12 Days of Christmas (5-8)

5.  After doing a final clean to our Westside home, the kids earned enough money to adopt two families this year for Christmas.  Amelia made the phone call to Star 104.5 and completed the steps towards family adoption.  The girls excitedly waited for the mail each day, so they could see what our adopted families wanted.  Once the letters arrived, we headed to Target to pick out gifts.  The girls love this part of the whole ordeal and spent way too much time trying to pick out the perfect gifts.  On the other hand, Avery isn't much for shopping and would skip this part if I would let him.  After wrapping gifts and organizing name tags, we headed off for gift delivery.  Our first stop included a single mom with three kids.  They were super nice and spent a good 20 minutes chatting with us and showing us their bearded dragon.  Our second stop also included a single mom with three kids.  Her kiddos were a rambunctious bunch and very excited to put presents under their tree.  On our way out, they gave us a box of chocolates, and the kids had them gone before we were home.  Participating in this service event brings a lot of joy to our family!

6.  The holidays just wouldn't be the holidays without lots of stops for hot chocolate!

7.  Every year, around the holidays, we look for new Christmas cookie recipes.  The kids enjoy making cookies and delivering them to neighbors.  However, they most enjoy sampling each others creations and having a plentiful supply of holiday goodies for snacking.  With that being said, finding the recipes, gathering the ingredients, and carving out kitchen time for baking gets harder every year.  This year, once the cookies were made, everyone seemed exhausted, including me.  Amelia said she was done baking for the next month.  However, after making a visit to Bernie, an old neighbor, all of our baking seemed worth it. Often times, it's the opportunity a service act creates or a smile on a face, that reminds you why serving others is important, big or small.  For all of us, delivering a simple box of cookies, being invited in to chat, hearing stories from past Christmas's told by someone else, and sharing about our lives was the highlight of our week!  Thank you Bernie! 

This year.....

Avery made hazelnut sandwich cookies 

and chai Christmas balls.

Amelia made lemon melt aways 

and molasses cookies.

Audrey made pecan chocolate balls 

and loaded rice crispy treats.

Aggie and I made cranberry gingerbread.

 8.  Despite me wishing Herbie would go away, Herbie made a return with new service acts for the month of December.  He wasn't always on time, sometimes he moved mid-day, regardless Herbie challenged the kids to get off their duffs and get involved with others.  On one particular occasion, Herbie asked the kids to write letters to others in need of a little Christmas spirit.  Audrey snagged this challenge and made some Christmas letters to be delivered to a local nursing home by the Salvation Army. 

12 Days of Christmas (1-4)

December is such a busy month!  I'm not a huge fan of filling my calendar with as much as possible.  Over the years, we have found what makes the holidays special for us.  Some years it includes more and some years it includes less.  Here is a glimpse into Christmas 2020.

1.  I love Breakfast with Santa!  However, with covid, I wasn't sure what to do this year.  So, once again, we decided not to have Breakfast with Santa.  Instead, we headed to Avery's school for a fund raiser that included a visit with Santa.  Aggie was excited to visit Santa but wasn't too sure about the big man once she got close.  Her face says it all.  Also, she was pointing to his hand in the photo because she wanted me to know that Santa was holding her hand.  I'm not too sure if she thought that was a good thing or not. 

2.  I almost dread Christmas cards.  I love to receive them but putting them together and sending them off is so much work.  Honestly, I think I would be happier if we just sent them off earlier.  With that being said, I feel such a sense of accomplishment when all cards are stuffed, licked, sealed, and in the mailbox.  For me, teaching my kids the value of putting together Christmas cards is a life skill, which means I make them participate in the process.  Licking the glue to seal the cards is not tops of their list. However, being active participants does make them feel more invested in our family holiday happenings - or so I tell myself.

3.  We had an awesome Christmas party at Altitude trampoline park for CC.  Its been a while since we have visited a trampoline park, and this party reminded the girls how much fun trampoline parks can be.  Aggie had a hay day and took the best nap ever once we got home.

4.  Aggie loves to be outside running around.  The winter is no exception.  She enjoys our neighborhood park any day of the week come rain or shine.  After a snow storm in December, she was begging me to visit the park, so she could go down the slides because they had snow.  So, we bundled up, took Finn, and had a splendid time playing on the play equipment with snow.  

 

Audrey's 11th Birthday

Audrey turned 11 on December 3rd.  The girls did what we always do; collaborated to make a cake.  Audrey picked out a chocolate peanut butter cake recipe and not wanting to be left out of the fun dove right in.  

Right before inserting the batter into the oven, we forgot to grease and flour the pan, so our cake stuck something fierce to the pan sides.  We did what we could do, but the cake fell apart trying to release it from the pan.  Once assembled, the cake looked like a mess, but Audrey wasn't bummed one bit because it tasted so good.  

She also requested 'birthday casserole surprise' for dinner.  Although this is not one of Shane's favorite meals, the girls love it and both had second helpings.  

After dinner, Audrey insisted on lighting her own candles and successfully lit them all - something she has struggled with in the past.  Being a good big sister, Audrey let Aggie join her while blowing out her candles.  It took several gulps of air, but Audrey and Aggie blew out all 11 candles in less than 5 seconds. 

Because Audrey had some bigger gifts and was unable to guess what they were, she was especially excited to open her birthday presents this year.  I pretty sure her favorite present came from Avery.  He made her a new Harry Potter wand after Aggie broke her old wand.  The look on her face was priceless when she opened his present! 

  

These are a few things I want to remember about Audrey as she leaves 10 and heads to 11. 

1.  Aggie sometimes gives you a hard time, but you are a super, awesome older sister!  When Aggie wants to play with someone, it's your name she calls.

2.  You write and type all of your own school papers.  I help proof, but you relish doing this task on your own.

3.  You and Amelia share a lot of books.  In fact, you guys buy books you really want from the Half Price Book Store, share the cost, plan who will read what first, devour a series, and then sell it back, so you can buy more books.  It's a fun endeavor to watch.

4.  You are way better than myself at Latin.  It's humbling, but when we go over Latin, sometimes it feels like you are the teacher and I am the student.

5.  We didn't think it was possible, but both of us memorized all the states and capitals and can draw the states freehand.    

6.  You like to draw but get frustrated when your drawings don't turn out as expected.  Avery offers advice, but you don't want 'his' advice.  Art lessons may be in your future.

7.  You have been more vocal about what it is you are willing to tolerate from your siblings these days.  There has definitely been more sibling bickering the past 6 months.  You are working on articulating your feeling before letting yourself get frustrated and angry  

8.  This school year, for Faces of History, you desperately wanted to be Eleanor Roosevelt.  We called dibs on her the moment your tutor opened her agenda for requests.  Luckily, you got just what you wanted, because you didn't have a second choice as backup.  Now you are reading several  books about Eleanor Roosevelt and loving every word.  She seems to be a source of inspiration for yourself.

9. Tween shows on Disney seem to be your thing.  Even though I make you change the channel to something more palatable, like Malory Towers, you  throw on those Disney shows anytime I'm busy or not looking.

10. You are the smallest basketball player on your team.  This is a source of frustration, because those big girls seem to eat you alive when on the court.  However, you have 'heart' and are a well liked member of your team.