I had the chance to have Madi and Ali over for a night-o-fun before Madi goes back to college. They came over for dinner and played a round of Trouble with the kids before JT and Haley went upstairs for the night and the real party started. 🙂 I posted a list of things to do on the glass of the deck door.

We started by playing Bounce-Off. It’s really fun and harder than you think, although we all improved the more we played!

I had installed PhotoShop on two Surfaces ahead of time, and I pulled digital scrapbooking image files onto them as well. So next up was helping Madi and Ali make scripture verse cards with their favorite verses to hang in their rooms.

After that, we put on some Enya spa music, diffused Serenity, and did mud masks and manicures with my new favorite Sally Hansen gel nail polish, that is basically home shellac.

Finally, we snacked on popcorn and Ben & Jerry’s personal pints while we watched Divergent. They left around 2 AM and we were all up bright and early for JT’s basketball game in the morning! It was a lot of fun and I’m so glad I got a special evening with these two lovely ladies.

One night last week, I accidentally cooked rice the same way I cook oatmeal: bring water to a boil, add, turn off heat. I forgot momentarily that rice deviates in one step: bring water to a boil, add, simmer. Needless to say, I went to start the stir fry and realized we were nowhere near rice being done. So I made a spontaneous decision and changed plans. Suddenly the kids were in their pajamas, we were all eating pancakes, and we watched The Princess Bride. (The kids hadn’t seen it before!)

This ended up being my favorite memory of winter break, just because it was fun on so many levels, and we were all home together, and I love that movie!

The day started quietly, with some chores around the house. And then Jim offered to burn all of our old receipts and bank statements, and that turned into a larger bonfire that we first thought. Pretty soon, we were eating mugs of chili and steaming Ma’s bread around the fire together. It was so fun!

 Our family came over later on to watch Alabama football and to celebrate Preston’s 21st birthday.

We celebrated New York New Year’s with the children and grandparents. 🙂 And then everyone else decided to leave too, and Jim had gone to work, so I was all by myself at the stroke of midnight.

We were dragging ourselves out of bed at 9:45 AM today (try not to judge, we’re all on vacation and the kids were so tired from Christmas fun) when it started to snow! We were so excited to see this snow coming down, but it seemed pretty wet and we weren’t sure it would stick.

But then…it did. It was so wonderful because we were all home, with no plans, and it snowed all. day. long. We went out and played after lunch, and it just kept coming!

Not a bad family photo for balancing my camera on top of the barbecue on the back deck…

My pretty house!

We walked to the Drews’ house and invited Sawyer and Jozie out in the snow with us, and walked to the neighborhood park. Did I mention how much I love living here?

This was our street today!

 The park has a nice little hill for sledding, and the four kids had a great time.

Then we built a snowman in the field.

Sawyer and JT have matching snow jackets. Jozie told me she couldn’t tell them apart until I told her to look at their hats.

Fun with friends in the snow – it doesn’t get much better for a winter day!

We started the Christmas season with Haley’s preschool production. I blogged about it earlier, but I forgot to include a photo of the reason we went to the concert to begin with!

On to Christmas week… I had worked way more than usual the week before, and then two days at the start of break, so it was wonderful to start Wednesday spending time with my children, at home. We bought a new puzzle and spent half an hour putting it together. Honestly, I thought it would take longer. I underestimated my children’s ability to assemble a 100-piece puzzle.

On Christmas Eve, I spent most of the day in the kitchen: apple pie, marinating flank steak, potatoes au gratin, dinner rolls, cheesecake, fudge, blueberry french toast casserole, brunch pizza, yummmmm.

JT got to watch Home Alone with Jim while I baked and Haley napped. It was so cute to watch them laugh at all the same parts! We talked with JT ahead of time because there are a few nasty words in the movie (even though it’s rated PG!) and Jim knew were one was, so we just skipped that part.

Dinner

We went to a candlelight church service all dressed up, then came home for our tradition of watching the original Grinch and eating dessert. Then the kids went to bed and Jim and I had our tradition: watching A Christmas Story and relaxing before bed.

Christmas morning, we all slept till about 8 AM. We’re not ones to rush into getting up. 🙂 (Haley used to be the early bird, and she still beats JT out of bed, but she sleeps later in her big bed in our quiet house than she ever did in Maple Valley). We opened stockings and enjoyed the start of the day while I got breakfast going.

After breakfast, we started in on the gifts. Some of these gifts stacked up are for extended family and would be delivered later in the day, but I still thought this photo of Jim was funny!

After Haley gave JT her gift – this photo is priceless!

Haley got a microphone on a stand. I think we have already regretted this purchase slightly.

JT wanted art supplies, so he got them! “Adult” paints, oils, sketch pads, and a desk easel.

Haley got her American Girl doll. It’s a Truly Me doll that we ordered to look like her. Haley named her Mary Ellen at first because that’s what she thought the doll was named in the catalog. Then she found out that she could name her whatever she wanted, and now the doll is named Rosalie Carnation Keene. (That’s Rosalie pronounced Rose-a-lie, not Rose-a-lee.) Oh my.

Then we walked across the street to my parents’ house for brunch. Gena made her Swedish pancakes, and my mom made cinnamon rolls. My brunch pizza was a nice compliment to all that sweetness.

Haley got the start of her own tool kit from Grandpa and Grandma Cole. She has been wanting her own!

Then we drove five minutes over to Jim’s parents’ house for dinner.

Russell found the perfect resting spot – on his own gift. 🙂

 Grandma Hall came up from Portland, and that was a fun surprise to have her with us!

JT had really wanted this bird toy ever since Haley got one on Thanksgiving from Aunt Merrie.

Playing with new toys after dinner – new outfit from Aunt Alice!

Have you ever been to Fort Wayne, Indiana? I hadn’t. It was lovely. I was a little concerned about flying into Indiana in December, but the weather was “unseasonably warm” at 50 degrees, so I got off easy!

I drove by the most lawn inflatables I’ve ever seen on the way to the hotel. I had to stop and take a photo. I hate lawn inflatables… almost as much as I hate live chickens.

My view from my hotel room was of the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. It was gorgeous that first morning! I was fighting a little bit of a cold and I had to get up at 7 AM eastern, which of course is 4 AM for my internal time zone, and it was awful. The view helped.

The school was really pretty and it was remodeled in recently to update the facade without losing its 1912 charm.

I had a wonderful dinner (all by myself!) at The Oyster Bar, the oldest bar in town. There were maybe 20 seats and the food was amazing!

Recently we had the darkest day in Seattle in the 21st century. Really. Good thing Haley had a plan: Monopoly with Mom. We started our game Tuesday morning and played half an hour at a time, after each meal of the day.

Then Wednesday we continued the game after lunch and nap.

On Saturday, we wrapped it up by playing in whisper voices at 8 AM before the boys were awake! I love playing games and had a great time during our Monopoly Marathon.

On Friday evening, the storm abated and we took Ali with us to Snowflake Lane.

More rain… the kids got to do some Hour of Code activities over the rainy weekend. They both loved it, and it was fun to see their engineering brains at work.

I also got a chance to attend Ali’s school Christmas concert and art show this past week. It was so nice to be able to go to an event at her school. Here we are posing with one of her works on display.

Last week I wrapped up the Christmas decorating. It’s been really fun to set up a new house with some new decorations and arrangements. I love having a real brick fireplace for hanging our stockings up!

I also love having a porch that we can decorate. I got these awesome stools (two matching) at Goodwill for $4 each, and it works on my porch just perfectly.

Haley had her preschool Christmas concert last week as well, and she had quite an audience attending to cheer her on. Her can sung five songs and then wrapped up with cookies and milk.

Then on Friday, Elisa and I took off for Portland for the Women of Faith Loved Tour conference. We had arranged to go last April, so we had been looking forward to it for a long time! Christian and their two children stayed at our house for the weekend so the men and children were all together with two freezer meals and a lot of fun.

A must stop in Portland: Voodoo donuts for dessert!

The conference was fabulous. This was one of my favorite parts during the Building 429 mini-concert. Gorgeous!

Sunday night, we had dinner with the whole family plus the Schmalz family, and then headed out into the rain for the Harbor Covenant Church Living Nativity. My Uncle David was the director for this event this year, and we had a wonderful time at this annual tradition.

Seeing how to make oil lamps – a Christmas project we’re going to do soon

Warming up with hot chocolate afterward

I started off with some cooking… a pumpkin cheesecake, a New York cheesecake with cherry topping, and cranberry sauce.

One mini pumpkin cheesecake, yum!

On Thanksgiving morning, our neighborhood organized a Turkey Trot/Walk/Run event. It was really fun to get out with 20 or so others and exercise in the brisk fall air.

Then back to the kitchen, where I made a double batch of Pioneer Woman’s sweet potatoes, otherwise known as “you thought you didn’t like sweet potatoes.”

Then we got ready to walk across the street to our family Thanksgiving dinner. 🙂 I didn’t even bother to cover my sweet potatoes, and I left the desserts at home in the fridge until it was time to put them out. So convenient!

Headed out the door – quick family photo!

Dinner was wonderful and the dessert table was gorgeous. I had a little of everything and it was all amazing.

Before dessert, Haley launched a plan she’d been hatching: a dance performance for all 20 guests. JT and Haley made seat numbers around the living room, JT was deejay, and Haley danced for all of “Let it Go.” It was pretty cute, and I really appreciate the whole family watching and clapping for her. She even started by introducing herself: “My name is Haley Keene, and I have a performance.” She is planning another one for Christmas, fair warning!

Then we played a raucous game of team Pictionary. It was really fun!

On Friday, of course we did a little shopping and decorated the house. We have the perfect spot for the tree, which you can see from the street and isn’t in the way, and we didn’t have to rearrange furniture. We have a second smaller tree in the family room with colored lights and all sorts of random ornaments as well.

First time I’ve ever had a good spot for decorations by the front door!

Saturday was time for Iron Bowl. We had Grandpa and Grandma Keene and Preston over to watch it with us. It was a good weekend for football in our house, with the Huskies, the Crimson Tide, and the Seahawks all winning their games. Phew!

Jim finished putting up the house lights in time for me to come home to them on Monday after work!

And finally, Jim and I stayed up folding 24 tiny booklets so we could start the Tales of Christmas Past advent series on December 1st.

Meanwhile, Haley knew exactly what she wanted to get Jim and JT for Christmas. I take her shopping for the boys, and Jim takes JT shopping for the girls. The kids spend their own money and come up with the gift ideas all on their own. Today, Haley suggested we go shopping. She got her wallet, marched straight to the section of the store she wanted, and made her purchases proudly. At home, we wrapped both gifts in boxes to disguise the items inside, and Haley wrote the tags. She loves surprises and is very excited to have these opened in 24 short days!

We started the weekend with a benefit dinner for Stronger Families. Taya Kyle was the keynote speaker, and the organization raised almost $300,000 in that one event. It was fancy and fun!

Saturday, JT had his last football game for the season. It was cooollld. We also got his football photos. Isn’t he handsome?

Matching cousins

Grandpas staying bundled up

 

We left straight from football to our Friendsgiving with the Bonnell and Schmalz families. It was yummy and we were, as always, sad to leave.

Sunday, Ali and I went to see the last Hunger Games movie. We liked it! But before that, Ali asked if Jim and I could help her with a math problem. Jim helped on paper, and I pulled out the Photo Math app, scanned the problem, and gave her the step-by-step solution, with explanations for each step. It’s nice to have that technology available when your aunt and uncle are 15 years past our last higher level math class.