Because I want the distinction of being the latest person ever to still be blogging about Christmas.  :/ Ahem.  So, Christmas morning finally arrived. The proverbial calm before the storm. We told them they could come and wake us up but not too early.  Meaning, it had to be light outside first.  So it was early, but thankfully not too early. The obligatory group picture. He wanted no help this year. Her most wished for present. A camera of her very own.  Pink, of course. This guy bought his own gift this year, but I found just the thing to give him at the last minute. His already owned black…

And before we knew it, Christmas Eve was upon us. His look pretty much says it all. My sweet boy. My sweet girl. Okay, the others are sweet too, but this boy wanted to get this show on the road.  (We let them open their stockings on Christmas Eve). Discovering the joy of red envelopes.  Especially when they’re from Ah-ma. Daddy was in charge of stockings.  Looks like he didn’t disappoint. M, A, and J each got a minion. “IT’S SO FLUFFY I COULD DIIIIIIIIIE!!!”  (She got the fluffy unicorn in case you couldn’t tell). Then we tucked the little critters into bed and because Ah-ma and Uncle Richard were…

And then it was the last day of school before winter break.  Thankfully, Phil’s vacation had started that day, so he was able to come see the kids do their class parties, too. Lauren’s class was our first stop. Then we dropped by Mikey’s class as just as they were doing their gift book exchange.  Careful deliberation… Before settling on the chevron striped one. And then we popped over to Allie’s class just as they were finishing cookie decorating. Little brother looooves visiting the kids’ classrooms.  Why?  Because he only comes to visit on class party days so he thinks this is what they do every day they’re at school. …

So after driving our Forester for twelve years, the husband went and got himself a shiny new car last month.  We’re hanging on to the Forester for the time being- that faithful old car has been with us since very nearly the beginning of our married life together and has seen us through quite a lot. Most notably, the birth of each of our kids. All four were born in different hospitals, delivered by different doctors, in two different states, and went home in different infant car seats.  The only thing that’s been the same (aside from having the same mom and dad, not a small thing in itself I…

Ahh.  So behind.  But now looking back on all the December pics, I remember why I’m so behind.  It was a crazy month.  Full of fun.  Busy.  Thankful for a slower pace now. So Allie’s taken a ballet class this fall. Here’s our girl.  And yes, that would be another little ballerina climbing the pole behind her.  This is a very serious ballet class, in case you couldn’t tell. And here’s our girl with the reindeer antlers I had no idea she was supposed to have.  Thankfully another mom had an extra pair.  (What mom has extra pairs of antlers on her??  Not me, that’s for sure.)  I depend on…