Archive for December, 2009

Christmas Eve 2009

Posted by Amanda on December 24th, 2009

We had a nice Christmas Eve program, except when I almost lost it because Amelia dropped a chime on her toe and needed a bandaid, but I couldn’t find any because they always want bandaids when they don’t really need them, Daniel was running everywhere and eating chimes and sticks, and Kathryn was so excited she couldn’t really sit still for anything. 

Luckily we calmed down enough for this:

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We also had fun decorating these gingerbread cookies.  Notice the one with a camera in his hand, and the hippie one, both courtesy of Darryl.

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Christmas Sunday

Posted by Amanda on December 24th, 2009

Kathryn and Amelia sang in Church this past Sunday along with some other little girls.  It sure was cute!  They have matching Christmas dresses but of course chose to wear something else.  Since Amelia’s choice was also Christmas-y and the dresses were warm, I decided not to fight it.

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Daniel doesn’t have a choice:  he only has one Sunday outfit.  Life sure must be easy as a boy…

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Santa’s Reindeer

Posted by Amanda on December 24th, 2009

Donner and Blitzen are staying at a nursery near our home.  So yesterday we made a visit.  There was also a camel there (sorry Grandma, no pictures of him).  And a Christmas train.  But the girls’ favorite part was a little play house.  They are definitely girls.

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Santa

Posted by Amanda on December 14th, 2009

Santa Claus visited our church Christmas party last Saturday.  Kathryn was so excited the whole day and when she saw him she was about to burst.  But once she got on his lap she was a little nervous.  This is the first time she has even had the chance to see Santa.  What with being out of the country and not really worrying about it before that.  Kathryn thought the whole day about what she would ask Santa for, but in the end she couldn’t think of anything!  I think that’s part of why she was nervous, she didn’t know what to say to him!  Interesting that she asks me all the time for different toys and articles of clothing.

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Amelia was too scared to go see Santa, but I did take Daniel up there.  He just stared at Santa, and it was really cute!

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Recently

Posted by Amanda on December 12th, 2009

Here are a few things we’ve done this week:

Some people came over to practice for a musical number.  It is one of those times when I get to play with exceptional musicians.  Wow.  Kathryn especially enjoyed the music, and stood on a chair pretending to play the violin while we were playing.

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While Kathryn was in the bath, Daniel sleeping, and Amelia playing with Kathryn but not in the bathtub, I quickly started making cookie dough.  Unfortunately I noticed some drops of water coming through the ceiling .  I arrived to a flooded bathroom.  Soaking Amelia outside the tub.  They had poured most of the water out of the tub and there is almost an inch of water on the floor.  I sopped as much as I could with towels, running up and down the stairs a few times to check the ceiling.  When I called Darryl he said to drill some holes where the water was coming through.  So I did.  I think everything will be okay.  Good thing we didn’t paint the ceiling yet.

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We decorated cookies. 

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On Thursday I was spontaneous!  Our phone wasn’t working, so we missed the call that Joy School was cancelled.  So we all went out the door and drove there only to find out no preschool but we would do it Friday instead.  I decided to take everyone to the Children’s Museum.  We went straight there (we had left the house just after 9am) and didn’t get home until 5pm.   It was way less crowded than when we’ve been there before, so the girls and Daniel just played and played without waiting in lines or taking turns.  Just upstairs this whole month are Christmas concerts by school choirs and bands, etc.  So we went up there for awhile and the girls loved it.    Since it was a spontaneous trip, I didn’t bring the camera.  But in the future that won’t be a problem.  Santa is getting me my own very small and portable camera!

A Seattle Tradition

Posted by Amanda on December 6th, 2009

We love the Seattle Christmas tradition of the Annual Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition.  Of course it got really cold this week, and poured rain a couple hours before it started, but luckily it stopped raining and we bundled up to attend.

The event is held downtown, near my old office.  There were 40 caroling groups, singing along the street for about 3 blocks.  You just walk around and stop and listen.  Then there is judging and other activities.  We didn’t stay for that, since it was bedtime for the kids.  But we did enjoy some caroling.  Kathryn especially enjoyed it.  She just pushed her way to the front each time to watch.  It was so cute.  There was a high school choir that sang the Hallelujah Chorus beautifully.   I was so happy to see Kathryn loving it so much.  She has told me she would just love to sing in a choir sometime!  Daniel was a good boy, and Amelia got some time on both Mommy’s and Daddy’s shoulders.

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A dog dressed up as a reindeer.

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We thought these hats on a Vietnamese choir were clever. 

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2nd Try

Posted by Amanda on December 6th, 2009

 Maybe we are gluttons for punishment, but we tried again on Saturday.  I think we had more success overall.

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Pictures

Posted by Amanda on December 1st, 2009

We tried to take a family picture last week.  What a joke!  I don’t know how everybody does it, but we could hardly get everyone to stay so they would actually be in the picture, let alone look at the camera or smile or stop putting their hands in their mouths.  I tried to have low expectations, but it was still rough.

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