Christmas 2009

Here are a few pictures of our fabulous Christmas outings. We had a really great week with family and fun! We're all sad it's over!!

Click here to view these pictures larger

(then click 'slideshow' on the right)

Birthday Party

Emma proclaimed that her 11th birthday was her best ever. Good to hear, but that's a lot of pressure for all the birthdays still to come! I better start planning right now! But I'm happy to do what I can to make at least a few of her wishes come true--she deserves to feel special!!

Cousins

We are lucky to have most of Bob's extended family living nearby. A couple of times every year, we all get together and have a smashing good time!! One of our favorite annual events was last night at Bonnie's house--pizza and White Elephant gift exchange! Always so fun to have everyone together--it's a chance for all the little cousins to re-connect and play! Eleven of the fourteen (soon to be 15)'next generation' were there--reminding us all how quickly time passes!
Dylan & Ben

Olivia, Bill, Rosie & Dylan

Mandy & Shayna

Linda, Charlie, Donna, Westin, Adam & Tracy

Avery & Olivia

All together now...
Rylee, Emma, Sophie, Luke, Westin, Julia M, Julia P, Avery, Dylan, Johanna & Olivia

Festivus for the Rest of Us

What a weekend of feasting & fun! This evening, Steve hosted his annual Solstice Stew complete with a yummy variety of bread, fruits & nuts and of course, his world famous, mouth-watering Cordelia Cordalis homespun ice cream!! The girls also enjoyed a new fun Solstice activity with Uncle Steve--making Granny's Chocolate cookies and watching Spirited Away!
A most welcome treat on the eve of the longest day of the year!!! Thanks again, Steve!!!! : )



We even got to have a champagne toast to congratulate Susan on the successful completion of her PhD program!! Way to go, Susan!!!

Pass the Pasta, Please

Emma had her 'friend' birthday party today. She thought it might be fun to take some girls to the Spaghetti Factory...and it was!! I fixed up the van like a limo; put the table up & turned the middle seats around, then added crepe paper, pretzels & juice bags. You know...the whole deal! And it worked like a charm--giggles all the way downtown!! We arrived and feasted and then discovered what it takes to mortify a 'tween' person. Have the wait staff bring out a cake and sing loudly, of course!! But the dread and embarrassment of that didn't last long & everyone seemed to have a great time!!

Morganne, Ashlyn, Ana, Emma & Lauren

slurp

OMG

guess it's not so bad

Screaming Video

I wasn't able to upload the video of Emma's solo but here is one with the whole band...that's her on the left. Sorry about the mini-earthquake in the middle...

Screaming Eagles

Emma's school band (The Screaming Eagles) got to perform with the school choir this afternoon. They did a screamin' job belting out their three songs. Emma even had a duet in one song (Lightly Row)!! I'll try to upload a video shortly!

brrr

The girls found this big icicle hanging from the trampoline this afternoon. Hopefully we'll be out of the deep freeze this weekend so all the ice melts away (and nobody gets gored while playing outside)!!

Spoiled

I often find my dog doing strange things. She's usually acting like a cat--eating little stuffed mice or lounging in a sunbeam on the floor. Today, however, I found her behaving strangely human...curled up with a good book & later, lounging with a nice, fluffy pillow. What a dog!!

All I want for Christmas is...

my two front teeth

Sophie's friend, Ryan, pulled her loose top tooth on the bus ride home today (per her request). Thanks, Ryan--now she can stop asking me to pull it!!
(this mama don't pull teeth)

Fit for a Princess...

Sophie's bed frame has been broken for a couple of months so this weekend we finally got around to getting her a new frame (so she won't have to sleep slanted anymore). I had promised to make her a 'message board' headboard like I made for Emma a couple of years ago...here is the result...It was a good 14 degree/snowy day past time!!


(the ribbon I used is sheer organza--not sure if I'm happy with that yet but maybe it works better with the flowery fabric...? Charlie likes it...

Fa La La La La

Sophie had her Holiday concert last night. It was fun to watch her perform all the songs she's been practicing for weeks (and fun to sing along in our heads after hearing all her practicing!!) Even better than watching her in person was watching the kids around her in this video. Note the girl in front of her glaring at the kid with the gigantic melon behind her. Turns out he was in Sophie's space and annoying her with his loud voice the entire time. She really held it together though and didn't sock him once! Good job, Sophie!!

Thankful

Santa Baby

Macy's has a big mailbox for letters to Santa (and for every letter put inside, they donate $1 to the Make A Wish Foundation). So Julia & Sophie went to work on their letters. Exactly whose children are they?!?

Girl Scouts & Gangstas'

Everyone save your pennies at Girl Scout cookie time--Girl Scouts in the house!

Yo Diggity Dog

The Angel Flies

Julia followed Sophie's lead & wrote a song book...this is one of my favorite songs:

Jeepers Creepers

When Sophie was coming out of the shower the other day, there was a sunbeam in the bathroom provided fabulous light for her stunning eyes...I just can't figure out what color they are...any votes?!? I always lean towards green, but there is also some blue/grey/brown in them too...depending on the light...or the day...

Who's That!?!

Why it's the girls, of course!
Emma was a little perplexed--people mistook her for a tomato, a flower, a strawberry and a leaf (really? c'mon) but we liked her apple & worm!!

Somehow Sophie decided she wanted to be the King of Rock when we spotted this costume in a catalog. She had a whole routine when our party guests arrived...emerging from her room and dancing cooly down the stairs singing 'you aint nothin' but a hound dog..."
She even had the plan to say "Trick-or-treat, uh huh" and "Thank you. Thank you very much" (in her best Elvis voice) when they gave her the candy.

Julia had a hard time choosing between Sandy from Grease or a kitty cat. We decided to combine them both so she became 'Fifties Kitty.' The best of both worlds!

And off they went...

Happy Halloween

(from our snow-witch & her snow-kitty)

Snow Day

Today was our first snow day of the season. We did a whole lot of lounging-

A little bit of trespassing...

For a few minutes of chilly sledding-


Then back home for warm baths, hot stew, and cookie decorating. Who says a foot of snow can't be fun!!