Post-Christmas Visit

A quick after-Christmas trip north to see Mom and Ray and Chris.

Merry Christmas (again!)

Advent is over! Christmas has arrived! Santa has come, the feasts prepared and consumed, the presents opened... Jack got his beloved knights; Trey comics with his wig (or draws) while Taylor leans against her heated massaging reading-pillow and works on her ipad; Coco actually wears clothes in the house for this occasion - and Alex now has three more princess outfits to wear (here she is Belle)! A successful and fun day! Merry Christmas!

Christmas is Coming! Christmas is Coming!

The excitement is building! Alex has practiced filling-and-emptying her stocking with all her princess figures, and Jack seriously works the Advent Calendar (eating the chocolate, of course!)and counted the packages under the tree... Here Alex models her "princess nightie" - her first experience of nightgown (her comment: "But - where are the pants?")

Cookie Decorating!

'Tis the season for...decorating cookies! Alex ate as much (more?) frosting as she put on the cookies, of course, and the kitchen was as sprinkled as the cookies, but a good time was had by all! (And we can't forget our Christmas glasses!)

Christmas Party at Wilshire

We went to the annual Christmas Party at the Wilshire Country Club, and it was "Kid Heaven" - face painting, balloon sculptures, puppet shows, magic tricks, carolers, and, of course, a visit with Santa! Top it all off with a chocolate fountain for dessert ("I want to dip it myself!") and what more could one ask for? A great time was had by all!

Happy Thanksgiving (and anticipatory Christmas!)

While we waited for the turkey to cook, Alex and Jack were the "dry run" on a couple of crafts we will be having at our Advent Family Workshop at church on Sunday. They painted wooden Christmas trees (and glued on "ornaments" once the paint dried) and made reindeer-pots with their handprints for antlers... Great good fun for all!

The Violinist!

Trey has taken up the violin. Here he is, practicing for the Winter Concert at school: Jingle Bells and the Dreidle Song!

Princess Alex

And everywhere that Alex goes, Alex goes, Alex goes; and everywhere that Alex goes, she's sure to dress as a princess! ("everywhere" = school - every day if she could get away with it! - the park, the zoo, the Car Museum...)

Halloween Fun!

Great excitement! Halloween has FINALLY come! Alex and Jack each have gone back and forth between two constumes - Alex was a princess (isn't that inevitable?!)yesterday for a party, and today she is Michael Jackson; Jack was a knight yesterday - and today he is a dinosaur! Going door-to-door was fun - but it is perhaps more exciting to ANSWER the door and see all the other kids-in-costume and be the one who gets to give out the candy!

Hoorah for October!

What a wonderful time of year! October brings Halloween decorations AND (this year) rain! Alex and Jack have new rain boots and we had to take an after-dinner walk to practice puddle jumping (into, not over!)...

Disneyland!

It was Alex's first trip to Disneyland, and Jack introduced her to all his favorite things! After each new ride/experience, Alex responded, "Again! I want to do that again!" so I guess she had a good time! The day began with a bit of the unusual - thundershowers! - which lasted just long enough to warrent the purchase of Mickey Mouse umbrellas - and ended with the usual ride down Main Street in the horse-drawn streetcar... Here the kids pat the horse's stomach a fond "good-bye" before we leave... A fun (and hot and humid and exhausting!) day...

A Night at the Dodger Game

Off to the Dodger game - great seats in the front row, right behind home plate, but Alex, frankly, would rather read the origran - or eat! What a waste (ask Jack!) that SHE was the recipient of a ball instead of her game-obsessed older brother!

Taylor is Ten!

Today Taylor is ten! Double Digits! What did she want for her birthday? A tree! So I obliged - with a dwarf orange tree (with a few small gifts hanging from the branches!)... After dinner - a birthday request that everyone jump in the pool with their clothes on before dessert! Quite a celebration!

Another Day in Paradise

It was another day in paradise - interrupted only by Alex's need for a nap! King's Pond is a big hit - the pond itself for Alex, and the "accessories" for Jack, who loves the flippers! The "touching pond" was great good fun, too - guess which one is fearless, and will touch anything?!!!

Happy Birthday to Erin!

We celebrated Erin's birthday with a beach barbeque with Andy and Aubrey and the girls! Hard to believe MY "baby" is thirty-five!