Entries from December 2012 ↓

We put the tree up and did just a little decorating.

After our first pass at decorating, Ezri’s ornament placement may have needed adjustment.

The next day we did some more work on the tree. Here we are junking up our tree really nicely.

Ivan found an ornament shaped like a star. He holds it aloft saying “Tee-Ko Tee-Ko!” That’s his version of “twinkle twinkle.”

Here Ezri is showing the “baby frosty” who she hung next to the “mama Frosty.”

I am so happy to have a tree full of ornaments – many homemade. We have ornaments made by Ezri and ones Eric & Amy made as children and ones Tam made during my childhood and ones from special friends. It’s completely festive.

While listening to Laurie Berkner’s Christmas songs, Ezri decided to draw her own Rudolf.

Inspired by the most excellent picture book Dinosaur versus Santa, Ezri and two friends made popsicle stick photo frames.

Her gingerbread house with some outerspace inhabitants that came in her Hanukkah pockets this year.

This Santa advent calendar was brought home from preschool. We are adding a cotton ball every day and will add the last one to complete his beard on Christmas Day. It’s a great visual on how many days till Christmas.

Ezri also brought this one home from preschool and said, “Can you tell what it is? Look at the tail? He rolled in the mud.”

This craft’s from preschool too.
Me: What is it?
Ezri: It’s my little carrot. I planted it.

This is a self-portrait. “Look, my bangs are in my eyes.”

It was cold but we had a great time exploring the hedge maze for the first time and stopping by the Enchanted Railroad to warm up and watch the mini-trains go round and round.

Happily holding the owl purse that she’s been filling and unfilling all day.
We took it shopping today.

Ezri could not wait for chocolate dreidel cake and gelt.

They got harmonicas for Hanukkah.

Songtime at the Hanukkah party

Ezri with her gingerbread house team!

I love this series of photos in which Ezri goes from posing for a photo to realizing there is a frosting covered cookie in front of her. The tongue comes out.

After decorating gingerbread houses:
e: When do we get to eat it?
A: We don’t eat it. We are going to use it to decorate for Christmas.
with a very puzzled expression
e: It is candy.

“I can peel an orange all by myself. I never went to orange school. I learned it by eating.”

“When I grow up I want to be a magician or a mama or a grandma. . . or a clown.”

Pointing at one of those inflatable Santas on the drive back from Spanish class Ezri says, “Santa is rojo-ho-ho!”

“Do mermaids use potties or just pee in the water like fish?”

e: I want a SMOOTHY!
A: We are not getting smoothies today.
e: You are a bad mama. I am going to put you in your room.
A: You do not get to put me in time-out for not getting you a smoothy. It does not work that way.
e: IT DOES WORK THAT WAY.
A: No, it doesn’t.
e: YES, IT DOES.
A: No, it really doesn’t
e: YES! IT! DOES!
It may have gone on longer, but I’ll end it there.

Our friends, the Stumbaughs, invite us over for what we call “half sleepovers.”
We have a big crazy dinner with all the kids and then we all play a bit.
Then P.J’s and bedtime for the kids.
If the kids mostly sleep – then we get to play games with just the grown-ups.
We then collect the sleeping children and take them home.
So, it’s a half sleepover because you go to bed at a friend’s house, but wake up in your own.

Here is Susan’s story bringing all the girls to the room. Ezri is in orange snuggling with her friend, K.

Here’s Ezri curled up and looking ready for bed with her friend, P.

The night also included antics with glitter. Ezri came out unglittered, but other children were not so fortunate. There was an epic game of school where I was called to answer to the principal (elected principal by virtue of being the eldest child). The second eldest girl was the teacher. Ezri was one of the good kids. I was drafted to be the bad kid who did not share and tried to eat chalk. Ezri was called to the principal’s office to receive gifts. I had to sit in the corner.