California Christmas

We spent 8 wonderful, BUSY days down in CA for the holidays.  We drove a total of over 2000 miles and 32+ hours.  I won't mention what we spent in gas, but it was all worth it.  We saw many loved ones and made wonderful memories.  I actually didn't take too many photos because we forgot our battery charger and had to preserve the power.  It finally died on Christmas Eve.  So, no photos from our visit with the Eastburn aunts, uncles, and cousins (although, if I get emails from those family members with photos, I will add them).  Here are some of the ones we got!

 With Grandma and Grandpa F

With Uncle Eric

With Mike and Zabrina

With Great-Grandma L. and Gramps 

With my parents and their cousins

Tamales......Mmmmmmmmm

Mayhem

Our family

A little blurry

With her stocking

His stocking is green, but looks black in photos

With Great-Grandma B

Merry Christmas!

This was our Christmas card this year.  Hope your day is blessed!

Winter Wonderland

A few days ago, we headed south for Christmas.  Seems we will be leaving behind a White Christmas in Portland (it snowed the day we left, and snow is in the forecast for Christmas Day).  But, we got a parting gift in that it snowed pretty much the entire drive down through Oregon to California (approximately 5 hours).  And we made a stop at a rest area so the kids (ok, and Mom and Dad) could play in the snow for a bit.  I love having seasons!!!

Salem, OR

The rest stop near Seven Feathers, OR

She had just thrown a snow ball....No gloves!

Making a mini snowman

The snow was REALLY coming down!

She had been sick the day before; the snow boosted her spirits a bit.

Delight!

Just beautiful!

Peeeeerrrrrty

About 20 miles from the CA border, the sun was peeking through.

Party Fun

Alayna's birthday party was bittersweet (for me) because of the tragedy in Newtown, CT that had happened earlier that day.  I wasn't much in the mood for celebrating, but since we hadn't spoken to the kids about the tragedy, and weren't prepared to that afternoon, we went ahead with the party.  I am glad we did.  Even though two friends had to cancel at the last minute because of illness, the 4 friends who came, plus Alayna, kept us busy.  And it was LOUD and CRAZY in our house for 3 hours.

We had planned a mellow party at home because funds are tight right now.  We made pizzas, rented Puss in Boots, and had popcorn while we watched.  It was Alayna's first party that both boys and girls were invited to--and two boys and two girls were able to come of the 5 girls and 3 boys she invited.  Fun was had by all.  A lot of silliness, a little mess, and a ton of fun summarizes the evening.  Here are some photos from the fun.

Friend putting her pizza (olives only) together

Another friend's pizza (uncured pepperoni)

Alayna making hers (pepperoni)

The two boys' pizzas

Mmmmm

Hmmm, which one is the Dad's pizza?

Dinner time

Eight cupcakes

8 years old!

Movie time

Popcorn time

(Don't ask me why those scissors are on the floor....)

Big girl

The crew

Alayna is 8!

Our sweet daughter turns 8 years old today!  (Technically, not until 8:29pm though. ☺)  How can that be?  It seems like only yesterday that we took this photo:

And today:

Alayna is such a joy!  She is kind, sweet, smart, creative, funny, silly, and is still our little love bug who loves crawling into bed with us in the morning.  She is an amazing pianist and artist.  She excels at school and has a lot of friends.  She's girlie, but also loves to play kickball, soccer, and skateboard--she's not afraid to get a little dirty.  She loves to sleep late and still insists on sleeping with her green "buddy" that she's had since she was 9 months old.  She loves to help in the kitchen (especially baking!) and is just a good little helper overall.

I did something a little different this year that I wish I would have thought of a few years ago to do with both kids.  I gave her a little interview to find out what her favorite things are and some other telling questions.  I hope to do it every year and put it in the little journals I keep for the kids so we can see how their tastes change over time.  Here's her list:

What is your favorite color?  Pink and purple 

What is your favorite food?  Rice

What is your favorite animal?  Kitten

What do you like to do for fun?  Art, piano, read Calvin and Hobbes, video games, Webkinz

What is your favorite board game?  Mancala

What is your favorite book?  Calvin and Hobbes Collection

Who is your favorite musician?  The Beatles

What is your favorite song?  Blessed Be Your Name (Tree 63 version)

What do you like most about yourself?  My art

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Piano or Art teacher


There you have it.  A little about our Alayna at age 8!  Happy Birthday, sweet Alayna!  We love you!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It's my favorite time of year.  I can unabashedly listen to Christmas music, there are pretty lights to look at around the neighborhood, and that smell of the glorious fir tree in our home.  Our family still gets a *real* tree every year.  We don't even own a fake tree.  For years, I've been wondering if we should just get one so we can save money, but I just cannot do it. I love that smell too much.  And I love the unsymmetrical look of a real Christmas tree.  So, yes, we will spend our $30 a year and put up the real thing (trees are cheaper in Oregon because they are abundant and supply most of the Western US with Christmas trees).  And, for the past few years, we've supported local non-profits with our purchase, so that is another way for us to give and share our blessings.  If we're feeling adventurous one year, we might even go as far as to get the $5 permit and cut our own tree from the woods nearby.  Talk about a cheap tree!  Maybe next year....

Hope you all enjoy the season.  Please check out Advent Conspiracy for a way to celebrate the season without consumerism.  Shop local.  Make gifts.  Give the money you save to an organization that can give clean water to a whole community.  Give your time.  Love.  Worship.  And remember WHO we're celebrating.

Happy Advent All!

Advent Calendar handmade by Peter's Mom.  We love it!!!

The stockings were hung under the archway with care....

Nativity (minus the Magi, who weren't at Jesus's birth)

Advent Bible Verse Chain

Homemade decorations

Missing him....He LOVED the Christmas tree.  He would stare at it for hours.

Tree!

Kiddos

Autumn Nature Walk

Peter took the kids on a nature walk along the Springwater trail last week.  It started out sunny, but then it poured on them!  Fun was had by all!