Sugar

Addie was sitting at the counter, drawing a picture with a pencil in each hand. And then I noticed she wasn't so much drawing with two pencils, but having a conversation between two pencils. Who then got in a fight. So one was abandoned and a new one picked up and the picture resumed.

Then she asked for a snack. "I want Fosted Fakes."
"No," I replied.
"How 'bout Fooot Wooops?"
"No, you don't need the sugar. How about carrots?"
"NO. How 'bout M ah M's?"
"No. How about cucumbers?"
"Okay . . .
with a cupcake!"

A couple of my Addie favorites lately include:
Too-icious= Delicious
Perfuwy= Perfectly
And my new name, MomIloveyousoooomuch

Christmas Morning

Apparently, the second he heard the babies start to make noise Christmas morning, my dad giddily hopped out of bed and exclaimed, "The kids are up!" and started turning on all the lights. My girls were certainly excited to run upstairs and see if Santa had come.
Look, he ate the cookies and carrots!
And then they all dug into their stockings. Hooray! Unopened fruit snacks!
Hooray! Socks!
Oh my goodness. I am mesmerized by my toothbrush!
Look at the face of Christmas wonder.
Here's Chloe assisting the gift opening with her gameshow hostess hand.
Addie's first tennis racket. And Chloe's much wished for tap shoes. She also got a new toy computer, which when you open, invites you to "Choose a category." So Addie kept repeating, "A category. A category!"
But Dad, I need to eat the wrapping paper! Maggie, I said no!
Surprise Keane cd for Bracken.
But not nearly as exciting as the box of diapers my dad got. Okay, it wasn't really a box of diapers. He's not that old. Yet.

Sweet Emma opening the elephant I made her.
Maggie diving into her big gift.
Emma in the midst of Christmas chaos.

Me and Maggie.
Overwhelmed.

Chloe and Addie and Daddy and Addie's new book. The book is called, "Big Frog Can't Fit In." In one part, she wishes to be more bendable. Addie kept chirping, "More bendable, more bendable!"
It was a fun Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve

We spent the rest of Christmas Eve with family. Addie thoroughly enjoyed the truffles Aunt Anna made. Then the kids had a jam session with Grandpa in the basement. He played guitar and sang while accompanied by Chloe, Addie and Izzie on drums.

Bracken and Kiki were the audience.
Then we went upstairs and the kids opened their gifts from Grandpa and Nana. Every year they get special books from them.

Nana, Jude, Dan and Katie. And Lovely Anna, my sincere apologies, I seem to not have any pictures with you in them. How could this have happened?
Me, Addie, Heather and Chloe.

The kids are excited, but looking tired.
We're still smiling,
but we're starting to feel like this on the inside.

As we were talking about Santa coming that night, Chloe made sure the fireplace wasn't on because she didn't want Santa to come down the chimney and burn and die. To the enjoyment of several of my siblings, Addie spent the rest of the evening yelling, "Burn and die! Burn and die!"

Here's a little video of the kids and Grandpa. Not exciting, but it makes my heart warm.

Arrr, Mateys

On Christmas Eve, we all went to lunch at Pirate Island Pizza. It was like a Chuck E. Cheese, but pirate style and with better food. Our waiter was Jack Sparrow. At first, it was very impressive--the costume, the accent, the swagger. But then, he never broke character. Ever. Not even when talking to a grownup, out of ear and eye shot of any children. Then it got a bit creepy. But we all had fun nonetheless.








Arr, YO HO HO, Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread House Men

Sarah volunteered to make gingerbread men (or gingerbreadhousemen as Chloe likes to call them) for all the cousins to decorate. Chloe was all over it, wearing an apron from my grandparent's 50th anniversary party when I was 9 or so. Addie was all over the dough.




Love those sweet pigtails.
And I love this shot because when she throws her head back like that it means she's just hit the money note while singing.


And then there's Maggie.


I don't know why my sister doesn't look more excited about the dozen munchkins destroying her kitchen.Chloe took a break from cookie decorating to go play dogs with Owen.

More doggies under the table.

And a Maggie, wishing she could be down there with the other doggies.
Chloe was soon back at work. She was a machine, decorating long after the other kids had abandoned the project. Several adults were complementing her work when we noticed Brigham getting sad. Cute boy was upset that no one was complimenting his cookies, which were also very impressive.
Hmm, which one shall I eat next? Turns out that even though Chloe frosted at least half a dozen cookies to Addie's one, once we got back to Grandpa's house, Chloe chose to eat Addie's cookie. Stinker. Good think Addie couldn't care less.