It’s the Most Wonderful Time…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…I think that’s how the song goes anyway.  And while the holidays mean plenty of fun and plenty of family time, it also means a much busier schedule in general.  To get through these busy patches (at least for me anyway) I make sure there’s plenty of coffee on hand.

This year was a little different for us, as we were hosting family Christmas for the first time.  I’m not sure if it was just nervousness around not having enough food, or just general stress trickling into the grocery list, but we had enough food for an army.  I instructed Karen it was mandatory to have turkey, but she was dead set on having a roast.  Soooo, we ended up with some of both…but I wasn’t aware of what I was really in for.  I’m not going to lie; I was a little in shock at the big hunk of meat that I saw when I opened the fridge.  I guess 15-18 pounds of beef may not seem like a lot, but that’s already in addition to the 7 pounds of turkey.    22 lbs of meat later, I wondered if there was a small village coming to our house that Karen had forgotten to mention.  We did end up with about 17 people in total, but when some of them are 2, 3, and 6 years old, they don’t really consume the portions necessary to decimate a good portion of a cow’s whole body.  I know I was stuffed after dinner, but the desserts were too irresistible to ignore.  A small dessert sampler and I’m sure 23,000 calories later, I knew I was done for the day.

Nana joined us from Montana and flew in on Christmas Eve.  She was able to help us participate in the ritual of going to my Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve for snacks and drinks.  She was then indispensable in helping to prepare all of the delectable food that no doubt will make my trips to the gym so much more important over the next month!  Although she Skypes every weekend, it was great to have her here in person.  I’m sure it’s much more entertaining to experience Corwin’s latest developments, Sydney’s new interests, and everything fun that comes with that, in person.   

Of course, Christmas morning was full of wrapping paper flying everywhere, toys being tripped on, and the general fun chaos that is expected.  We were able to Skype in my uncle from Florida at one point and my brother and his family from Oregon a short time later.  Even though we wish they were all here in person, it was great to see them, talk to them, and share in some experiences with them over the holiday!  Although the gifts were all great, and the food amazing (as it will continue to be over the next few days with leftover meals), nothing was better than having family and friends together and just having fun and enjoying our time together.  There's much more I could write, but I need to go sleep off some calories and lapse into a food coma.  I hope everyone else had a very Merry Christmas!!!

Somebody is hungry!  I'm glad I moved my fingers in time!

6 is the New Awesome!

December is full of holiday adventures, and Christmas and the New Year seems to take center stage.  A little girl with blond hair, a never ending stream of energy, and a five full years of living, might, however...have something to say about competing celebrations.  That's right, on December 15th Sydney will turn the big SIX!!!  So before there's any turkey dinners or holiday singing, there's going to be birthday cake!!!

It's hard to believe how fast the time has gone.  It seems like just yesterday she was eating stuff off of the floor and drooling all over.  Oh...wait, that was yesterday.  But regardless of her never broken habits, she is, in fact, turning another year older.  She is becoming a true little lady.  She's very smart, and for better or worse we never know what crazy thing is going to come out of her mouth.

Her last year was a busy 5th, which included her entering kindergarten at Silver Beach, enjoying more swimming classes, gaining more princesses outfits, and having a full year of fun.  Today, Sydney got to celebrate her big occasion with friends, some from school and some from the private sector.  The Elsa cake is certainly a reflection of the theme this year.  Sydney was Elsa for Halloween, and often wears her Else stocking cap with the creepy hair that moves...gross!

Sydney's little brother Corwin is also doing great.  His speech seems to increase exponentially each day, and his comprehension is right on par, too.  He really is a smart little guy, but he really enjoys laughing and also tormenting the blue bird (I'm so proud of him!...ha ha).

Other than
Birthday festivities this week, we continue to get all of the traditional holiday stuff done.  That means wrapping presents, baking cookies, food shopping for Christmas dinner, decorating, and all of the other usual things this time of year.

There's plenty more I could write, but I'll just keep it as a simple update and wish our little Sydney Ru a very...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

It was hard to get her to leave after she found
the excitement of the slide.

Syd had over 17 little friends celebrate with her :)

Corwin hits his bounce house stride!

Food, Sugar, Sleep

Food, sugar, more food, more sugar, some sleep…followed by some leftovers, and then hit repeat.  This is probably all the description you need to guess that it’s Thanksgiving time.  Food is certainly a nice part of Thanksgiving, but it’s also great to have several days off to spend with the family.  We’ll be making the long, arduous, and significant trek…braving the immense holiday traffic, to my Grandma’s house a full ten minutes away :)   

The itinerary for the time off will hopefully include some fun activities, putting up remaining the Christmas decorations, and having some fun around the house.  I wish I could say sleeping in late was on the agenda, but that never happens.  The inevitable chores and small projects will undoubtedly keep the time off practical and deliver a dose of reality, but hopefully those can be minimized.

Getting ready for the
Sounders Game!!!

After Turkey Day, Karen is deciding to brave the Black Friday shopping.  I hope her helmet, shoulder pads, and other protective gear provide ample defense against the hoard of anxious, ravenous, and unforgiving shoppers.  I’ve witnessed the mob in action before, and I’m more than happy to kick back and relax at home with my little buddy Corwin.  Sydney is going to participate in the madness with Karen this year, so we’ll see what she looks like when she returns home.

While I could sit here and rattle off all of the traditional things I am thankful for (friends, family, health, etc.), I’d like to assume you already know all of those and just highlight the few other things that I thankful for:

*The bad weather…believe it or not, the bad weather prevents some of the outside house projects from being done, opening up time for more fun activities  

*The Sounders…who are one win away from being in the MLS cup

*Sydney’s reading…who can now read bedtime stories to her brother at night

 *Corwin’s sleeping…who now can sleep through the night (even if he gets up 20 minutes too early each day)

*Corwin’s vocabulary…he’s adding new words on a regular basis (and no swear words yet either, ha ha!)

*Although Sydney may accessorize Corwin with princess attire, he still enjoys playing with trucks and soccer balls

*Sydney’s card-game skills…she can beat me at Uno, without even having to cheat

*My changed hearing (or likely increased tolerance)…I am becoming more accustomed to Sydney’s off-key singing

*Coffee (nothing more needs to be said)

*Karen’s ability to realize how funny, witty, handsome, and modest her husband is

As you can see from the pictures, the arrival of Thanksgiving has also meant the preparations and decorations for Christmas!  I’m sure there’s plenty more I could share, but rather than drone on to the two or three of you that may actually see this, I’ll instead wish you a Thanksgiving filled with fun, family, friends, pie, turkey, potatoes, and gravy!!!

Sydney's school assignment...
disguise the turkey so
he doesn't get eaten!

The kids watching Mary Poppins...
always a classic!

Happy Halloween!!!

An absence of protein and an abundance of sugar and calories can only mean one thing, it's Trick or Treat'n time!!!

It was certainly a much difference experience being in a new neighborhood.  Our experience over the past 7 years in Sudden Valley was to wait for our 'one' neighbor kid to show up.  It was the same thing every year, but for some reason it didn't stop Karen from buying three big bags of candy.  I think that was her excuse for going into her own sugar-coma.  "Oh, look at all this leftover candy we have."  Premeditated I tell ya!  But this year, in our new place, we were literally swarmed with trick or treaters.  We finally decided to leave a bowl of candy out so that we could take the kids around the neighborhood ourselves.  Of course, when we got back it was totally empty, and I hope it wasn't empty so long that people considered egging our house or performing some other sinister act.  Many of the neighbors had good treats, and one even had a hot-chocolate stand, dishing out small cups of tasty goodness along with glow sticks and glow bracelets (not a cheap endeavor, but very cool on a cold night).

Sydney decided to wear her Elsa costume.  She acquired the costume a few weeks ago and has paraded it through the house on several occasions.  We saw about four other Elsa's in the neighborhood, and being sincerely 'not' biased, she was by far the best.  Sydney's little buddy Evelyn also joined us for the sugar collection process.

Corwin also had a fantastic time.  Being two years old and not really understanding the Halloween concept too much, he did not offer much resistance to being placed in an Olaf costume (Elsa's snowman sidekick).  Now that he's got one year under his belt, I think next year Karen will not get away with making him an accessory.  He'll undoubtedly want to pick out his own costume.  By the end of the night, Corwin was on a mission.  He would walk up and knock on the door, and when it opened he would actually say "trick or treat," or at least his version of it.  While we really haven't exposed him to much candy, we did actually give him a couple of pieces of candy last night.  He was so excited to try them, and with no big surprise he liked them immensely.

We all had a great time, and with our first Halloween completed in a new setting I'm sure we'll be well prepared for next year.

 We hope everyone else enjoyed

Halloween!!!

Two Down and Many to Go!!!

Two years ago our grocery bill increased, more toys began to litter the floor, and smells around the house changed.  These outcomes were created by the arrival of our little man Corwin.  That can only mean one thing now, that we are celebrating his second birthday!!!

Corwin celebrated in style, surrounded by family, friends, and enough sugar to feed a village.  The occasion was certainly festive, but the milestone itself also offered a chance to look back and reflect on the journey from then to now.  

We've enjoyed the first two years with Corwin, and he has definitely made the family more complete.  His progression on many fronts is also what you'd expect.  Corwin’s physical coordination and motor skills have always been great, and he loves kicking balls around the house.  His speech is also coming along.  He loves saying ‘fire truck, pumpkin, popsicle (of course), and other interesting words he comes across.  Given the multitude of sound waves dominated in the house by his mother and sister, I’m just glad he’s not mute.  That’s basically a nice way of saying that it’s tough for him to get a word in.  Corwin's sense of humor is also not lacking.  He enjoys shifting quickly between his 'serious face' and then his 'happy face,' back to his serious face quickly followed by his happy face...you get the idea.  He'll do that several time, then look at you, throw his head back, and laugh hysterically.  

For us as parents, he's brought quite a lot of joy, pride, and entertainment, which is a nice element to accompany the slobber, drool, and random assortment of body fluids and solids.  He's our little guy, and we love him :)

                                                                    

In other news, Sydney is loving school.  Kindergarten was built for her extrovert nature.  We recently attended her 'curriculum night' to learn about what they will be teaching the students this year.  To give you an idea of her academic abilities, reading level begins at "A".  Their spring goal for all kindergarten students is level "D."  Well, apparently our little Sydney Ru is already reading at least a level F, which is already first grade level.  She's become so efficient at reading, that many nights she takes over nighttime story responsibilities with Corwin.  She gets more practice, and he loves being read to by Sydney...a great time for both!

Everyone is getting ready for Halloween.  Sydney will be in a costume that we have not shown her yet.  It'll be a surprise for her, so I'll guess you'll have to wait to see the pictures, too.  For me...I will once again be playing the “Tired Dad” exhausted by life’s ongoing house projects and other to-do lists.  I had considered an alternative costume this year, but people have always commented on just how authentic and believable it is.

That's it for now.  I hope everyone else is doing great!!!
 

Syd has class...literally!

     Assessments, early dismissals, hot lunch…it can only mean one thing…our little Sydney Ruth has started kindergarten!!!  Were does the time go???  From diapers to lunch money in the blink of an eye.  I better not blink again or she’ll be driving or leaving for college.
     With the start of school, Sydney is officially a Silver Beach Silverhawk.  She would have been a Geneva student, but our move a few months back put her into the Silver Beach boundaries.  She has enjoyed her first few weeks of school.  She has learned to use the library, learned the ropes for getting meals, and has begun to understand classroom and recess rules.  Syd was also very excited the two occasions she’s been able to ride the school bus home.  To top it off, Nana also visited during the week school started, so she was able to participate in Syd’s new big transition.  She's loved it so far, so we hope she continues her enthusiasm through her academic career.
     At school, Sydney was fortunate to have a couple of kids from daycare also attend her school.  Although they are not in her classroom they’re right next door and get to play together at recess.  I’m sure it’s comforting to have a few ‘old’ friends at school, although she will have no shortage of opportunities to add new ones to her long list of friends.
     This Friday she will be participating in her first school fundraiser, a Jog-a-Thon.  The kids will earn money by running laps around the track.  We’ll see how it goes, but I’m sure she’ll do great.
     Corwin has also been doing great.  He's picking up new words every day (not counting the ones that sound like Klingon), and he really is a pretty funny little guy.  When asked, he'll provide an extremely serious look until he can't take it and bursts out laughing.  This week has been a little challenging though, as his two-year molars are coming in.  This has not only meant that he's been in a lot of pain, but it also means he's been salivating like a large canine.  I find myself walking through wet spots on the carpet, as well as peeling shirt off him that are fully soaked down the front.  There's been even more grotesque results, but I'll reserve those for another time.
     It's been a busy end to summer and beginning of fall.  As I mentioned, we did move to a new house.  We also went to Florida a week after we moved so I could attend a work conference (I do not recommend that combination to anyone).  And, with much sadness, we also lost my nephew Thomas.  He was much too young, and we will always carry the fun, the humor, and the great spirit he shared with us wherever we go.  

Sydney's new classroom.

     Needless to say, the past few months have been fairly frantic.  We are hoping things can slow down a bit and we can find some time to settle in to our new house, new routines, and try to find some fun to fit into our schedules.  I hope everyone else is doing well!

  

Fun at the Greek Fest!

Corwin in his favorite colors!

A great picture of all of the kids together!  We'll miss you Thomas!

 

Sydney reading a bedtime story to Corwin.

All Work & No Play???

We took a recent trip to Florida.  Believe it or not, it was actually for work.  I attended a national conference, which actually was well worth the trip.  Great speakers, great workshops, and definitely a level of quality you can't get locally.  ALTHOUGH that was the reason for the trip, we did manage to fit some fun in, too.  Well, I should say that was more the case for me.  As I put my brain and knowledge to work at the conference each day, Karen, Sydney, Corwin, and Grandma put their Disney knowledge and experience into action in the parks.  I was able to join them in the evenings, and then for full days at the parks after the conference ended.

It was hot and muggy, but no weather conditions were about to slow us down.  Okay, actually there were a couple of downpours that just drenched us...and on one occasion lightning struck the monorail line that we were on (fortunately it happened before we left the platform and we were just able to disembark without too much time delay).  Other than those two minor setbacks, we took the fast track to fun and dealt with sweating profusely in an admirable manner.

We used our Fast Passes to get to our favorite rides, and we even got a chance to hit the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Cart roller coaster.  We made sure we consumed a churro and some other tasty treats.  We also got to sport our fancy new magic bands, which contained all of our personal information, credit cards links, and perhaps everything known about us on the web.  Corwin was also much older this trip, so it was much more enjoyable for him and he got to experience some very fun things.  

One highlight of the trip certainly included dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table.  It was definitely a feast, plus we also received a buffet of princesses that visited the table during our meal.

I could go on and on, but we recently moved and my honey-do list is very long.  So, instead of blab on and on, I wanted to at least make a post and share some pictures of our fun adventure!!!