December 22, 2013

Winter Haven
There is a neighborhood down town that lights up and decorates every house for Christmas. It's a tradition. The roads are blocked off to public traffic and only the residents can drive through, except on one night. Which, I hear, is a pure nightmare.

We went for the first time this year with our friends, who go every year. It was cold. We bundled up.

The secret life of Tamara...betcha didn't know I have my own church!

A big tree, whose lights change color to the rhythm of some holiday music.

Our favorite house...the Doctor Who house. We wanted to go inside the TARDIS, to see if it's really bigger on the inside.

The kiddos, in a lit up forest.

The penguin house. Owned by a bunch of environmentalist hippies. They couldn't just do a display, they had to lecture the passersby with nonsense about global warming. Bleh.

We took a small break for warmth. They had s'mores fixins too, but Nicco said, "I'm not really a fan of marshmallows." Moving on then...

To the Tucson Electric Power company's VIP.

It was fun, in spite of the cold, and I'm glad we went. I don't think we'll go again. To be honest, I think the Night of Lights in the nearby neighborhood is better.

December 21, 2013

Solstice

And, the sun goes down on the shortest day of the year.

Good night, Sun! We'll see you for just a bit longer tomorrow!

December 18, 2013

Sunrise

The thing about winter is that the sun comes up late enough that I actually get to see this:

Oh my goodness gracious me, Good Morning!

December 16, 2013

School Christmas Party

I got to be a room mom for Nicco's class Christmas party. Or, Holiday Party as it is called in the public schools. They made snowflake ornaments,

had cookies and hot cocoa for snack,

and listened to Mrs. May read Olive the Other Reindeer. It's a much cuter story than the movie.

They were good listeners ;)

When class was over, they went to music. I asked to tag along and sit in. It was fun. Mrs. Marcy has those kids well trained! Here they are singing and making hand motions to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

There was a lock down during music class. Mrs. Marcy locked her door and put her "safe" sign outside. Everyone assumed it was just a drill, and forgot about the girl who left the classroom to go to the bathroom until after the lockdown was lifted and there was a quiet knocking on the door. (Starting to think more seriously about homeschooling...) It turned out NOT to be a drill, that a little kindergarten girl went missing. They found her quickly. But still.

 

I always love to see my boy with his friends and teachers and classmates and how he goes about his day. He's my favorite.

December 15, 2013

Boys' Day Out = Jeep Adventure

My boys have a Once In A While Sunday Tradition. They call a friend or two, hop in the Jeep, grab a thermos of hot cocoa, pick up a dozen donuts and a breakfast burrito, and head off road. They don't invite me. It's okay. They need boy time. Besides, they look cold.

They were gone all day, came back cold, wet, dirty, and happy. I'm glad they have fun.

December 13, 2013

Basketball Clinic

My friend Heidi decided to start a little after-school basketball clinic on Friday afternoons for the boys Nicco's age. Her intentions were three-fold, she said. 1. To make use of the fantastic, big back yard she's renting, 2. Father-son bonding between her 8 year old boy and his Daddy, and 3. Give her kid an opportunity to learn basketball in a non-threatening, friendly and free environment.

I was thrilled to have Nicco make use of the fantastic big back yard, to bond with Kase's dad (he's a great role model. Boys need great role models.), and to learn basketball in a non-threatening, friendly and free environment.

However, my kid never wants to do anything new. Ever. Especially if it involves some specific new skill set. I told him we were going to go play at Kase's house. He was happy. He loves play-dates. When he saw that we were there to play basketball, he was furious. He was frustrated at his lack of perfect ability on the first time ever that he bounced a ball. He told me he hated basketball and that he hated me, and that he never wanted to do this again.

But, as I mentioned earlier, Josh is a great role model. He is patient and kind and a good leader to those young boys. Even though he got hit in the face once or twice and even though he tripped and fell once or twice, I caught him smiling and laughing.

 

He is too proud to admit to me that he had fun, so when I asked if he wanted to come back next week he said no way. I am as stubborn as he is though, and we will be back.

December 12, 2013

Quote of the Day

The Daddy just asked the Kid what he did today. Nicco started listing things and Patrice said, "That's no sentence." Nicco replied, "I'm putting in commas."

December 9, 2013

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

We were a bit late on the outdoor decorating this year. Only a week into December, but most of our neighbors were lit up for the holiday closer to Thanksgiving and the actual first of the month.  The boys seized a warm winter morning and put up our inflatable Santa, the blinking stars, wrapped the tree, and installed the new candy cane lane.

My small child was filled with the spirit of Christmas, proud of the work he did with his Daddy, and happy not to be the grinches on the block anymore.

December 11, 2013

Elf on the Shelf

Nicco's first grade teacher introduced him and his class to The Elf on the Shelf. (Thanks a lot, Mrs. G!) Nicco, who loves all elements of all holidays, loved the antics of Elfie Shelfie of Room 8. He said to me more than once, "Maybe a North Pole elf will come to our house next year, now that they know about me." I guessed one probably would.

December 1st 2013 rolled around and sure enough, there was a story and our own little elf sitting on the shelf. Nicco named him Jack.

Frankie did not approve.

Jack learned to stick to up-high hiding places. 

December 7, 2013

Twin Turtle Party

Nicco's girls had a birthday party at AZ Air Time. It's new. It's better than a bounce house. All kinds of trampolines and games to play on said trampolines.

First they ran and bounced and jumped and flipped into this massive foam pit. (I secretly wanted to join them. I probably could have, but, I also probably would have embarrassed myself.)

 Devin was rockin' out in line. Funny.

 A flip.

 Next they went to the American Ninja Warrior Warped Wall.

 And finally, a very intense game of dodge ball.

 The kids got all sweaty and tired, so we fed them cake and soda.

 It was a ninja turtle cake, the girls' recent obsession.

I think  it probably tasted as good as it looked.
We rushed to get there and stopped for a gift on our way. We were glad we made it. It's always a good time with the twins.

December 3, 2013

Quote of the Day

The Daddy just asked the Kid what he did today. Nicco started listing things and Patrice said, "That's no sentence." Nicco replied, "I'm putting in commas."

November 30, 2013

Game Night

We invited our friends over for post-Thanksgiving dinner, dessert, and family fun. Nicco wanted to play wii, of course, but the friends brought the girls' recent favorite family game. We opted for full on engagement and interaction. Yay us! It was fun. Nicco didn't like it at first, of course, because it was a new game and it was a word game and he, being the youngest, has the least experience and exposure to words and language.

As with all new things, it became fun and easy with practice.

There was a surprising amount of action for a word game, especially when the Buzzer Man tried muting the other players.

Good times. I'm a fan of game night.

November 29, 2013

Family Game Night

Looks like Frankie wants to be the fourth in our family game of Sorry.

November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving

It is important, I believe, to have traditions. On a large scale and within one's own family. Thanksgiving is a great National Tradition, and it is a great family tradition too. This was the first year since we moved to AZ that it would be just the three of us for the holiday. It's hard for my French husband to get motivated to cook a grand feast for just the three of us, especially when he usually has to prepare the big feast for his work family.

I was talking to a friend of mine about holiday plans and hers had changed. It would be just her small family in town too, so she invited us. Patrice was glad, I think, to be able to celebrate without having to prepare the dinner. We made our contribution, grabbed a bottle of wine, and went to the Ericksons'.

There was a lovely spread on the table, and Patrice asked for a tool with which to open his bottle of wine, but our Mormon friends did not have one. Plenty of bottle openers, but not a corkscrew in the house. Not even on their teenage boy's pocket knife. It was funny.

 

We chatted, the kids played games, we cleaned up and split the leftovers, then went home fat and happy and grateful for all our many blessings, not the least of which are good food, friends, and family.

November 27, 2013

Sunrise, Sunset

 Good morning!

And, good night!

November 26, 2013

The Day After the Day of the Doctor

After Geekfest 2013, Nicco went about using the wand from his magic set as a sonic screwdriver. The bad guys in the show were shape shifting villains, so you never knew if the Doctor was talking to a person, animal, or a Zygon.

With his "sonic screwdriver," Nicco approached his pet, who was sitting innocently on the couch and warned, "I am the coming storm, the bringer of darkness, and you...are basically just a cat, aren't you."