Christmas-ing II

Today, a downtown visit to Santa. The real one. He told the kids in a lilting voice, "Santa loves you." It was very magical. Talmage crinkled up and was shy and Sydney buried herself under Briton's armpit. Clara was oblivious. Jude discussed Rudolph and how Donner is Rudolph's dad. Jude and Santa are old pals since Jude saw him last week. Santa told Jude, "Santa loves you." And Jude said, "Yu-Puh."

Anywaaaay: sites from today's excursion (minus Santa since photos with him cost $$$$$).







Last week Talmage's preschool class performed a Christmas pageant. It included such songs as "Happy Birthday, Jesus." The whole performance left me thinking, "Mormons are sorta boring."

(How many recording devices can you spy?)

Decorating the tree:

A little bit of nutrition to off-set the loads of sweets available at this time of year:

Christmas-ing

A Little More Effusing ...

Heather has a keen knack for knowing what needs to get done and then doing it.

One night we came home late from the Grotto. She had arrived home just before us. With a van full of sleeping children (ours, plus two) Briton and I were strategizing the transition from car to beds. We walked in to find Heather had already cleaned the kids' room and straightened the sleeping bags, fluffed the pillows, etc.
OK. Here's another one: because of her sewing efficiency (even with a Sydney-on-her-lap handicap), the it-only-took-me-two-years-to-get-them-done-dang activity books will be finished for Christmas. THIS Christmas.

The kitchen was cleaned over and over with apparent effortlessness. Like it was no big deal. I'd blink and the counters were cleared. She masterminded the gingerbread house activity, danced to The Ghost Song, held fussy children and distracted irritable ones,

all the while knitting hats. Like that one.

That was a fun, fun time while you were here.

Thanks for coming, Headuh. Come back soon so we can make another run for FroYo.

Sheer Bliss Anyone?

The gurls in my family reunion-fied a couple weekends ago. It started as a distraction for Heather because, as you remember, she got run over by a truck awhile ago and decided she may as well use her disability "vacation" to come see her newest niece for the first time. Then my mom decided she'd come for a weekend (in between translating stuff for stuff and getting ready for Bolivia, that's all she could spare; and even so her coming meant she missed dad's homecoming from the Philippines), and then Charisse was like, "count me in!" and Heidi is the same as a sister and Hilary is in transition and that's how we ended up with Instant Reunion (just add Rockaway Beach).

View from the rental.


We did some of this:
*Note how all the games are still neatly stacked. No one even considered playing Candyland. The magazines on the coffee table also remained in a tidy, overlapping row. Like, the whole weekend.
(well, until we got ahold of Vogue. More on that later).

Did I mention we went to the beach for the weekend with no children?

It was heavenly.

We did several of these:


I think Charisse looks beautiful, restful, and happy in this picture:She is modeling the predominant emotion we all felt. And also, she sports a fashionable hood. More on that later.

Heidi and I had a great run on the beach one morning. That was fun. Like old times. Except we never ran on the beach before I don't think.

One of our rules was no cooking allowed. So we ate out.

A lot.Isn't Heidi wearing pretty earrings? And how 'bout those teeth?

The last night we ate at a restaurant described as "not kid-friendly." I think they were referring to the prices not being "family friendly." At least I hope so, because we got sort of .... silly.


Mom wonders for the umpteenth time why she didn't send me to finishing school.

We spent some time perusing the latest fashion trends:
Can you see that? It says: "Swirl together antlers, feathers, and skins for a wild look." That one had us giggling for a long time.
We played some Dominion and indulged in a private spa treatment in the rental's hot tub

and we talked a lot. Uninterrupted. In fact, Charisse stopped mid-sentence at one point and said, "This is the longest conversation I've ever had with any of you!"
You can only take so many pictures.

And finally, none of this would have happened without the support of the husbands holding down the fort while we were gone

Formula

Meet Dasher and the White Bear drinking their milk.

Sydney no longer breastfeeds her dolls. She's picked up on the fact that Clara only takes a bottle now. After the marathon my milk supply petered out. It was a seamless transition and Clara doesn't seem to mind. I've had to adjust to the new requirement to be conscientious about having formula/bottles etc packed up when we're going places in case we're out longer than expected. But other than that, bottles are awesome! In fact, because Clara weaned earlier than anticipated, it made our sister's get-away feasible. Up next: The Reunion!

Talmage, A Pictoral Essay: On Being Expressive

...under the influence of Pixie Stix powder:

and then these two are just handsomeness and joy:

Clara, A Pictoral Essay: On Being Cute

(above photo by Laura)

Tulle is one of the more benign things that makes it into Clara's mouth.
We do a fair amount of fishing for wads of paper and Legos.

A rare private bath.

A picture of what she eats. Clara has a discriminating palate for dishes that include such things as dill, beets, tumeric, & ginger. (however, I notice that most all of them have a strong leading flavor of apple or banana).

LOVE THAT HEAD!!!! (We'll try to get a video of her doing her Head-Shake trick).

with Asher and Evan.

Clara is almost to her 9-month mark - the point at which she's been on the outside longer than on the inside. She's crawling, pulling herself to standing, blowing raspberries, and making this strange, guttural sound wherein one wonders if her airway is obstructed.

Sydney, A Pictoral Essay: On Being Two

King Lear on the John:

A relatively quiet moment, as you will shortly observe.

On a morning when Laura came to play.

Wild Animal: Denuding a Closet
(she had the help of her partner in crime ... one certain S.B.W.)
(observe the absence of guilt or remorse on her face)

Today's outfit #1: Super Girl PJ top
T's swim trunks,
Shiny pink shoes
Flowery bun in hair.
Ready for Play School.
(yes. she was a nudie by lunch).

Break!

These girls are really cute...

.... at times.


Helping with dinner prep. Rrrrarh!




Queen of her world.
And mine :).

When the Cat's Away...

Briton was out of town for work most of last week and this week. Things really let loose around here when he's gone (luff you, honey!). For example, I chew Bubble Yum; the dinner hour is undefined; and, the front door gets an up-do:Chartreuse! Ha!