A post-Christmas interview

You've heard my version of the Christmas recap.  So let's hear from the rest of the family. 

What was your favorite Christmas present:
W: Probably that (pointing towards giant lego set).  I also really liked the Nike socks.
R:  The Elsa castle.  (Seeing that I'm typing more for everybody else Reina adds), I liked the bird Aunt Vicky gave me and the palace pet I got, and the Frozen clothes.
G: I liked all of them - the baseball glove, the Cabela's giftcard and the KUIU giftcard.

What was the favorite thing you ate for Christmas break so far:
W: I don't know probably turkey. 
R: I didn't eat anything.  Mom, I haven't eaten anything for Christmas.  Well, we did have a dinner.
G:  The stew you made yesterday.  (What a diplomat.)

So now both kids have left the room and Glenn's busy working on the giant lego set mentioned in Question #1.  I'd like to mention that it's -17.7 degrees outside and that's without the wind chill.  We have a bit of a cold snap going on right now.

What's been your favorite activity during the break so far:
W:  I don't know.  Probably building my legos. 
R:  Making my lego (okay, now she's just openly repeating what other people are saying.)
G:  Opening presents. 

How many more days of vacation do you wish you had?
W:  100
R:  100
G:  5

What else would you like to do before vacation is over with:
W:  Probably just ... I don't know.
R:  I would like to make the gingerbread house (that I bought at the beginning of vacation) and make snowflakes. 
G:  Not work. 

What are your resolutions for the New Year?
W: Probably building my legos.
R: Learning more Christmas carols, what's the prize?
G: Be more sensitive. (Seriously, Mr. Diplomat?)

So there you have it.  Christmas through the eyes of the other three-quarters of this blog.

One night with Baby Cousin

 A few weeks ago, we had a chance to babysit Baby Cousin for an evening.  She was still recovering from RSV and looks a little peaked in these pictures but we had a lot of fun with her.   

 

Eating cheerios like a champ!

Who, me?  I said "say cheese!"

Ignore the dirty kitchen in the background. I really need to get some photo editing software so I can pretend that the kitchen in all of these shots is perfectly cleaned and organized. 

Big cousin helping Baby Cousin even though Baby Cousin doesn't really need the help. 

Besides eating and feeding each other, we also played with some toys, played with some cousins, and read some stories.  We also played the "do you want to go to Uncle Glenn" game that's featured in the Christmas Even pictures.  Baby Cousin is so much fun right now - even when she's not sleepy and not interested in napping before Mom and Dad come pick her up.  

Christmas Eve

Before the excitement of Christmas Day, we had the excitement of Christmas Eve.  Glenn and I both took the day off and we had a lot of last minute errands to run.  We did a little shopping, a lot of grocery shopping, a little cleaning and a lot of scrambling.  We had two wound up kiddos on our hands who both kept asking if it was bedtime yet. 

 

Per our tradition, we went to church with the Fry's and then went over to their house afterward for a delicious dinner.  We had lots of good food and some quality time with Baby Cousin. 

After eating and running around for a few minutes, the big cousins entertained themselves on the floor of Baby Cousin's room.  I have no idea what the game involved but I'm sure there were battles and good guys. 

I spent most of my time sitting by Baby Cousin and being entertained by her Baby Cousin-ness. 

This is picture is as rare as a sighting of the Loch Ness monster.  Glenn holding Baby Cousin and Baby Cousin not hollering.  Such benevolence on Christmas Eve. 

And .... the moment has passed.

The Fry's have one of the best Christmas decorations in Cheyenne.  Santa in an Airstream.  Reina likes it but is a tiny bit scared of it.

On the way home, we looked at a few Christmas lights.  Once home, we put out cookies and carrots for Santa and the reindeer and then put two kids to bed on the easiest night to put kids to bed all year.  Neither one of them will as willingly hit the sack for the next 365 days. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  I'm sitting at the dining room table.  It's 7:28 p.m. and we've had a really nice day.  We've had it all:  opening presents, napping, watching movies, playing with just about every toy that was opened including a battery-operated nerf gun that is being used by all members of the household, regardless of age, eating good food and watching it snow outside.  That's right, it's a bonafide White Christmas today.  We are in the midst of a winter storm warning that will probably taper off before anyone can officially close state offices tomorrow (I've volunteered to work while Glenn stays home and cleans/supervises/shoots stuff with nerf guns/watches LOTR trilogy that was ostensibly bought for Will).  So without further ado, let's recap this wonderful day. 

We got to hang out with Baby Cousin and her handlers.  She wasn't in the mood to be held by anyone other than her parents but we had fun watching her play with her new toys and roar at the lion in her zoo book. 

Modeling her new hat that Grandma and I worked until the wee hours to finish.  And then actually had to keep finishing it after Christmas because it wasn't quite done. 

It's not Christmas without some Candy Kale!  Glenn shuddered when he took a bite which means my mission was accomplished.  Since he's not a big fan of the usual stocking treats, each year I look for snacks that are holiday appropriate but also weird and possibly not palatable. 

 The dogs were also spoiled.  Along with boxes of new biscuits, Trigger got a squeaky duck and Tootise a bright pink pig that was de-eared and de-stuffed within about 10 minutes of being opened. 

We had a lot of happy faces around the tree this morning but possibly non more than the Brittany's. 

 

Snow!!  Snow!!

 Santa brought Will a big Lego that he's had his eye on all autumn.  Just the reaction that Santa was hoping for.  

Reina hoped for the castle from Frozen.  Luckily, Santa was on the ball and ordered this thing a few days before Thanksgiving because I'm pretty sure just about every girl between 6 and I don't know, 11? wanted this under her tree. 

I think this has my name on it....

It's the ELSA CASTLE! 

Will woke everybody at 6:30 which means that my record of being the first one up in the family is finally retired and I doubt we'll see the other side of 8:00 a.m. on December 25 anytime soon. I hate to see this day end but since we've all been up since 6:30, it probably better end soon.  Merry Christmas! 

Will's Mayflower presentation

After the kindergarten program last week, we had a few minutes left of the school day and Reina and I snuck down the hall to spend a few minutes in Will's classroom.  The class was giving individual presentations on the Mayflower, Plymouth Colony and Pilgrims.  Will chose to draw a series of pictures of what life was like on the Mayflower and at Plymouth Colony.  It took some prodding (nagging, cajoling, threatening) from the parents, but Will ended up with a great project.  He drew a wonderfully detailed Mayflower. He wanted to include a small battle scene of the ship being attacked by pirates but I insisted he stick to historical accuracy. He drew a side by side comparison of a bedroom on the Mayflower and bedroom in Plymouth.  Spoiler alert:  they were both really small.  He remembered the name of the baby born on the Mayflower - Oceanus and he pointed out that the colony was built on an abandoned Indian village.  It's fun to see the things that stick in that brain of his.

My very own little historian

At the end of the week, he brought home the feedback forms that his classmates filled out after his presentation.  Will's teacher encourages positive feedback but also asks them to list specific things that they liked about the presentations.  Here's a smattering of the comments from Will's classmates: 

1.  I like your Mayflower.
2.  Awesome
3.  Specific stuff
4.  Big giant hug!
5.  I like you Will!!! (exact number of exclamation points)
6.  You added the date.
7.  You added Plymouth.
8.  Awesome (in bubble letters)
9.  Really smat work. 
10.  You had to share a room with 10 or 11 people. 
11.  I lick your poster.

That last one is my favorite.  If only we all received such positive feedback in our daily work. 

Kindergarten Christmas Program

I've fallen off the blogging train this week.  Our evenings have been filled with cookie baking, Christmas letter-writing, knitting of top secret projects, and blobbing it in front of the tv, if I'm going to be honest.  This weekend was a hodge-podge of Christmas shopping, turning elk and antelope meat into burger, baking (and eating) and seeing friends and family.  I'm trying hard to slow everything down and enjoy this season but darn it's hard.

 

Last week, Reina had her kindergarten Christmas program.  The theme was "Polar Express" and they sang songs in the pajamas and accomplished the task of looking adorable. 

Reina and her BFF/potential future fiancee.  They are buddies!

 

Again the needing a better zoom for my camera.  Reina is the soulful singer in the purple nightgown slightly off center in the picture.  She was the Celine Dion of the kindergarten program - all meaningful expressions and whatever the word for 'acting out the song whilst singing it' is.  She's got that down pat. 

Second row, two from the left.  Singing her little dramatic heart out. 

Same spot - giving it all she's got.

So here we are, 3 days until Christmas.  I'm going to try to set aside the fact that I have ALL of the presents to wrap, more cards to write, cookies to make and decorate (and eat), and just enjoy these days through the eyes of that sparkly kindergartner in the second row. 

Church Christmas program

Today was our church's children's Christmas program.  It goes without saying that one of the Bronco Babies was pretty excited.  The other was, well... not.

One of us jumped out of bed, put on a pretty dress and posed delightedly in front of the Christmas tree. 

The other one put on a shaky smile and posed reluctantly in front of the Christmas tree. 

  For the program, the kids sang a bunch of songs while the older kids read a narrative of the Christmas story.  Reina sang loudly and enthusiastically and from our seat in the third row, we could hear every word.   

Is that a smiling Will? 

Just like it does every year, hearing all of the favorite songs like "Away in a Manger" and "Silent Night" get me in the Christmas spirit and reminds me what this whole season is all about. 

Christmas programs and new carpet

It's been a whirlwind few weeks at the house. We've crammed in a couple of home improvement projects with normal this-time-of-year projects (meat processing, Christmas cookie baking but thankfully not at the exact same time, Christmas decorating) and we haven't had a lot of time to slow down.  Last weekend, we painted Will's room because we knew we were getting new carpet.  This weekend, we had to move all of the "knick-knacks" out of the rooms before the new carpet arrived.  The carpet installers were moving all of the big pieces of furniture so the knick-knack job didn't seem like it would be too difficult.  News flash: we have way too many knick-knacks (looking at you kiddos).  The house is finally getting back into order and the new carpet is so clean and so very soft, it's like walking on a floor of marshmallows... not that I've ever done that but it seems to be a fitting metaphor.   

 

Pictures of carpet for the grandparents and other interested parties

This room will never look this clean again.

 

Last night, Will had his second-grade Christmas program. I think it's been well-documented here that my son is not a big fan of singing in public.  Or standing on a stage.  Or wearing clothes that aren't sports-related.  But he put on a happy face and off we went. 

I took this picture after the program.  He hopped back up on the stage mostly willingly and smiled.  Smiling because it's all done.

Will's class, along with the other second grades sang a medley of Christmas tunes and showed off their rhythm by clapping giant plastic plates together in unison to the beat of the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies.  This performance got Reina's attention and you would've thought she was at Rockefeller Center with her enthusiastic clapping and cheering when it was done.  Will commented after the performance that it was a dangerous song and he "literally almost got my head chopped off" by the whooshing plates.  Now that would've been some Christmas program. 

Reasons why Mom needs a telephoto lens.

The program was cute and I left feeling like I always do after one of those performances.  However much his teacher and music teacher make is surely not enough. 

Unleashed

I took my new camera out for a spin yesterday with two wild dogs and kids.  We headed to our favorite dog (and kid) exercise spot nearby.  We had amazing December weather for Wyoming although both kids admitted to being cold by the end of the walk, even though I had provided ample warning.  Mom's always right, blah blah blah.

 

We hadn't been there more than 30 seconds before Will found a stick that made a suitable weapon. 

Will, Reina and Trigger's fanny. 

Someone needs a haircut but we didn't get that far this weekend.  Add it to next weekend's to-do list!

My new camera has a neat feature where I can hold the 'shoot' button down and it will take several pictures in a row in rapid style.  This frame is like 1 of 15 because it took that many times for both dogs to look at me.  This one's going on the Christmas card. 

Action shot.  Trigger and Tootsie hot on the trail of something.  Will and Reina hot on the trail of running away from Mom. 

Look closely and see if you can find T, T & R. 

I'm being followed by a Jedi. 

Brother and sister starting to get a little chilly but no one will admit it.

Reina made it to the top first and I told her, "Your the king of the mountain!"  "Queen, mom. I'm the queen of the mountain."    Naturally.

This picture made my weekend.  Christmas card?  Check! 

I don't think he was trying to wink at me...

I was trying to get all artsy but my framing still needs some work.  Let's call this one, Reina Inside a Snowfence. 

On the way home from church today, violence nearly erupted in the backseat while the kids were talking about potential plot points for the next Frozen movie.  As you can imagine, Reina has strong feelings about it.  Will suggested that Elsa (Reina's favorite character, Halloween costume, and mentor if only Reina had ice powers) probably dies in the movie and that's why it's called "Frozen Forever."  Spitting venom and more anger than I've seen her muster for just about anything else she feels passionately about, Reina suggested that NO SHE DOES NOT BOBO.  I hope Disney is paying attention. 

Basketball

Reina's first basketball practice was on Monday.  In true Lucy style, we were late because I didn't take into account how long it would take me to leave work, pick everybody up, drop Will off at home, change clothes, change Reina's clothes, and then drive all the way across town to the school furthest from our neighborhood but still within the city limits.  But we made it to practice in one piece and walked into the gym to shouts of "Reina!  Reina's here!"  Reina is on the same team as a few of her kindergarten classmates and some other kids she knows from the after school program.  While there's only one other girl on her team, Reina felt right at home. 

 

Reina has a great, patient coach with endless energy.  Which is good because the team members have endless energy and super short attention spans. 

Reina either talking to herself or telling her coach a long, complicated story about what happened on the playground today.

Basketball.... soccer... basketball.... soccer....

Sometimes in the middle of basketball practice it's important to just sit down and take a break and talk about that time someone said boobs on the playground. 

Thanksgiving weekend recap

While driving home from the Christmas parade last night (Saturday), Glenn told me that he felt like we needed a few more extra days for our holiday weekend.  From my perspective, I'm actually a little relieved to go back to work tomorrow, where the pace will hopefully be slightly slower than it was at home this weekend.  We packed a lot into our holiday!  On Saturday, the kids and I continue to tackle the giant toy sinkhole known as their rooms.  We got it done and Glenn was amazed when he got back from hunting.  It's not often that I can surprise him (in a positive way) with my cleaning skills. 

 

Part of the reason for all of the cleaning in Will's room is that we decided to paint it before the new carpet arrives.  Earlier in the summer, he asked for a Broncos room and seriously, who am I to turn down that request?  While I originally envisioned blue and orange and stripes and a giant Broncos logo and all sorts of Broncos wonderfulness, over time (and a few yucky games), I toned it down to white on the top, blue on the bottom and an orange stripe through the middle.  Here's the 'before' picture.  Vicky and I painted that green a few months after we moved in. 

 

Glenn and I obviously care a lot about removing clutter and furniture before we paint.... it could've been so much worse.

 After a jampacked day full of church, Sunday School, trip to the paint store and three football games (Go Broncos!), I'm pleased to report that the only thing we have left is the orange stripe.  We hope to finish that tomorrow night and put the room back together.  Will's bunking on the floor of his sister's room tonight and not super excited about that.

As I mentioned earlier, last night we headed out to the Christmas parade.  In previous years, the Christmas parade has been something to "endure" rather than head out to because of the cold, COLD weather.  This year was almost balmy compared to previous years.  It did get a little chilly towards the end and certain members of the family ignored mom's advice about grabbing a hat and gloves ... but we had a nice time.   Bring on December!