December

What a busy month!  I know it usually is for most people but throw an anniversary, 4H, homeschool, field trips, a concert, and a bazaar into the holiday fray and it hits survival mode pretty quick.  We did survive and even enjoyed 99% of it!  December has been the start of some things and the end of others.  We started this month with 4H fair entries.  They both decided they wanted to enter the food judging this year- Lise with her own ratatouille recipe, and Bug with fruit salsa and cinnamon chips.  They were nervous not knowing what to expect but did great! 

Both kiddos got first place ribbons for their food! The crazy hair came from park day moments before we had to be to 4H, busy day.  Busy week!

Some part of him is always a blur of motion.

Concert

This is Lise's choir.  They have been preparing for this since the end of August.  The music was absolutely beautiful!  Great way to start out the holiday season.

Concert Stage

Concert Hall, or at least the back balconies.  By performance time seats were full!

We like the boxes.

Lise is one of the spots on the far right, 1st row from the back.

Her favorite song from the concert.  The recording has audience noise, is a little wobbly, and a lot too close to the percussionist but ignore that. . .  they still sound pretty darn good!

Anniversary

Getting married at Christmas is a great idea!  Anniversaries, however, are a lot like having a birthday around Christmas. . . it can feel a little like trying to cram one more thing into a packed suitcase.  We did take the day off from all other holiday ruckus, watched the "Hobbit" with the kids and then went to dinner on our own.  Simple.

17 years and we haven't killed each other.  I think we'll go for a few more!

Christmas

A 6 ton sand Christmas Tree.  It's Florida.

 

Kiddos slept under the tree a couple of days before Christmas.  The flash in complete darkness may have something to do with the looks on their faces. 

The beginnings of Christmas dinner.  I forgot to take another picture when the rest of it made it to the table.  Lots of leftovers meant pie for breakfast and no cooking necessary for a few days!

They entertained us at dinner by singing Christmas Carols. . . with accents.  They make me laugh.

Chocolate frogs, Christmas breakfast of champions.

Chocolate for breakfast seems to be a recurring theme in our house on Christmas.

Ted, not really feeling the Christmas spirit, despite being decked out.

Second breakfast, a little something besides chocolate.

Tea and new board games after breakfast.

My favorite radio station.

Happy Holidays!  We hope yours have been filled with laughter and love.

November

This month always seems to disappear in a blur.  I don't know where it goes but is seems to just slip by.  Which, if your birthday happens to be in this month, is not such a good thing.  We made a concentrated effort this year to stop and enjoy the boy's day.  I think it was a success!

They loved waking up to this.  Each balloon had a few small things in it: a dollar, a note, a little coupon for things like "I'll do your dishes".  So much fun it's going to be a yearly tradition.

Even the minifigures came out to celebrate. ;)

Gathering up gifts along the crepe streamer trail.

Finally a Hogwarts robe!

They still love each other. . . even though they belong to different Hogwart's houses.

Birthday flan, we're not big on cake.

The weather is lovely here in November.  It's cooling off. . . or at least it's supposed to, we still get plenty of days up in the 80's.  And peak bloom season is on.  It's really a beautiful time to be outside and our favorite garden gets a lot of miles.  The kids have started taking the cameras and video recorders on our walks.  These are photos they have taken.

And, of course, Thanksgiving!  My favorite holiday.  I wish it didn't sneak up and slip by so quietly, then again, maybe that's part of the beauty of it.  We kept things simple this year; Thai style coconut soup and plenty of pie!  It was delicious.  And a neighbor brought us a lovely meal from their turkey.  It was unexpected and enjoyable, as all food brought with love is.

This was so good we are repeating it for New Years!

Everybody picked a pie.  These pumpkin and pecan pies filled the house with the heavenly scent of fall as they baked!  The lemon-sour cream pie didn't make it to pictures and Bug's choice of flan was his birthday treat. Yum!

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the many blessings life has to offer!