My Christmas in Review!

I am still here.

And for all of you who may have missed me a tiny bit, I have a photo-filled post for you today that just may surpass my other marathon photo posts.

This is not one for the faint at heart.

So here is my Christmas in review-

The Friday before Christmas vacation included

going to Toot's Christmas program at school which involved

falling on my butt on the ice directly out of my car

sprawling and dropping all the contents of the diaper bag.

This was witnessed by a kind lady. I did not like having a witness.

Sat in church.

Arriving later in his own car, Hottie Husband walked in and said to me

I just fell on my butt!

He too succumbed to the icy parking lot.

We are such Californians.

Then we watched this little guy

stand off to the side and make strange body motions while singing songs such as

Mary Had a Baby

and

Happy Birthday to Jesus!

But, he sure looked good in that tie.

We then packed and picked up the boys from school, finding Jackie Boy laying in the snow.

He indicated he was tired.

That was all.

Then, on the way to the airport, car filled with luggage, no reason or time to go home, it sounded

 as if someone has turned a faucet on in the back seat.

Have I mentioned that in my NEW car, the kids are not allowed to eat or drink?

Because they trashed  had issues with spilling in the old car.

Well, I just have to say that I have never seen so much vomit come out of one person in one shot.

Mister Luke compared it a hose turning on.

HH and I just looked at each other stunned.

Then he said- sure glad we don't let them eat in the car. 

We cleaned it best we could and then let it sit closed up in a parking lot for 5 days at the airport so we could really savor the whole incident.

Got on the plane and proceeded to get into trouble for taking this photo.

See my prior post for the trouble I caused.

Now, I am really happy that this did not happen after Christmas day because of that other incident involving a fire recently in the news.

Scary thing is that I picked up a follower due to that post who was not my type of follower- rather the name led me to indicate that it could be someone who might rhyme with the word merrorist.

I blocked him.

We arrived and my mom's house, who we have now decided should open up a Bed and Breakfast. Yummy food, nice sheets, great accommodations.

Highly recommended.

Had a Christmas party at Grandma Betty's

Told you I'd put a good picture of you in Aunt Carrie!

Took pictures of my cutie eating leaves.

Good roughage right?

Headed to Newport Beach for  HH's family's big Christmas Party.

Little Bear got his stocking from Grandma Dody, who has made all the kids stockings.

Enjoyed seeing Papa Don and Uncle Tom.

The party was a Aunt Minnie's house and you just have to see how lovely her table was set.

Here she is making a cosmopolitan

with these peppermint candies.

Here is very kind, Berkeley-attending super smart cousin Kayley

holding the finished product.

The boys enjoyed hanging with their cousins

and Little Bear got to try whipped cream for the first time.

We then headed back to my mom's

where she gave our whipped cream guy a bath in her kitchen sink.

Don't worry- it is a brand new sponge- no bacteria.

We went to the Grove for pictures with Santa, shopping and lunch at Cheesecake Factory.

We stopped foot traffic and nearly trolley for this photo.

They had a great big tree with great big bulbs.

I love this photograph. If you look closely, you can see my niece holding Little Bear and me taking the photo in the bulb.

It is tradition to make my mother's sugar cookies and I am not allowed to give out the recipe.

But really, they are the best sugar cookies.

Here is my niece who I have purchased boy repellant for  did an amazing job rolling out that dough.

Good cookie making takes teamwork.

I am not even going to show you them with the frosting because you will be even sadder that you can't have the recipe.

It is certainly not because I forgot to take a picture and if Hughston is reading this - just know that I so owe you many cookies next year. 

We made sure that the kids got to see their friends while in California.

Some actually teared up when they saw the boys.

We celebrated Christmas with my mom and she spoiled the boys as you can see.

Little Bear tried to eat his present from my sister

and I received some more preparation for my new climate.

We tried to fit all the gifts in our bags and on Christmas Eve got on a plane to head back to Montana.
I got this very cool shot of the wing out of my window.

Had Christmas Eve dinner of bagels and Wendy's frosties in the Seattle airport.

Made it home at 11pm and prepared for Santa to show up.
Little Bear woke up to this new sled.

We stayed in our jammies for most of the day, then headed over to the fire station.

The kids got to explore and we shared Christmas dinner with other firefighters.

Not our normal Christmas Day of brunch for thirty at our house,

but a new kind of Christmas Day that was fun all the same.

If you actually made it through that post and are still reading, I wish you a Happy and joyful New Year. My sister and her chillins arrive tomorrow and will be here for a week.

I probably won't be posting much because I'l be soaking them in.

But, I'll be back with a vengeance real soon.

Flying High

I just have a little story to tell you about this photo here.

It was Little Bear's first flight and he had done great the whole way.

He had just enjoyed a late dinner here and there are some remnants on his face to prove it.

The plane was descending into Los Angeles, they had dimmed the cabin lights and I suddenly realized that I had not taken a photo of his first time on a plane. So I reached under the seat and took out my camera.

I leaned back and pushed the button.

Flash, flash, strobe, strobe, flash, flash!!!

Finally, the camera took this super cute picture of Little Bear.

Then a male flight attendant came running back to our 38th aisle.

He stopped at my seat and yelled-

Ma'am! PUT THAT AWAY!

I THOUGHT THERE WAS A FIRE BACK HERE.

I am so sorry- I didn't know I couldn't take pictures!

Ooops.

Well, I was quite surprised. I mean, they never said anything about no flash photography being allowed.

I thought about asking him if I could take a picture of him for my blog on my way out, but I didn't really want to get arrested. They are a little touchy on the airlines these days- understandably.

Instead, as we exited last with our crew in tow, I apologized for scaring him and told him I had no idea that photography wasn't allowed.

He said- It is an electronic device!

OH!

The pilot looked at me and said- it is okay ma am.

I'm still glad I got that picture though.

REST

We made it to grandma's house.

Toots insisted on wearing his tie on the plane and conked out in the car once we got to LA.

My Wordless Saturday

Finished!

I am finished shopping and wrapping and it is all in a suitcase ready to take to California tomorrow on the plane or under my tree. Whew!!

But, this did not come easy.

In fact, I practically whined at Hottie Husband the whole way through it. You see, I am used to having a great support system around me and although HH helped by taking kids to school and picking up sometimes and having Little Bear here and there, it was still much harder than I am used to.

Last night our conversation went something like this-

HH- Noticing my body language and facial expression- What is the matter?

me- I just have so much to do this week and I need help and it is hard to take the baby everywhere.

But, I thought I have been helping you this week.

You have, BUT (prepare for my rant here) I had to get everything ready a week early and have all the presents bought and wrapped for your family and mine because the parties are right when we get there and we come back here Christmas Eve so I have to have the food for Christmas bought and the kids and your presents all wrapped and all the Santa and stocking stuff ready and I know you have been helpful. But , you are always helpful - thank you- but I need you to be my helpful husband and my mom and Grandma Betty and my sister and my friends that all are not here because I am used to having a huge support system and I don't know anyone here!!!!! I need you to be YOU, MY MOM and GRANDMA BETTY all at the same time!!!!

HH- Nods. Not a man of many words is he.

I am not sure if he now thinks I have totally lost it or if he gets it. I sort of feel a little crazy now that I have said it all out loud and then I start thinking- Has it really been that bad? Am I being dramatic? Maybe I am going to start my period. The baby really has not been that hard and I really am almost done.

Nothing like a very calm and reasonable person to make you feel really nuts!

In any case, it worked. For that sweet man of mine was just as helpful as can be today and now I can say-

I am finished!

Anybody else out there act a little nuts sometimes?????

Little Bear is 8 Months

I just can't believe my baby is 8 months old.

I have this feeling- actually I know- that very soon he won't be so "baby" anymore.

One will be here before I know it.

Here is my Little Christmas Bear...

smiling, even though I had him outside, sitting on a blanket in the snow.

I just had to get some 8 month pictures and could not give up the natural light.

He continues to be a great source of joy for our family.

He is sweet and loving and has endless smiles and big belly laughs.

One of my favorite things is that when I get him out of his crib,

he puts his arms around me, and rubs the back of my neck with his hand.

He is such a little lovey.

He is still cruising around, crawling speedily, and finding things on the floor.

which I am constantly trying to keep clean.

Poor guy has all four top teeth cutting through right now.

Soon his smile and face will look more mature.

So I'm gonna hold onto baby for as long as I can.

A Blanket of White

There is a blanket of white that gently settles.

It does not pound or pummel, but rather slowly falls, surrounding, kissing in almost imperceptible touch.

It takes a palette of green and brown and golds and ...

it lovingly coats.

Layering- tenderly, slowly, until it envelopes.

It paints with purity, a white sanctuary, impartial to its' canvas...

surrounds benevolently, without prejudice.

This blanket of white-

it speaks to me of love.

A love that is all those things-

gentle

at times imperceptible

tender

enveloping

pure

impartial

benevolent

without prejudice.

It speaks to me of the love of the God who made me.

I am gently surrounded, kissed almost imperceptibly with its' beauty.

I have noticed in this new snow covered land that there are places- patches of land- where the snow will stick. Sometimes, adjacent to that patch of land, there will be another where the snow melts quickly away.

This Christmas, may you be the palette that allows that pure, sweet love of God to stick.

With love-