The Birds!

The kids always enjoy visiting the zoo, and one of our favorite stops is the”parakeet house.”  This is a fun exhibit because you can buy nectar and hand feed the birds.  In past visits, the parakeets have snacked or even avoided our nectar, because they are either semi-full or completely full, due to prior feeding.  However, on December 26th, the day after Christmas, the parakeets were hungry….very hungry!   Think Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds!"


Alfred Hitchcock's Version

Our Version

                         

All I want for Christmas is.......

A treasure box full of cool finds!

A girly dress! 

A baby with eyes I can open and shut! 

A "Rody" for my own personal rodeo!

A domestic "Heidi Homemaker" item...all asked for and wanted! 

A new swimsuit I wasn't even sure I needed!

A textbook on statistical reasoning!

A crazy Christmas shirt!

Smile....Please!

When looking at the pictures in this post, you need to pay special attention to my middle child, Amelia.  As of recently she has been somewhat challenging while taking pictures.  Specifically, she smiles for the first couple of pictures then proceeds to turn into a goofball, placing her hands around her face, sticking out her tongue, standing in strange positions, and grinning with clenched teeth.  Her actions make group pictures a challenging experience.  Our Christmas Eve family pictures were no exception…….

A nice smile.

I see London I see France, I see Amelia's....

The beginning of the "clenched teeth" grin.

Grabbing her sister's leg.

Now grabbing her sister's arm.

Now starting to lose it.

Ok, now she has lost it and mom and dad have lost it.

The tears begin to roll and threats ensue.

She is trying REALLY hard to smile.....we told her Santa doesn't like excessive crying.

Hermie

“Hermie,” our elf, left Avery and Amelia two special messages and one special treat for the upcoming arrival of Santa and his reindeer.   Included with Hermie’s first message were some oats and special instructions to sprinkle “Reindeer Food” in the lawn for Rudolph and his buddies.  The second message asked Avery and Amelia to brainstorm some goodies for Santa’s tummy. 

Avery and Amelia were both “into” each message and listened, remarked, and eagerly brainstormed solutions to Santa’s snack dilemma.  Additionally, they scattered their oats with gusto and in specific locations, according to the overcast night sky.  They were focused and determined to give Santa and his team a warm welcome, wishing with all their might that both of their names fell on the “nice list.”  Their efforts were priceless.

Christmas Traditions!

 Family traditions are so much fun because they are shared experiences that we can count on, learn to expect, and are repeated often…and this brings comfort, arouses memories, and generates nostalgia.

One of my favorite family traditions is decorating Christmas cookies, which eventually leads to, my favorite part, eating Christmas cookies. It was so much fun sharing this tradition with the kiddos and watching them creatively, decorate their Christmas cookies. Avery’s favorite part was eating the sprinkles and Amelia’s favorite part was sitting on Opa’s lap and receiving his undivided attention for the duration of this activity.  Oma makes the best sugar cookies and I look forward to a batch of these babies every year....mmmmm!