Merry Christmas!

 

Winter Break Part I

For the first time in a long time, it actually feels like winter on Christmas in Dallas! It feels like we've already been celebrating for a long time, and there's more to come. I love it!

Before the end of the semester, we celebrated Sara's birthday, which was on a Sunday this year. By request: Starbucks, mall, sushi.

I had teased her at the mall that I was going to make her visit Santa and she was so opposed. However, after shopping and eating, we swung into the big HPB and there he was ... sitting right by the entrance with an opportunity for free photos! Everyone except Sara thought it was perfect, but she (sort of) played along). 

I think she had a great 14th birthday, and her friends continued to celebrate her the following day at school. She added to her AE, Lulu, and Sephora collections ... so all her favorite things!

We finished up the fast and furious last week of school and have been on break since. I'm still catching up on sleep! Emma has been busy playing basketball and her team did a soccer camp this week as well.

Her basketball team has improved significantly this year and it's been fun to watch. They are playing on regulation hoops with regulation balls for the first time, and they are killing it! This shot went in, by the way. I love watching this little athlete!

In between sports, Emma went to two days of camp at Paint n Party and came home with cute canvases and ornaments. She loves to stay busy, but it's caught up with her a little bit. Yesterday she was coughing and sniffling. Seems to have gotten better with lots of sleep, though.

Jim is loving having everyone home and it's total sweater weather for him. We even had a few snow flurries the other day ... nothing stuck but it felt festive!

Sara and I started reading through the high school course catalog. She'll have her four-year plan outlined by the end of January. Can't believe we are about to have a high schooler!

Of course winter break isn't ever winter break without a little "self care". One night while Emma was a soccer camp, I ran some holiday errands then treated myself a bit.

I snuck away for a HH with some teachers from my former school, and Steve and I have gotten a couple dates in, too (one was to the grocery store, but still). It's been nice to have some time to just enjoy being together.

Sara had a belated birthday celebration with her girlfriends. Another trip to the mall (because of course) followed by lunch at Taverna. Such a great group of kids!

And of course we've gotten in our cookie time! I don't care how old they get, I'm going to always make them decorate some cookies for Santa.

Now we're preparing for our Christmas celebrations. We'll celebrate at home tonight and tomorrow, then Monday we'll do some packing and on Tuesday it's off to MN for the second part of break. Here's hoping that Santa is good to everyone in the meantime!

Fabulous Fourteen

 Today Sara is 14, and it's clear that time is flying faster than ever. High school is on the horizon ... she is 100% her own confident, amazing person ... my raspy-voiced little girl has become the most wonderful young woman.

At 14, Sara loves cheering at school. She is missing competitive cheer, but is looking forward to high school tryouts later this spring and is hopeful she'll be able to continue cheering for several more years. Sara is *obsessed* with Taylor Swift and was thrilled that we were able to get our hands on tickets for her upcoming tour. Our concert date is April 1st and I cannot wait to be there with her. Second only to her love of all things TS is her love of all things Starbucks.

Sara spends a significant amount of time on her hair, make-up, and wardrobe choices, often asking us to "peep the fit" she plans to wear the following day. But she's is so much more than what's on the outside: she's smart and confident, and she doesn't hesitate to advocate for herself with teachers and coaches. She recently won the science fair with a project she completed entirely on her own, and she earned herself a spot on the mock trial team, too. Sara makes me proud every single day, and while I'm not in a hurry for it to be over, I truly cannot wait to see where the next few years take her.

Happy 14th birthday, Sara Noel. You're everything I could ever hope for you to be.❤