Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve

We started out Christmas Eve with a little Christmas concert by the kids.

(Actually, I should say we started out Christmas Eve by putting Cynthia in her crib with a pile of books to read so we could enjoy the Christmas concert in peace. Best idea ever.)

I had bought an easy beginning Christmas piano book, and the older kids had so much fun learning fun Christmas songs.

Here is a little medley of Rachel, Oliver, and Tristan playing parts of their songs, along with a few attempts by Lizza and Henry to join in at the end.  Henry insisted that he was going to play Jingle Bells, but after he sat down and looked at the book, he sat and stared at the keys for awhile in growing disgust that he couldn’t figure out the song (I edited out this part – he sat there for a long time- but left in the part where he complains about not being able to find Jingle Bells, like it is somehow all our fault).

The video is pretty dark, because the kids all thought it would feel more “Christmas-Eve-y” to have all the lights off.

After the concert we turned the lights back on and everyone opened their new pajamas and presents from Grandpa Darcy.

When everyone else had opened their stuff up, I went back and got Cynthia (who was still reading happily in her bed) and let her join in the fun.

Here she is ready to open up her jammies:                       

She was freaking out about the wrapping paper.  She kept making the “yucky” sound that I make to her whenever she touches something gross.

She was a little more brave on her second present, but still wasn’t a big fan of the wrapping paper.  Funny girl.

My 3 girls in their new jammies:                                     

All the kids:

Christmas Morning

The older five waiting on the stairs to come down:

This year instead of having the kids buy a bunch of little things for each other at the dollar store, I had them draw names and then they each spent $5-10 of their own money on just one person.  It was so fun watching each of them take the choosing and buying of the gifts so seriously – they really wanted to get things that their person would love.

Oliver drew Lizza’s name, and he bought her a giant “create a face with stickers” book.  It was perfect for her.

Tristan bought Rachel a jewelry-making kit.  You can see from her face that she was pretty happy about it.

Henry bought Oliver a giant Lego square to build stuff on, and then posed for this nice picture.

Here is a cute story about Tristan:  A few weeks before Christmas, he had his 5th grade performance at school.  They had learned how to play several little songs on recorders.  Tristan really loved learning to play, and decided that all he wanted for Christmas was his very own recorder.  At first I thought he must think they were pretty expensive (like a violin or something), because he knows how much we budget, and he was still saying that was all he wanted.  But then we were having a conversation with Tristan and Oliver about what they might want for Christmas from their Grandpa Darcy.  Tristan said, “Mom, I have a great idea!  Maybe I could ask Grandpa for a recorder, and then since they’re only about six dollars, then maybe he could spend the rest of my Christmas money on Oliver and get Oliver something really nice, like an ipod or something!”  Haha.  He is such a sweet kid (usually).  Imagine his surprise when he opened his present from Lizza on Christmas morning and found his very own recorder and a book full of songs to learn.  Pure joy!   

More opening presents:                                                    

Then Cynthia woke up, and Rachel (who had picked Cindy’s name) was finally able to give her this cute skirt she had picked out at Target.  Cindy loves clothes, pretty things, and skirts, plus circles are her 2nd favorite shape (after stars), so it was a big hit.                                       

Then Cindy gave Henry this great Solar System puzzle, and I probably don’t even need to say how happy he was about that.                                                                      

Here’s Cindy opening up her presents from me and Daniel – some fancy bead necklaces, and some animal magnets.  She was super pleased, and acted like it was the best day of her life, and how could it get any better?

And then she opened her stocking and found her own orange and her own chocolate pudding, and that’s when she knew for sure that Christmas is awesome.                             

The kids spent the next hour enjoying their presents:

And then it was time to get ready for church.                     

But before we left, Henry gave us this quick concert on his new guitar:

After church we had a three-course Christmas fondue feast, with cheese, meat and vegetables, and of course, chocolate.

Merry Christmas, cowboy!                                               

The end. 

Valentine’s Day Awesomeness

I am turning over a new leaf (just for today) and posting about a holiday on the actual day it occurs (never mind that I haven’t finished my Christmas post yet).

Valentine’s Day celebrations started early at our house, with this sweet little gift that Lizza gave to me and Daniel yesterday.  Our very own Valentine wallet! (to share – she made us promise to take turns.) She was so excited to give us something that we could “actually use, like to take to Target, or the bank, or work, or wherever else grownups like to take their wallets.” 


The part she was most excited to show me about was how it even had real pockets on the inside.  She demonstrated their usefulness by putting my phone and keys in there.  I must say, I took it to Target last night (inside my purse) after Tristan informed me he had volunteered to bring ice-cream to his class party, and it worked like a charm.


Then Rachel couldn’t bear to wait, and asked if she could give me a present early, too.  She justified it by saying that I might really want to use her present on Valentine’s Day, so it was okay if she gave it early.  It was a special Valentine Coupon Book.  Inside there were coupons for “one dinner I’m going to make it”, “a day of washing the dishes”, and “a day of cleaning the house” (a whole day! for sure I will use those ones on a weekend to get the best use out of them).

This coupon was by far my favorite, though – “A hole after noon of peace and quiteness.”  Haha!  This girl knows what makes me truly happy.  Do you think I could make copies of this coupon and use them over and over again?

Pretty much all day yesterday was spent making Valentine cookies for the older three kids to take to school.  We did the kind with royal icing – they’re so fun, because it’s easy for even the kids to make neat designs.

(well, not Henry – he just covered his with dots of frosting and ate it)






We made more than 70 sugar cookies!                            



And now for an awesome Valentine story:  Tristan’s 5th grade teacher had a great idea for their class Valentines exchange – she requested that they each think of a compliment for every person in the class, and then write it on their card for that person.  When Tristan told me about it, I thought that he would just write out a bunch of quick, meaningless, two-word notes (you’re nice, you’re smart, etc.).  I should have known better (this is Tristan, after all).  He took his cards into the study and started looking words up on dictionary.com – I asked what he was doing, and he told me that he didn’t want to repeat the same words on everyone’s card, but he knew he was going to want to tell a lot of them basically the same thing, so he was going to look on the thesaurus to find more good words to use.

I didn’t really think about it again until last night after the kids were in bed and I was putting all of their cookies in little bags and attaching the cards.

Out of curiosity, I turned over one of the cards to see what the compliment was:  “I like how you are very friendly and affectionate.”  I started laughing to picture what some little 5th-grade girl was going to think about this compliment (or her parents!  affectionate?), and then I remembered Tristan’s thesaurus use, and decided maybe I should check the rest of his cards. 


I started reading some of them out loud to Daniel, and we were dying laughing by the end.  Maybe it was because it was 11:00 at night, but every compliment just seemed so funny when I pictured the puzzled looks that were going to be on the faces of his classmates.

“I like how you are always cheerful and I can honestly say that I have never see you upset or angry!”   (so glad he’s being honest here)


“I like how you are responsible and hardly ever getting off task!” (I love the “hardly ever” – because hey, we all get off task once in awhile)


Another “hardly ever”:

The exclamation points after every one are killing me!

This one is one of my favorites!  “I like how you are secure and how you never give up!”  (Because really, what 5th grader doesn’t want to be told how “secure” they are?) 


I noticed on most of his notes he went the extra mile and gave two-part compliments, and usually the second part at least had something to do with the first (supportive=helping others), but I’m not sure I see the connection on this one.

Other awesome characteristics Tristan has noticed in his friends:  “open-mindedness”

“Optimism”:


“Calmness” (plus, this one never “acts up” like some of those other rascals in class) 


Then he got to the funny kids, but of course he couldn’t just say “you’re funny!”.
 
“I like how you are so good-humored and are always saying funny things.”  (Good humored??  Has an 11-year old ever even said those words before?  I am 31 and I know for sure I haven’t.)

“I like how you are always making jokes and acting comical!”

Oh, Tristan, how we love you!

Here is my Valentine to you:

“Dear Tristan:  Thank you for being such a thoughtful and sincere and kind person.  I like how you are cheerful and mature and responsible and hardly ever get off task or act up, and you are calm and supportive and secure and never give up, and you really are excited about everything and optimistic and open-minded and good-humored and maybe even a tiny bit comical at times.  And I can honestly say I think you are the best 11-year old ever and I love you a million.  Love, Mom.”