Christmas 2018

Christmas.... is a big deal.

Sometimes I wish it was less of a big deal.

Christmas Eve got off to a bit of a rough start when I went to the store to get a few last items and my backup camera blanked in the middle of me backing... which was also when the gal who parked across from me was backing... which I would have known if my camera hadn't cut out. Our cars briefly kissed and then after a short and apologetic conversation, we both threw up our hands and went on our merry ways. Still, I was kicking myself for the rest of the day.

I got over it in time for the Christmas Eve festivities, which included (as always) Jesus' birthday cake. 

The kids always look forward to decorating the cake as one of the great highlights of the evening.

I must say they did a pretty good job this year. It's actually not half bad.

There was a lot of leftover frosting, but I have no idea where it ended up.

After dinner and cake and the Reading of the Christmas Story and the Opening of the Pajamas, we went to go see lights. Jane had to bring Scruffy along. Scruffy goes everywhere with Jane. Chances are good he will accompany her to college. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

After the lights, we put the kids to bed and made the magic of Christmas. 

The next morning, the kids were like... kids on Christmas morning. 

Emily has been looking forward to getting a guitar for Christmas. She has been learning on a school-issued guitar all year and she was thrilled to finally have her own.

Jane also had a great Christmas morning. Her favorite present seems to be this panda blanket, in which she has taken up permanent residence. 

We topped things off with a healthy breakfast. 

Emily spent the rest of the day playing her new guitar.

And Jane spent the rest of the day not getting dressed and watching movies while eating candy from her stocking. She's allowed. It was Christmas, after all.

That's all, folks. Christmas is great. And I'm so glad it only happens once a year.

Jane's Perfect 10

Jane has finally hit double digits!

It's hard having a birthday around Christmas, but Jane decided to embrace the season.

She wanted an Elf party, complete with pasta and Pop Tarts and friends.

And this amazing Elf cake, made by her exhausted mother.

That's a lot of candles, Jane! And a lot of friends. I still don't know how I gave birth to an extrovert but I am learning to cope. 

Happy Birthday Jane!

Halloween 2018

This is Halloween... This is Halloween...

Mom and dad are out of the pumpkin carving game.

If you want pumpkins, you have to carve them yourself.

And that's how that looks:

They didn't turn out too badly.

I think this may be Emily's last year dressing up. 

Here they are at Trick or Treet Street at the high school. Emily wasn't very excited.

But she was more than happy to go trick or treating. They went with friends for awhile and then with each other til the porch lights were all turned off. They had quite the haul. 

Don't worry about all that candy. Jane always makes hers last til Christmas. Emily makes hers last til election day... eve... or maybe the day before that. 

Cross Country

This year Emily made family history and became the first of us to participate in organized sport. She ran cross country.

Sometimes the meets were big..

and sometimes they were small.

Sometimes the weather was burning hot...

and sometimes it was freezing cold.

Sometimes she ran in the middle of town...

and sometimes in the middle of nowhere.

The important thing is that she ran. At the beginning of the season, she was finishing almost last. By the end of the season, there were a handful of kids finishing behind her. We are super proud of her that she participated and that she improved. She's learned that when it comes to being healthy, you don't have to be the fastest, you just need to be consistent. She's already looking forward to track season in the spring. 

First Day of School 2018

This is the first year the kids haven't been in the same school. It was bittersweet.

Emily set off before dawn to ride the bus to junior high. She has been practicing cross country for the last couple of weeks so she already feels pretty comfortable with the school. It will be an exciting new adventure.

Jane went to 4th grade. She felt a little out of place going to school for the first time without her sister, but I am sure she will adjust. 

Only two more first days of elementary school and then Jane will head off to junior high too. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it...

Disneyland 2018

Disneyland never gets old! 

Every trip has its great highlights. Here are this trip's:

We got a theme park view room at the Grand Californian even though we paid for a standard. Yes!!! This was life altering.

Jane is finally going on some rollercoasters without complaint. Her favorite is Radiator Springs Racers (and also Big Thunder but she was going on that one without complaint last time). 

The Pixar fireworks show was AMAZING! It involved projection on the buildings on Main Street. We loved every second.

After Jane's Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique makeover, we ran into Gaston! Jane threw him plenty of shade. I was proud of her.

Chris talked me into getting ears for the first time.

The kids look cuter in them, though.

We got to go backwards on "It's a Small World". I know this is weird, but it was fun, as shown by the look on Emily's face. I think it was precipitated by some sort of breakdown or something. 

We can hardly wait to go back!

After all, it is the most magical place on earth!

Holy Hail

Guess what?! 

We're getting a new roof!!!