Working 9 to 5

Okay, not 9-5. Closer to fifteen hours per week. Libby was hired for her first job this fall and is now a master smoothie maker.

There is always time to give your mother a disgusted look when she pulls out her phone though.

She will even happily make her younger brother a smoothie, as long as he pays full price, and doesn't want peanut butter or wheat grass. She has strong opinions about the mess and time that peanut butter and wheat grass consume.

During the Christmas break she has been working a LOT of hours. Her last paycheck was bigger than mine. I'm equally as proud for her as I am embarrassed for me.

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!

We got a ton of snow (for Boise) just after Christmas. With kids out of school, this equated to sledding. We grabbed an extra friend and went to the Boise Depot. The paths are pretty decent, but do occasionally shoot the faster sledders into the street. Thankfully, the kids were able, mostly, to avoid the street.

Taking a much-deserved break.

Heading up for another run.

When Sam became bored with sledding, he found an ice covered pond. This led to the discovery of  giants slabs of ice. Slabs of ice that must be fished out and played with. 

This led to siblings discovering the same thing.

Flinging the ice was also found to be extremely satisfying. 

I was terrified that they would fall into the pond, become disoriented, freak out and then die of exposure and hypothermia. I had to keep reminding myself they were not venturing out onto the ice, the pond was shallow, and I had a van with good heat only fifty yards away. Despite me quietly planning what to do if one of the kids fell in, no one even so much as slipped. Their hands did get pretty chilly, but nothing the heat of the van and a cup of hot cocoa didn't completely cure.

It Still Came!

“It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas (the thought) means a little bit more.”  -Grinch

This year I have felt like an awful Grinch. I'm sad. I'm tired. I'm tired of being tired. It didn't feel like much of a year to celebrate. But Christmas still came. And it really was good.

These gangsters hung their stockings, set out milk and cookies, read a bedtime story, and then got sent to bed. And Santa set to work getting Christmas ready.

In the morning everyone was ready for the celebration to begin. Every year they look a little less bright-eyed, but they still wake up at 7:00 am, exactly, to unwrap presents. 

Despite my Grinchy attitude, this year came with a plethora of ribbons and packages. Rather than making a few well-planned purchases, I just bought everything. Or at least that's how it felt. Santa brought the kids sandals, sun shirts, swimsuits, sunglasses, cover ups and more for an upcoming cruise. Santa usually only brings one gift per child at our house, so it got crazy. Michael and I also provided gifts that weren't cruise themed, so there was plenty of presents. 

Then there were the teens. They both have a steady income this year, and splurged with their holiday gift giving. And Grace and Sam didn't want to be left behind, so they have been working odd jobs to earn money. A big part of the excitement was in seeing how others liked the gifts that were worked for and purchased. 

We had a wonderful, peaceful morning and then headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's for breakfast and family. And, yes, more presents. It was so amazing to be able to see everyone this year! The vaccines haven't made life perfect, but it has made family get-togethers safer and less stressful.

Later that afternoon we gathered with my family at our house. Not everyone was able to make it, which was very sad, but those of us who were able to attend ate snacks and had a good time. We opted for a white elephant gift exchange this year for simplicity's sake.  

Before the exchange began Libby went on a rant about losing a salt lamp at her work's white elephant exchange. Her older cousin then unwrapped a pink quartz lamp very similar to the lost salt lamp. Yes, Libby stole that thing on her turn. No one was brave enough to even glance at the lamp. There was a lot of laughter and teasing, and it felt good. It was nice to just be together.

Despite everything that has happened, Christmas still came this year. It was hard, but it was also tender and kind.

Say It Ain't So!

This stinky, stinky boy. I can't even. What is wrong with him!?  I just can't even.

Do you know what he had the audacity to do? Do you?

He turned eighteen years old. I just...I just...

How did this even happen? I remember reading "Where the Wild Things Are" to a blonde little toddler curled up in my lap. When he laid down to nap I had to hand him the book we had just read, so he could keep studying the pictures. It's so hard to understand that he is now a legal adult.

I am happy, proud, impressed, and very sad. It's very confusing. For all of us, I bet.

His very first, and quite likely his last foray into gambling. He didn't even win a nickel. Gambling doesn't pay, children.

He was happy to just have friends around him and a few gifts.

And another eggnog cheesecake. Which, despite the weird dry appearance of the picture, was quite good. The chocolate peppermint cheesecake was better in my opinion, largely due to the absence of eggnog. I don't understand how Michael and Ethan (and Sam!) love eggnog so much. Nasty, slimy stuff.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

This year it has been hard to find the joy of the season. In an effort to find some joy we decided to add to someone else's celebration. A couple gift cards were purchased to give to a family, but it felt a little perfunctory. We needed to add something a little more fun, a little more personal. Something to add a little more chaos to the season. Cue the mini marshmallow guns. 

A trip to Grover's plumbing supply and a half hour of assembly later, we had our masterpieces.

They, of course, needed tested before delivery. 

The carnage was great. Marshmallows were everywhere. Weeks later I was still finding them in the Christmas tree. Harley was impressed we were flinging snacks all over the house for her. I was less than impressed cleaning the couch after she urped them all up the following morning. It was perfect utter chaos. I almost feel guilty inflicting these on another family. Almost.  After a thorough disinfecting we still delivered them. Merry chaos, everyone!

Caroling, Caroling through the Snow

Christmas time is coming.

And along with Christmas, we have the concerts. This year we only had one to attend, but I'm so grateful that we at least had one. 

Ethan has learned a lot this year, as he has been forced into singing tenor, due to the usual shortage of male voices in a choir. He is naturally a bass, so this has been a real stretch for him, literally. The male section of his audition choir is small and not very loud, so Ethan's voice is quite noticeable. I am so proud of the progression and growth he has made in his singing. 

Libby is in the all-girls choir, Ars Nova. She sings alto and is part of a really strong section. Altos just seem to know what they are doing. These girls are amazing. 

I am dead impressed with these kids. I can't even carry a tune, and these kids of mine get up in front on crowds to sing, and they do it well. It's simply amazing and it causes me to have a proud moment. What awesome people they are!

Cookies and Houses

 We started the baking holiday with a batch of gingerbread.

 Then we invited some cutie cousins over and got to work. This three year old uses a LOT of frosting. 

Don't worry though, the 11 year old was game to eat the frosting mountains, with a little financial inducement. 

The older children were a little more careful with their designs. 

Regardless of their decorating style, a good time was had by all. 

A few days later, not having had enough sugar, we decorated gingerbread houses. We decided to forego having extra company and just decorate as a family. It's pretty rare we have all the children in one place anymore, so we rejoice when it is possible. 

Sometimes it is very hard to get the houses to stand up. Grace's collapsed half way through, and she decided it was actually a crack house and continued decorating it. 

Libby was so proud, she even signed hers. 

My masterpiece.

Ethan's masterpiece. 

Sam's piece. 

And Grace's pile. 

Michael was content to take pictures of the sugary mess. For reasons he can't fully articulate, the mess and cacophony of gingerbread houses cause him untold stress. He enjoyed being a spectator and recorder this year, rather than a participant.