Marbles

For Christmas, our kids got this Quadrilla Marble Run from their Jennings grandparents and Blake great-grandparents. I grew up playing with Marble Works and loved them, so when I saw these, I was really excited, because they were wood and supposedly each colored piece had a different function. I was not disappointed. The red blocks are a switch, so the marble alternated coming out of either side, and all the other colors have different functions. The best thing about this toy is that I really like to play with it, and so does Andy. I'm not the greatest at "playing" with my kids, unless you count reading books. I'm usually in the same room, but doing something else. So these bring us together for a lot of time. Yeah for family toys! Our other grandparent gift was equally wonderful: a year pass to the Arizona Museum for Youth. I hadn't renewed mine, so my mom did it for me. It is such a great place and so close. I love gifts that are good for all of our kids, will last a lot longer than Christmas morning, that bring us together as a family and that are really fascinating to play with/go to.

On Christmas Day in the Morning

"All the stockings you will find, hanging in a row. Mine will be the shortest one, you'll be sure to know."
Actually, mine ties with Andy for shortest--we both have Santa mittens. This year's contents? Gummy bears and a candy canes. Now the kids stockings were much better. This is the first year that our children woke up before us; every other year, Andy and I sit around trying to decide if we should wake them up yet. But this year, around 7:30, Abigail ran in to our room crying out, "Santa left la vache qui rit in my stocking." Have you seen "Laughing Cow" cheese in the grocery stores here? In France, it was a food staple for us. I don't buy it at all here, because it is the one thing that was actually cheaper in France than in the US. Abigail and Avery were thrilled, as was Warren with his astronaut ice cream. There were other funky, random objects inside, but I think these--and the lip gloss--were the biggest hits.

"I saw 3 [kids] come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning. And what was in those kids all 3?" Mainly sugar and chocolate. Especially for Avery, with her extreme love of "tandy." Truly, nutrition kind of falls by the wayside for a few days this time of year. Really--who can monitor what your 3 kids ate the last 4 nights when you've been eating at separate tables at family dinners? Or for breakfast, if you've been sleeping in later than them because you've been staying up way too late finishing gifts and then cleaning up the mess? Really, all those plates of cookies, fudge and cinnamon rolls from neighbors are very practical this time of year; they are just so accessible on the counter. I did make our usual Christmas breakfast this year--overnight syrupy french toast. Melted butter and brown sugar, layered with bread, saturated with french toast batter, topped off with walnuts and craisins. Apparently the kids didn't get that there was sugar in there--they didn't eat any of it. They did eat the gummy bears and candy canes in their stocking, though. So at least they were diversified in their choice of foods. Enough about our diet. On to the rest of Christmas morning. In true Avery fashion, she took her pajamas off, oblivious to the fact that we have concrete floors, which are freezing in the morning. Avery gave her dad Japanese Kit-Kats for Christmas, and it is hard to tell who is more pleased. Whilst in France, Andy discovered that outside of the US, Nestle has the rights to Kit-Kat candy bars, as opposed to Hershey's. Andy thinks they are so much better than the Hershey version. Well, World Market sells Japanese Kit-Kats, so Andy can still get his fix.

"Troll the ancient yuletide carols."
Abigail's big gift was her violin. Yes it is real. She loves it and demonstrates it for any willing--or unwilling--listener. Avery got a doll stroller, but I don't have any great pics of her with it.

"Outside the [rain] is falling and [sisters] are calling yoo-hoo. Come on it's lovely weather for a bike ride together with you."
Warren's big gift was his bike. We bought the bike at the police surplus because the price was next to nothing and we like the whole "reduce, re-use, recycle" idea. Plus, who wants to stress out about the first few chips in the paint? Why not get it with a few already in place? All we had to replace were the innertubes and tire lining. I went to Wal Mart on December 24th in the afternoon to buy some. I picked up a few other last minute items, but it wasn't until 10:15 pm that I realized I had left that bag at checkout. Oh yes--I felt every emotion you can imagine: guilt, fear, exhaustion, disbelief, denial, blame, failure...Anyway, my dad was able to round up two for us, one from Sam's bike and one from my Aunt Julie's and so Christmas was saved.
Warren loved his bike--as you can see from his face. It wasn't until later at my parents' home he said, "But my new bike isn't very new looking because I think they must have got it at a yard sale." I laughed. And the great thing is, he doesn't care; the statement was made simply, matter-of-factly, detached. He thinks the bike is great.

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." That sums up the gifts I made for my sisters in sister-in-law (not pictured). For several years I have had in my sewing/crafting stash an old bag full of quilted squares and strips of coordinating blue material. Before that it sat in my mother's stash for a least a decade and a half. And before that, it was my Grandmother's, an unfinished project when she died. I was just 8 or so, but I still have many happy memories of my Grandma Dee. A Christmas one: she used to always send new pajamas for us to open on Christmas Eve. My mom and I do the same now with our children. Anyway, this year I kind of experienced a crafting/sewing renaissance, and had the idea to use the material to make aprons for the Lewis women in my life. I underestimated the time it would take, and waited too long to do them, but still, I'm glad I did. Each pocket is a quilt block from my grandma. The blue fabric on my mom's is the largest contiguous piece of material from the bag. The squares at the bottom of the cream ones are mainly made from those blue strips, along with my red bed sheets, old blue overalls and my blue gingham shirt. The cream material is from a set of couch pillows I made and then set aside when I made new ones. The waistband on Sarah's is also the material from my grandmother. All that pieced together with some new fabric.
We spent the day going round in circles from our house, to the Lewis', the the Jennings' and then repeating. It was so fun. We love living close to our family. We were all exhausted at the end of the day. I slept in this morning until 10:40--bless Andy. BTW, my favorite gift was from Andy, He had all the blog entries I wrote from France made into a beautiful book. I know it must have taken hours to format it all; I dreaded doing it myself. I love it. Thanks Andy.

Extra Love

On Friday as Warren played Tinker Toys on the rug--he does that every afternoon, I sat facing him on the couch. As he looked up to me for a moment, I signed, "I love you." He got a delighted smile on his face, then looked down at his hand and tried to form an "I love you" sign for me. He puzzled for a moment, attempting to hold the correct fingers down, then held his hand up like this with a big grin: "Mom, this is extra love. It's because I love you extra."

Fun 2 Be

Today I realized my baby isn't a baby anymore. Maybe because Avery has been a later-talker than W&A, or maybe because she is still so snuggly, or maybe because she still doesn't have much hair, Avery still seemed to me so much like a baby. But last Saturday she verbally exploded; she started saying so much more and singing songs I didn't know she knew--Bob the Builder, I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus--and I think I knew then her days as a baby were numbered. Then she turned 2 today.

2 is so fun. 2 is still too young to understand why everyone is saying "Happy Birthday" all day long, too young to feel that sense of birthday entitlement, too young to have expectations for the day, too young to want your presents first thing in the morning. Also too young to blow out all your candles on the first--or in Avery's case--the 5th try.
We had pancakes and waffles for breakfast this morning--I'm sure she had no clue they were for her. She still loved them. Avery and I went to the Arizona Museum for Youth--to her just a visit like any other day. Grandma Lindy took her doll shopping and to lunch at McDonalds. I love that she chose a little bi-racial looking doll; she only later discovered that it also spoke because she stepped on it, and thus applied the necessary pressure. Ha! When you're 2, you don't feel put out that you still have to nap on your birthday, or get sent to "uh-oh" time in your bedroom. 2 is happy just to be.

When you're 2, you don't care that your party is just like last years: all your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings watching--and visiting amongst themselves--as you slowly open your presents. Avery would open one (I think this is the first time she's ever "gotten" the concept of unwrapping a gift) and then go sit on Grandma's lap to check it out, or have me read a few pages for her if it was a book. My favorite gift she got was a book of the first 2 years of her life I made for her on snapfish.com. It was so so sweet to read it to her before bed tonight and have her sit through the whole thing and then exclaim "Again!" at the end.
After presents, we ate cake and ice cream. And not just any cake; this cake had four layers of made from scratch devil's food cake, each layer separated by chocolate ganache frosting and white chocolate mint cream frosting. Then the whole creation was iced in marshmallow cream frosting. (Who knew you could make that stuff? I thought it only existed in jars.) This is what the cake looked like before it was iced, and here is the recipe. If you ever want to make it, call me for what I learned making it!

Inspired

Saturday was like one big party. We started the day with Abigail's first dance recital. You may have to click on the collage above to be able to see the pictures. First, I decided next time, I'm asking a parent who doesn't have a kid in the number to take the pictures and film; I kept getting caught up watching on this tiny screen what was happening in life-size dimensions just feet away. Silly mom. Abigail did great. I've seen them practice, so I knew she was a little disoriented being on the end, which is not her usual place, but I was still pleased that she was pleased with her performance. She watched the other girls a lot and would repeat the movement about a second later. It was so cute.
The top left picture shows Warren seated next to Abigail right after she performed. He sat there with her like that for the rest of the performance. Their relationship is so sweet; they play together so much at home, and though they would never admit it, they are best friends. (Which reminds me of a funny story; we take 2 other little girls home from kindergarten each day, and one of them says that Warren is her "worst" friend. I don't blame her, Warren is pretty antagonizing in the back seat, and who knows what he is like to her at school...Anyway, last week, he shared something with her on the way home and then asked excitedly, "Am I your best friend now?" She matter-of-factly replied, "No, but now you are my second-worst friend." Warren beamed and announced proudly, "I'm her second worst friend and that is one more than her worst!")

In the afternoon, Warren, Abigail and I went to Ballet Etudes production of "The Nutcracker" at the Mesa Arts Center. I had prepared myself for the possibility that we might have to leave early if the kids got bored; after all, the show was for them, and I wanted it to be a good experience. Well, they so far surpassed my expectations--they loved it and sat/stood so well for both acts of the show. Warren occasionally would be so entranced he would comment out loud, which was fine in this room full of parents, grandparents and kids. My favorite exclamation was to the lady seated to his right, when the "snow" started falling: "Wow! It must be snowing outside and the snow is leaking inside the building!"

Speaking of snow, we went to the Tempe Town Lake Light Parade and festivities, which included snow. When we told the kids, they immediately asked for a carrot to take so they could build a snowman. So we gathered up a carrot, raisins and sticks. For our 10 minutes of snow play time, we built this little guy, and Warren also slid down the mound. They loved it. Afterward, a machine was blowing fake snow over the crowd and Warren was captivated, trying to catch the flakes in his hand. It was beautiful to watch. I have to admit, our snowman was inspired by Uncle Lance and Aunt Kim's Christmas card where they are posing by a miniature snow man. That card has been so "loved" at our house, I can't even tape it up on the wall one more time. But I think Avery will be more comfortable with them next time she sees them, and that was the whole idea behind putting it down low where she could reach it.

I included the video below because to me, it is far better than any dance recital. I love how free Abigail is, how uninhibited, how confident. She is so comfortable moving through the space, and if you watch it long enough to see the curtsy/bow about 3/4 of the way through, you'll be impressed. Well, maybe not, but I happen to have seen her other attempts at curtsying in dance class, and they are sad, sorry, misshapen little movements. This one is no doubt achieved after watching so many dancers do it throughout the Nutcracker. Abigail was really inspired by all the dancing--a good reminder to me that not just participating, but also watching art, dance and music is vital for the development of a child.

Aunt Annie & Christmas Fun

Every mother should have and Aunt Annie--no, not for herself, for her kids. Ideally, she would be 12, love small children, volunteer to come over, babysit free of pay (most of the time), be super responsible but still young enough to be fun and play with the kids...practically perfect in every way. Yep, that is my youngest sister Annie. In addition, Annie also brings pre-planned activities, art projects, games, snacks and shows to put on. Once she brought all the supplies to make your own trick-or-treat bag. The kids made them and then while they got in their costumes, she decorated the playhouse and fort in the backyard like houses and then let them "practice" their trick-or-treating, with real candy, of course. Wednesday Annie brought all the supplies--right down to the pre-crushed Oreos--to make marshmallow truffles. After they made them, she then pulled all the supplies out to make holiday cards for my neighbors, even remembering to ask which of my neighbors celebrated Hanukkah so she could write the appropriate message. Then she let the kids decorate them. Then she took them Christmas caroling to deliver the truffles and cards. After that, she had them carol to me as I made dinner in the kitchen. Need I say anymore? Well, I won't but my kids will:
"I like Aunt Annie when she comes over because she brings toys." -Warren
"I like that she plays with us, and that she comes over, and I like that she watches us." -Abigail

Christmas funnies:
Last night the kids were all exiled to their room to play while I made dinner since Andy was coming home later than usual. After a while, they came and got me excitedly, saying, "Come see our Christmas tree!" They were so proud of all the ornaments they had hung on their chairs.
Warren asked, "What is the name of the 3rd wiseman? I know the first two: the wiseman, the foolish man, but what about the third?"

Traditions

Christmas, more than any other time of the year, gets me thinking about family traditions. When you live with pretty much all your extended family nearby, you have a lot of traditions already in place. Still, I want my own little family to have their own. One that we have done for 2 years now is decorating the tree for family night. We dim all the lights except for the tree lights and candles and play quiet music in the background. I sort the ornaments each year so that I have my box and each of the kids have theirs (my Grandma Merkley gives her grandkids an ornament each year, and now my mom does the same for my kids). This year we started our night with Warren accompanying us on the piano for "Silent Night" and then we read a book about Christmas symbols, "I Believe in Santa Claus." I love the parallels this book makes between Santa and Christ. Then we had a really short lesson about symbols as each person lit their candle from a central candle, like receiving the light of Christ. Then we got each ornament out and talked briefly about it as they child hung it on the tree. The kids loved seeing their "first" ornament as well as my kindergarten ornament--we let Warren hang that one--and the trolley car that Andy and I bought on our honeymoon in San Francisco. I give all credit for success to Andy who kept Avery engaged (quietly) on the rug, ad intermittently carried her over to hang an ornament. Afterwards, we had hot chocolate and chocolate cake on my china and the kids thought that was really special. Since the only other Christmas song Warren can play is "Jingle Bells," we ended with that.
We had such a good time decorating our tree that the kids told our neighbor, and he decided he would get out his tree this year. He invited us over to decorate it. So last night after dinner, we all went over and hung his ornaments, had cider and cocoa, ate yummy apple crisp he made for us (this is a guy who told me he's only made cookies twice in his life of 52 years) and played on his furniture--well, the kids did that. Andy and I were well-mannered :)
Another tradition we made our own this year was attending Westwood High School's "Canticle in Carols". I sang in this in HS, I conducted at it when I student taught and now I took my two oldest children to it. And, they did really well. Abigail can hardly sit still when there is music on, but she sat just in front of her seat, rocking along with the beat and periodically singing along. I loved hearing the same songs I sang, the ones I know the alto part to by heart, and then singing along on the "Hallelujah Chorus" with all the other alumni and friends of WW. There were a few new songs, but mostly old favorites. I think that describes our holiday traditions well, too. We do a lot the same, and the same-ness gives us the freedom and motivation to try a new one periodically. Maybe life is like that; home life is pretty repetitive and very much the same from day to day, but it gives the foundation for all the new and exciting things that happen in each person's life. Home is a safe place to come back to, a place where you know how and when things will be. I guess the greatest tradition is that of home, like a sign I have at the door that says, "Home is where your story begins."

Homemade Fun

Last Wednesday we hosted the second neighborhood Thanksgiving parade. It had rained all morning, and as my sign shows, we got a brief shower in the afternoon that dampened turnout a little bit, but lots of friends, family and neighbors still joined us for this very "small-town"--as one neighbor called it--event. Warren led our parade, wearing a pilgrim hat from school, wearing his "5 Finger Testimony Glove" to show what he was thankful for and pulling a wagon loaded with pumpkins, a rake and the boom box that played Sousa's "Starts and Stripes Forever."

This was the scene as we waited for everyone to arrive; when your parade only last about 5 minutes, you want to make sure everyone is there. I love the images of everyone just standing around, turned to another neighbor and having a friendly exchange.

The parade in action: kudos to my little sister Annie--in the brown jacket up front--who made a float and pulled Avery in it!

Abigail rode her trike and hefted a pumpkin sign from our front yard. I love the bonnet from school! Afterward, everyone played in our back yard and had cookies. Simple and fun and fully home-grown.
Other home-grown fun we have been up to: one morning as I awoke I was invited in for the play "Extreme Home Makeover" that Warren and Abigail were putting on in our living room. They had built a "house" out of cushions on the couch and just like in the show, the first order of business was for Abigail to show "Ty" --aka Warren--what was wrong with her house. He asked, "What's wrong with your house?" Abigail kept saying, "Well, we ran out of cushions," to which "Ty" kept responding, "No--doesn't it have mold or something?" They repeated this exchange a few times until Abigail took him inside the house to show him. After, Warren explained, "Now you get to go on a vacation to San Diego so you don't die while we work on your house," and he whisked her away. Next was demolition time, where Warren tore apart the house with his bare hands. Then he built a new house for Abigail to come home to. Andy knelt in front of it as the bus while Abigail and Warren called out, "Busdriver--move that bus!" Andy moved and Abigail of course showed the appropriate emotion before going in and checking out the house. It was pretty much the cutest play I've ever seen. Warren would like to add: "What's funny about the house was that it looked like it had ivy on the house but it was really ivy painted on the cushions. But the problem was really that there was mold. The ivy was just to make it look pretty."