spent some special time with Papa and Mamas.  They let Sara pick out her birthday present, and took the girls to Rainforest Cafe.  Sara loves the sewing machine she chose, and has been creating away all day today.

 While the girls had their early birthday/Christmas outing yesterday, Steve and I did a bunch of Christmas shopping and then settled in to watch a Cyclones basketball victory.  It was the perfect end to a fantastic week.  I am so thankful to have had some really quality family time, lots of laughter (and just enough fighting) from the girls, multiple trips to the gym, and cozy evenings in front of the fire.  I know that tomorrow morning is going to be tough for all of us, but the countdown to winter break is on!

We've Got Spirit

We typically don't begin decorating for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving, but the spirit hit us early this year.  One day last week, Steve and Sara bought a new tree, and the girls were anxious to put it up.  We got our inside decorations out and up on Saturday, and this morning we put up the outside lights.  Since it's supposed to rain later this week and weekend, we decided today was the day.  While we were outside working on the lights, a neighbor's dog got out and was running all over the place, so we had the added excitement of trying to help catch it. 

 Sara was a big help this year.  Emma ... well ... her time will come.

 

Anyone else end up with this issue year after year?  I guess this doubles as a "Clark Griswold lives here" sign.

Think we'll get any snow for Frosty this winter?

Last night "Home Alone" was on TV back-to-back.  We all watched it together, and once the girls fell asleep, Steve and I watched it again with a bottle of wine.  We sat and laughed through all of the parts that never change but remain funny.  Our house has spirit, and we do, too.  Now to get my shopping done without breaking the bank ... 

Good Vibrations

I'm generally a pretty realistic person.  While I'm all about finding the silver lining, I can be quick to play Devil's Advocate when appropriate, and - to my knowledge - I'm not often accused of wearing rose-colored glasses.  I don't think any of these qualities are necessarily good or bad - they're just me.  Overall, I think they have served me well in my career and in my relationships.

As I get older and as my kids get older, though, I've found myself focused on finding the good ... and more and more, I've found myself rejecting sources of negative energy in my life.  I've just decided that I don't have the tolerance for it.  This is not to say that I don't stress about normal things like work and money, or that I don't occasionally lose my cool with a certain three-year-old in the mornings.  I'm still human.  It's just that I've decided I don't want to spend any more time dwelling on what's wrong or on circumstances that are outside of my control.  The ins-and-outs of daily life can be draining, but this is the only shot I get, so I'm working on doing the best I can do with what I have ... and being satisfied with it.  I want peace in my heart and in my home.

I know this all sounds like something I should have figured out a long time ago, but I feel like I'm finally opening my mind to what I've always known.  Happy is a choice.  I think it's a combination of age and experience that's gotten me to this point, and I'm finding that I'm really only interested in good vibes.  I'm still realistic, and I can deal with the hard stuff.  I'm just going to try not to dwell on it.  And don't worry: venting isn't off limits ... but the plan is to get it out, shake it off, and move right along.  Good vibrations, people!

   

Wordless Wednesday

Season's Over

Back in early August, when we signed Sara up for both softball and soccer, I knew it would be a busy fall.  I also knew that early November, marking the end of the season, would be here before we knew it, so figured we could swing it.  By late October, we were all feeling a little burned out with multiple practices and games throughout the week, but now that we're almost on the other side of the season (last soccer game is tomorrow), I'm so glad we let Sara participate in both sports.  She vacillates between which one is her favorite, but she's shown a lot of improvement in both, and it's been fun to watch her continue to develop as an athlete.  Her soccer team is going to play together again in the spring, so I think we'll continue to see a lot of growth out of these girls.

(update after the last game/celebration)

 

Emma has been a great fan of both sports (although she's a happier fan when we play at a field with an adjacent playground)!

 

 The girls rotated through most of the positions throughout the season.  Sara really got the hang of hitting the ball this season (coach pitch), and did a great job of hitting then running fast to first base.

As of right now, I'm planning for us to take a break for the winter months ... at least through the holidays.  Spring season will be here in the blink of an eye!