The Family That Is Ugly Together Stays Together

I've always wanted to have an ugly sweater party.  I don't know why, but there is just something about those ugly sweaters and a bunch of them in a room at once that seems hilarious.  We didn't have a ton of time to host  a big one during the INANELY busy month of December, so we just invited a few people over BUT they had to wear an ugly sweater.  It was pretty funny, but for some reason nobody wanted their picture taken...

The kids had fun...for about a minute...in their UGLY outfits.  It's kind of hard to call someone so cute ugly...even in those sweaters.

I think he thinks he's pretty cool...

 We think we're pretty cool too.

 Emi might have been trying to pass as wearing an ugly sweater, but she was just too dang cute in her Christmas gear.  These kids all did a pretty good job of faking the cuteness too.  Just look at them here...

 Just Dance!  Maybe next year we will have the opportunity to plan something a little bigger.  But seeing as how I'm 6 months behind on even updating a blog...it probably won't happen.  Maybe someone else will have had so much fun at ours that they will want to host one...maybe?

Christmas in Coloma

Jill had remembered how quaint and fun Christmas in Coloma was when Alex was young, so she wanted to venture out that way and see if it still held the same magic for her.  It might have, but for me it was kind of magically expensive and crowded.  But, we found all the FREE stuff and enjoyed hanging out with our friends.  That's the part that really matters.  Well, maybe not to the people holding the event, but it's what matters to me...

 We found a table where the kids could punch a design into a metal lid.  Then they were turned into ornaments.  Lucy made a pretty L and Tyler made a candle.  We will have to remember the Christmas in Coloma story when we hang them up next year.  And, they were free.  We also made oranges with cloves stuck into them and they smelled really nice.

 The kids were able to take three separate pieces of string and spin them into a thick rope.  Then they were able to keep the rope and carry it around.  Tyler's might have turned into a noose for his sister.  

 We were able to pile into a horse drawn carriage and ride around the event.  This was pretty fun!  We all fit inside the carriage...Jill, Evan, Levi, Bobby, Lucas, Tyler, Lauren, Lucy, Janet, and Jenn.  The horse probably wasn't happy about that, and he let us know by bouncing us around!

This was the whole gang of kids that enjoyed our adventure!  Maybe next year, but probably not...

Santa at Santoro

For the past two years we have supported the PTA Dine-Out at Caffe Santoro's in December.  Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive on a fire engine and stay awhile to hear what the children want from him on Christmas Eve.  Free hot chocolate and cookies are served to the children...and the adults if they beg.  More often, though, they are choosing something stronger...more caffeinated...to get through the lines!

The kids were excited this year and were MORE than ready to tell the big guy their every wish.

 Tyler and Lucas were joined at the cheek!

Lucas and his brothers, Evan and Levi, sat on Santa's lap first.  Then Tyler wanted in on the action with his best bud, so they posed together.  But then, he told Lucas to scram so he could make sure Santa was listening 100% to him when he told him that he wanted Skylanders for Christmas.  Got that Santa...it's at Target on sale RIGHT NOW.  That's what it sounded like he was saying...

 Lucy has never been a huge fan of Santa Clause, but she is intrigued by Mrs. Clause.  They both have rosy cheeks, so maybe that is the attraction.  Mrs. Clause was happy to pose with her, but she convinced Lucy that she really had no control over granting Christmas wishes and she'd have to tell Santa if she wanted that bike with the baby seat on the back.  It's a good thing she decided he didn't bite...

Eikon Photography took better photos than the ones my phone captured and they were selling them to help the PTA earn more money.  They turned out really cute.  At the end of the evening the kids took a picture with their AWESOME principal Mr. Stewart.  We will definitely support this fundraiser every year.

Flag Football + Trophy = Happy Tyler

On a whim we decided to sign Tyler up for flag football to play on his friend Chase's team.  He wasn't sure how he was going to like it or how well he would do, but he ended up enjoying it so much!  The season wasn't too long, but it waas long enough for him to earn a certificate and a trophy.  Add in some snack and that's a successful season!  We're proud of you big man.

 The season was successful for Lucy too.  She made a great friend...Cailyn!

Since it's taking so long for me to post these pictures it is almost time for the next season and Tyler can't wait!

Happy 2nd and 4th Birthday Anna and Joey!

My sister is always so creative when she does her childrens' birthday parties.  We both tend to be creative, but she does it so much simpler, and yet better, than I do.  This year the theme was a fire engine theme.  We were celebrating, as a family, Joey turning 4 and Anna turning 2.  It was just the four kids...if you don't count all those adults that got in on the fun.

The kids played a fun game with balloons and ugly sweaters.  The adults had to stuff as many balloons possible into the ugly sweaters that the kids were drowning in.  It sounds easy, but when you're laughing so hard you can't breathe it can be a hard game to play.

 Anna didn't have an ugly sweater, so she just got her shirt stuffed.  She might not have won for the most balloons in a shirt, but she sure won for cutest!

 Not really sure what Grandma Karla won for...

 Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to Anna and Joey, Happy Birthday to you!  And many more...

We always have lots of fun when we hang out with the Molinari family.  Especially when hats are involved...

Christmas Shopping...Kid Style

The PTA holds an event each year that allows the kids to secretly shop for special people in their lives.  Last year, when Tyler was in kindergarten, we weren't able to attend but this year Tyler made sure we were available.  Last year he heard from a friend that you can buy yourself gifts, so I think that was his actual motivation to go.  He had plans to stuff his own stocking!

Luckily, our school is awesome, and they let Lucy shop as well...even though she wasn't a student at the time.  She was excited!  What girl wouldn't be, though?!  The kids were given a blank check (seriously?!) and escorted into the shopping extravaganza.  The kids were going to buy gifts for each other, Mom, Dad, and Grandpa Gary.  They did a great job and got done in record time...and only spent $18 total!

This event was in early December and Lucy, not known for keeping secrets, did a great job at keeping her mouth shut.  Well, she did tell me what she bought Tyler, but she didn't tell Tyler. 

At the end of the event we toured the Scholastic Book Fair and met Santa Clause!  You can't beat that...

We had heard that the gifts in this "store" could be kind of crappy, but the kids did a really good job of what they chose, for the most part.  Zach received a special screwdriver and a safety light for riding his bike.  Grandpa Gary got a pen that said Best Grandpa (or something like that) and a screwdriver-type tool.  Lucy got Tyler a car and he got her this big stuffed animal that she wanted.  I got a pen that said Mom on it and a little knick knack of a girl.  The choices that the kids made showed that they really put some thought and effort into their gift giving...and that's what we're actually celebrating, right?  Well, that and the fact that they only spent $18!!

Merry Christmas From Us to You

Trimming the Tree

Every year we get our tree on Thanksgiving weekend.  This year we were super busy, but we found the time to get one and get it trimmed!  It might have been at the last minute and very end of vacation, but we kept the tradition of doing it on Thanksgiving weekend.  And that's the part that really matters, right?!  Stress and hectic be damned. 

My favorite part of trimming the tree is remembering where each ornament came from.  We do a pretty good job of remembering, so that  makes for a lot of story telling.  We have TONS of ornaments.  It would probably be a good idea not to buy anymore, but then we wouldn't have new stories to tell the following year.

I'm so behind in my updates (about 6 or 7 months), so it's amazing how different the kids look.  They grow too fast!