Sand To Snow

Today was all about the snow. Over the last two years we have traded for and bought snow shoes for the four of us. Today we got to use them! and we (especially I) loved it.  

45 min fro,m the house we found snow, way up on the peak and pulled over on the side of the road to follow what maybe was a trail? We jumped over lots of fallen trees so I am thinking maybe not. 

We did come across this snow igloo and the kids peaked in. Gret could barely get in so I didn't try:) 

 The kiddos in their snow shoes. Love these kids. Love that they are troopers, work hard and enjoy what is put in front of them. For little's, they sure don't complain much. 

 Below, Fieldin after climbing a little hill. He just looks so darn cute.

 Heading over another baracade, Fieldin flew over it (see his head) and Greta no matter where she is, she poses like a model. 

 After a snow fight we hid from the falling snow under branches for a bit before heading back to the car. Gret took this pic. 

sledding. Love this photo.

Lots more sledding. Then the snow really started coming down so we headed home. 

Now watching firework shows online around the world because these two won't make it til' midnight.. well, Fieldin might.:) 

Looking Forward

I spent all day Friday taking down the Christmas decorations inside. I have not touched the outside decorations yet. We have bins stacked up in the kitchen ready to be stored away. I am starting to think I overdecorate when I see the tower of bins. 

Yesterday we all needed a feral day(love that word) the kids needed to run, scream, throw sand, dig and burn off steam. (Jeff & me too)

 Pre-beach picnic. We learned a long time ago, the idea of a picnic on the beach is nice but sand in your pb&j sandwich is not. 

 good bye 2012

 I swear, her eyes are the color of sea foam, 

 "Lilly" their sand woman. 

 too cute

 Lilly getting a make over. Sea weed locks and knotted rope scarf

 Lots of frisbee, extreme family dodgeball, chase, kelp jump rope and chillen. 

Trying not to get hit with the dodgeball. This kid is fast and almost impossible to hit. 

Headed home.. a good day. A little coffee/hot chocolate and early to bed. 

4:45 a.m.

4:30 a.m. : Cat climbs on me, puts his nose to my nose to see if I am up and ready to play. 

4:45 a.m. Fieldy comes in. "Where's Santa?". "Where's Santa?" 

Jeff: "He is somewhere in Hawaii?" 

Then Greta heads down the hall. 

"Santa's been here, I see packages." 

Let the morning begin! 

 We all looked this tired. 

All presents and stockings were open by 6 a.m. 

Then a hour of trying to get packaging off everything. 

Breakfast. 

Trying to figure out tech stuff. 

Merry Christmas! 

Nap time. 

Christmas Eve

Each year on Christmas Day we like to take a family hike. The weather was better on Christmas Eve so we went then. It was a good day. The kids were overly excited about packages being delivered so the hike was perfect for blowing off steam. As you can tell by the pics, they were goofy and giggly. 

Then a little frozen yogurt treat. We eat our big meal on Christmas Eve and eat light on Christmas day. 

A little Santa prep, a lot of poking at the presents under the tree, getting dressed up for caroling and family time.

A good day. 

And The Cookies Were Kung Fu Fighting....

I've never been good at decorating sugar cookies. Our baking sugar cookies. 

This year we opted for gingerbread people and when the kids saw ninja cookie cutters at the store months ago we had to bring them home. 

Kung Fu cookies. 

 Greta was my helper, I get gingerbread but watch me roll out sugar cookie dough and it is disaster. 

 The kids cut out the cookies and helped me roll. 

 Catching Fieldin sneaking icing as usual. 

 This girl had black icing everywhere. 

 One of Fieldin's ninja's 

The kids cookies. These will be left for Santa tonight. 

The kids are hanging around the tree much more today. 

Lot's of "Can we open one now?" and "Why do we have to wait soo long?" 

There is also some shaking and poking happening. 

I am turning a blind eye. I remember being their age at Christmas time. 

Nutcracker

 Our yearly trip to watch the Nutcracker. I look forward to this each year. Fieldin loves the ballet too but this year the show was much longer than he is used to so we talked him into a movie with Jeff. I think he will be ready to join us again next year. (last year we saw a shorter version and he looved it) 

This years performance had a choir and live orchestra. It was amazing. 

 Greta below at intermission. We walked around and looked at art and then headed to the 4th floor where it was quiet so Greta could dance. 

 Doing leaps. The kids listen to the Nutcracker soundtrack all the time at home so she was humming to the music. The hardest part for her at this age is knowing when to clap but she is learning. It is confusing for a little. She whispered a couple times"Why are we clapping?" "Do I clap now?" 

A wonderful day and Fieldin wanted to hear all about the Mouse King when he saw us after the ballet. Greta's favorite character's are still Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker. 

Around Here

Around here...

we've been pretty quiet and keeping to ourselves.

playing games, baking, lots of naps and movies, a little crafting and lots of 

relaxing

Around here we are enjoying family time. 

 After a 2 hour mad lib marathon with Greta, I lost my partner when he fell asleep..and Jeff was asleep so it became a game with just us girls. Greta looves mad libs. 

 Lots of dress up, dancing and acting. 

 Lots of fetch with a cooped up cat. His favorite fetch toy..dum dums.. he is sleeping more but needs lots of playtime still. He likes snow but not the rain, so he's been bored. 

 caught ya! The kids don't mess with their presents much but they do want to know what's in those big boxes.. 

 Some of Jeff 's cookies from the neighborhood cookie swap(melting snowmen). I am a bit cookie'd out but know the kids want to bake more, 

Greta's gingerbread house she made at school. Very glad I volunteered and was able to bring it home. It would not have survived the bus ride home. :) 

SNOW! snow! SNOW!

I've been wishing for snow...daily.

I was up watching it begin at 11:30 last night. 

I love snow. 

Our morning started very early. 

Fieldin was in snow bibs, boots and hat around 6 a.m.

waiting, waiting, waiting. 

The morning looked like this. 

Watching the snow from the window, cat, Greta and Fieldin. 

 We left for the bus early so Greta could get her playtime in. 

Fieldin's snowman. I finally talked him in after lots of snowball fights and snowman making. 

Now it melts with scattered flakes. 

My childlike heart is full of joy. 

Wishes do come true. 

Thanks for a little bit of snow. 

Flashback video: Santa claus is coming to town

Not sure if any of you remember this from December 2009.

watch here. 

Greta's Christmas Song

Greta wrote a Christmas song yesterday for us. 

She wasn't ready to sing it quite yet but wanted to get it in our journal. 

I am going to type it as she wrote it. No auto correct :) 

It's Christmas

It's Christmas

tis the seasen to be jolly and buetiful!

Gingerbread man time of year!

Nutcrackers are out ready to go!

It's Christmas. Lets go! Today!

get the holly out. 

ho! ho! ho!

Santas coming tonight!

time to open presents!

ho!ho!ho!

Lets go!

Fieldin

Horrible shadow of my lense or head in this photo..

I enjoy working with Fieldin on his writing on his days off from pre-school. It is two days a week when we can sit down and focus and I have to admit I love watching his face light up as he is learning to put words together and seeing them on paper. 

Today, he wanted to write to Santa. This says "I love Santa, Fieldin". Then he said "Can you get this in the mail?" 

Never to late to butter up the man who brings gifts, I get it. 

His other letter is a gift to Greta. 

"I love Greta" and "Dumbo" 

He drew a picture of a pink dumbo with it and said, "My gift to Greta is a pink Dumbo." 

Congrats Fieldin. Thank you for letting me teach you to write. You are such a good little student. 

Handsome and Gretel's House

Yesterday, the kids worked on their yearly gingerbread house. Every year they do more and more of the work. I only supervised the icing to make sure it wasn't all used up in one big quick glob. They designed and decorated all on their own. 

Gingerbread houses always reminds us of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Or as Fieldin says it "Handsome and Gretel". No surprise he is handsome and of course Greta is Gretel.. don't want to know who the mean ol' witch is. 

 Decorating cookie trees after unwrapping lots of candy. 

 Final masterpiece. A Happy little 2012 house. Looks good enough to eat, but please don't.