Christmas Tradition Creating

I really wanted to create a Griswald-like family memory this year by getting a REAL tree at a Christmas Tree FARM.  It was with much deliberation and debate, but I finally won.  Saying I would accept this trip and a tree as my birthday present also helped my case.

So we loaded up the truck, and traveled only about 10 miles to a local Christmas tree farm.  I have very happy memories of cutting down a Christmas tree with my parents one year at Delp Christmas Tree Farm in St. John.  I must have been about 5 or 6, but I remember it being fun.  I should ask Mom and Dad for their memories of that trip and see if they agree.

While I did get my memories....it was definitely different. First of all, we only had on jackets because it was about 65 and humid.  We hopped on a a hay-rack ride to be pulled out to the "pickin' trees".  It was a whole 30 steps away from where we got on the ride.  Then we looked through a small field of trees, and basically tagged one.  We didn't do the cutting, which Andy was very happy about (me disappointed,  but let's face it - I wouldn't have been the one doing the work so I should be realistic ). We just looked and pointed....got back on the hay-rack ride and rode another 30 feet while they took care and wrapped our tree.

We went inside the gift shop where there was free hot cider...which the girls thought was "too spicy" so I ended up drinking 2 glasses myself. (Just Dixie cups, not a challenge)  Paid for our tree and....WOW.  I could have had a really nice couple of work outfits or dinners out or a maid for the price of that tree.  I mean, the tree is nice and all, but come on! The whole event took less than 40 minutes and it's going to the burn pile in January!  I was especially regretful when we went to Home Depot and they had 8 footers for $30.  I think next year we will try to make some memories a different way.  Ah well....some pictures (some taken by Connor)

On the hay-rack ride

The Choices

Taylor checking out the merchandise

Connor just wanted to run around in the field

That's our tree!

Connor took this one....I look half asleep. Ah well.

A Little About School

(Oops - apparently forgot to post this when I wrote it.  This is from last Tuesday - November 20!)

Most everyone who knows us recalls our daycare struggles in the past. Most specifically, the previous in-home daycare that we attended before going to our current center.  I cannot express how happy I am that we are at this center.  I realize it may not always be perfect and that there will always be things that I would do different - but I feel that the girls are safe, stimulated and truly loved at our daycare.  Plus, we've made some great connections for babysitters, friends for the girls and our family while there.  And it's about 10,000 times more clean than the in-home place was.

One of the things the Pre-K classes are doing is called ' SuperBug of the Month'.  In Taylor's class, each kid gets a 'star' for doing something that is kind, polite, a good choice, etc.  The kid at the end of the month with the most stars is the 'SuperBug of the Month'.  So - guess who won October and is November's SuperBug?!  

Also - today was the annual Thanksgiving lunch at school.  I tried calling it Turkey for Tots but no one else seemed to like it. Harumph.  Since I'm on parent committee, I volunteered to help out at this event as well.  Even though I had to pick meat off of two turkey's with gloved hands, it was still better than my day job.  And then I got to eat with my girls and their friends.  

Connor's classroom teacher is excellent.  She always has the kids create pilgrim or Indian hats....Taylor did the same when she was in her class two years ago.  This year, there were a whole lotta Indian's!  It was a successful lunch, with a huge mess afterwards.  Maybe I'm glad that this is not my day job ;)

Really late & Obligatory Halloween Post

Taylor proclaimed Halloween is her second favorite holiday.  Of course, Christmas was number one.  This year we did something entirely new, and we had so much fun.  Friends of ours had a family Halloween party at their house in town.  The kids ate Mummy-Dogs and Witches Fingers (carrots with an almond on the end), and they had spooky jello for dessert. Adults all brought appetizers and the hosts made homemade Chicken Noodles and Mashed Potatoes. (Yes, that meal deserves capitalization)  After dinner, we took the kids around their great neighborhood to trick-or-treat and a couple of adults (the host dad, Andy, and one other mom I didn't know) stayed in the driveway, enjoying grown-up beverages and passing out candy.

At home before the trick-or-treating: Owl, Dorothy...and Penny!

In action. T was pretty mad I forgot their pumpkin shaped treat bags, but she got over it once they started piling in the candy.  Reusable grocery bags for the win!

The whole crew.  A gator, an owl, 2 Dorothy's, a princess, monkey, Super Girl, Jesse, Woody, and Harry Potter.  Whew!

From Their Eyes

Back over Labor Day weekend, we were fortunate enough to attend the wedding of some good friends of ours. Ok, I say ours - but Matt was a high school friend of Andy's, and I accept friendship via proxy.  He's a great person too, so that helps.  Matt met his wife Elodie when he was working in Canada. She was from Paris and was spending time on an internship in Montreal.  They actually married in a civil ceremony about a year and half ago - but had to keep things pretty low key because of citizenship, etc. Then they had a baby, Emma.  Then they had the big wedding.

The setting of the wedding was at an old barn-type chapel outside of our town, and it was hot. Really hot.  Like sweating in our seats and through our clothes hot.  My choice of my silk dress to stay cool was a dumb one.

The girls were getting a little antsy during the wedding, so I let them use my camera. Some of these pictures are pretty comical. And not flattering at all.

It was hot. I was sweating. In my silk dress.

Taylor became great friends with this little boy. She was so sad when he had to leave.

My earrings.

Taylor loved Elodie's dress. 

Taylor took a picture of our table.  Well, half of it.

Taylor and Connor both were big fans of the cake.

Taylor liked this dress. She asked if I could get one like it. Not likely.  Pretty sure it would not look the same

Connor was in a dancing mood.

Not sure where this move came from.

Well, there are Matt's moves.  

More dancing (obviously, they are no longer taking the pictures)

Taylor paid her dollar for the dollar dance...to dance with Elodie.

Andy and his girls dancing.

We tried to take a family picture before we left. Not a fan of how it turned out.

Five

Five. Can you believe it? It just amazes me. Taylor wanted to invite her friends to our house for her party this year, which is the first time ( other than their 1yr party) we've had friends over that weren't family or family friends. We decided to do a half sleepover....the kids came in their Pj's and went home around 8:30 after watching a movie. We called it a 'night owl' party....owl cupcakes, owl decorations, owl s'mores ad treat bags. They decorated pillow cases, beat up a piñata, had a silly string 'war', made pizzas, and then watched a movie. Some of the parents stayed, which helped. Five year olds are crazy!!

It's My Birthday, and I'm Three!

I felt sorry for Connor in August when I realized that her actual birthday was on Labor day this year.  I figured we would probably have some sort of crazy plans that weekend and an actual birthday party for friends would be hard to have because of the long weekend.

Well, little did I know that by having a birthday over the holiday means that you get to have your birthday EVERY day until the last party is over.

This started on August 31, when we had scheduled to take cupcakes to Connor's old class at preschool.  She would be moving to her new class after Labor Day, so this would be the only time to really celebrate with her old friends, the Butterflies.  We took Aunt Barb's cookie-pops (a daycare favorite, btw). Connor marched into her class that day and announced..."I AM THREE AND I'M GOING TO BE A HONEYBEE!"

On Monday Connor woke up and came to my side to wake me, and whispered (as well as a three-year-old does) "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND I'M THREE!"   How could I not smile at that?!  Cute little bug.  We celebrated with my side of extended family at my parent's house with swimming and eating Connor's favorite foods.  Did I mention Connor's favorite foods are Salad and Shrimp?  So we had make-your-own shish kabobs and a salad bar.


How Many?



Tuesday was her first day in the Honeybee class at school....and Connor woke up and came to my side, whispering (again like a three-year-old) "I AM A HONEYBEE TODAY!"  Ahh, so excited.  Too bad it was 4:45 am.

Wednesday was low key, we must have been tired from the previous day.

Thursday evening, Andy's family came over for dinner and to celebrate Connor's birthday again.  When I picked her up from school I reminded her of what was happening that evening, and she proudly exclaimed "BECAUSE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND I'M THREE!"  Yes, Connor bug. Yes you are.



Sunday we had one. more. party.  Just a kid/friend party at a place downtown that has a climbing structure and jumping pillow, play room etc. TONS of fun for the kids.  Crazy time for us.

The three Amigos.

We got to play with a PARACHUTE!

Does this look crazy to you?

Oh, does this?! 

OK...how about when I handed out the cupcakes only to take them back because Connor hadn't blown out her candles yet.  Oops.

All's well that ends in sweets...

Yes, the party was Dora themed.  The gift bags were 'backpack'!

Aargh!