Christmas Break!

The days are flying by so fast! Let me update you on a few things we have been up to this last week. Christmas Eve we went to Zoo Lights with Grandma Nancy and Grandpa David.

Yesterday we drove up just north of Paysen to play in the snow. Doesn't Max look cute in snow bibs?

We pulled off the side of the road past Christopher Creek where it looked good for sledding. There was another family there with twin girls that Maggie played with. The dad took this picture of us.

Sean didn't want to sled at first, but after Maggie and Glen went down a few times, he was ready to give it a try.

He loved it! Sean and I went down a bunch of times.

Our Christmas was good. Favorite presents include Sean's tricycle, Maggie's Batik game (see video below), my bread machine and various cookbooks, and Glen's snake light. Sean loves to put all his little trucks in the back of the tricycle and ride around. Maggie loves this game below. We have played it about 30,000 times. I still have the throw the game for her to win, but that is what happens when your mom is a math teacher. She is starting to learn how to use up her big pieces first and save the small ones for the end game.

Today has been remarkably calm. Maggie has played by herself in her room with her new toys for long stretches and Sean has been nice to Max. I'm making my second loaf of bread with the bread machine, this time trying kamut flour to see if I can get a loaf a little less dense than the last one. Max and Sean are currently napping, Glen is outside playing with his frisbees and Maggie is playing with her dollhouse. Time for me to go play too...

Are you ready for Santa?

The key to surviving the pre-holiday crazies has been divide and conquer. Glen and Sean versus Maggie, Max, and Mom. Sean and Glen have taken numerous drives and visited Grandma a lot these last few days, while the rest of us have been at home. I've been wrapping, cooking, cleaning and nursing while Max mostly sleeps and Maggie mostly watches holiday movies on tv. One day until Christmas and maybe life will calm down after that. (Yipes!)

When the whole family is together, its best to stay active so no-0ne has a chance to bug, hit, annoy, scratch, grab, or bite anyone else. Here we are on A-mountain in downtown Tempe. Sean walked all the way up and down despite Glen bringing the backpack. I carried Max in the front carrier. Maggie ran up and down like 4 times in the span of our ascent. That girl has so much energy. The only time I have seen her tired is after a 12 hour day at Disneyland.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Pre-Holiday Crazies

I think the title of this post says it all. The kids are wound up! Help!!

Brrrrrrr!

Its been cold here. A little rainy, but not much. We've all had to break out our sweaters. Here is Maggie sporting the red sweater I crocheted her earlier this year. She looks like a little Christmas elf with her green corduroys on.


I finally finished a sweater I've been working on for Max. It came out a little misshapen and definately too big.
So I was taking it off and putting it away for next year when Sean spotted it and said he would wear it. Its too short in the trunk for him, but he loves it. He wore it all day. His belly button peaks through when he is standing.

We had a busy weekend. Friday night we went to the train park and saw the Christmas Lights. It was opening night so we stood in line to see Santa too. Sean was a little wary but was won over by a candy cane. He absolutely loves the trains.

Saturday night we went to the marina and watched the boats light up and head out onto the lake for the Tempe boat parade. We didn't actually stay for the parade as Glen had to go chaperone the Christmas dance so we had to head home. But I think we saw enough to get the idea. The parade didn't happen at the marina, but on the other side of the lake down by the bridges. I think it was more fun being at the marina because we could watch all the action.

Soccer Tournament and Xmas Trees

Maggie had her soccer tournament on Saturday. 4 Games in a row. Ugh! I went home using the baby escape but Glen and Sean powered through. Maggie's team won the overall tournament thanks to one boy on the team who is a soccer champ. So we are done with that now until next season. (Maggie is in black on the left with the ball)



Saturday night we had dinner out at Bostons. I had a 25 dollar off coupon that I bought for 2 dollars. It was great! Sean slurped up his maccaroni and Maggie lost her tooth while biting into her fettuncini. Her tooth didn't seem loose enough to fall out from a soft noodle. Oh...that reminds me...I had better go be the tooth fairy.... Ok I'm back. Maxwell was a big boy in the restaurant and sat in the high chair.

Afterwards, we went to our favorite tree lot at the local nursery and picked out a noble fir. The guy said he cut it himself and brought it all the way from Corvallis! It was a lot cheaper than our standard tree because its more of a Charlie Brown type Christmas tree. Its not quite symmetrical and a little blobby on one side, but you can't tell with all the decorations on it. The guy said it was a "number 2 tree" as opposed to the "premium" tree's on the lot. It was pretty nippy that night so we felt like we were really in the mountains (as long as you ignored all the noise from the generators which kept their lights on...) It was 8 o clock by the time we got home, so we decorated the next day.

Sean is pretty excited by the "mis mis lights".

Soccer Trophy

Maggie's soccer team had a party at Peter Piper Pizza tonight. This weekend is the tournament. You keep playing until you lose. I am secretly hoping they lose early, but the coach wants everyone to bring a lunch because he thinks they can "go all the way". Yipes! Everyone got a participation trophy. Maggie wants to bring hers to school so she can show her friends. We compromised on her bringing in a photo of her holding the trophy. So this is the photo.

Maxwell is going very well. He is starting to sit up pretty well. Still needs a backup pillow (or mom) behind him for when he flops over while reaching for toys, but he is getting there. We also call him "Mr Roll-ee" as he will roll all over the living room floor. Sean thinks its hilarious when Mawell's leg flops into his train track set up. But not so funny if his foot knocks a train off the track. ;)