This year we were lucky enough to celebrate Christmas multiple times with our different families. Our first celebration started the weekend before Christmas when Reva and Skip (Grandma and Grandaddy) arrived from North Carolina. We enjoyed three days together, and Parker got his first experience with Christmas gifts. Ainsley is a pro by now, and she was more than happy to open everyone's gifts for them. She also thought she should "help" Parker by opening all his gifts and then playing with them, just to make sure they worked.
Parker and Grandaddy
Ainsley, opening up her new doll.
Ainsley showing Grandma and Grandaddy the photo book we made for them.
Helping Parker open his gifts
Not quite sure what he's supposed to do with this box...
Enjoying a new book with Grandma!
Silly bug with her new hat
Grandaddy spent a lot of time helping Ainsley make a beaded bracelet and necklace!
We also attended the live nativity show at the zoo. This is a great event, where they have actors and use animals from the zoo (camels, sheep, goats, etc) to tell the Christmas story. Although we had to wait in line and it was a bit cold outside, we all managed just fine and the kids really enjoyed the show. Parker was fascinated by the lights and animals, and Ainsley really seemed to follow the story since she had spent a lot of time learning about it in preschool.
All bundled up and ready for the show!
Riding the "train" to get to the zoo.
Waiting to see the Christmas Nativity
One of my favorite funny stories from the weekend happened the first night of their visit. Ainsley is at that age where she asks a lot of questions but doesn't always listen to (or understand) the answers. Ainsley commented at the dinner table that Skip and Reva's dogs (Charlie and Annie) were scared of Dixie. Skip spent several minutes explaining that they weren't scared of her, but that they were old dogs and Dixie is a young dog, and they don't have the energy to play with her. He spent a lot of time trying to fully explain the dynamic between the dogs, their ages, sizes, energy levels, and personalities. Ainsley listened very intensely, and was very quiet and polite. When Skip was finished with his explanation, she turned to me and said "Charlie and Annie are scared of Dixie."
Our funny little man, Parker, is at the age where he feels the need to repeat things over and over again. As evidenced with this new toy that he received from Grandma and Grandaddy.
Over three days we spent a lot of time playing, eating, and enjoying each others company. What a great way to start off our Christmas season! Merry Christmas and lots of love to Grandma and Grandaddy!
I woke up this morning and a feeling of helplessness washed over me. All the unknowns are creeping up and threatening to smother me. It's a wave that comes over and over again. I get to the top of one and then another hits. I have always been a planner. Sometimes I worry. But I very rarely have anxiety. I try to focus on what I know and what I have control over. What DO I know? I know what will happen for the next 4 weeks. I know the kids have school until May 22 and I will do my best to balance it with work. Got it. I can do that. But what happens after that? What will they do all day when school ends and I'm still working and camps haven't started up yet? What if camps never start? Do I cancel the camps now and try to get some money back? Or do I wait and see if they cancel and give me a refund? Do I move their camps to later in the summer when they're more likely to happen? But if I wait to see if the June camps are cancelled then all the July and August camps mi...
My baby girl is ELEVEN today!!! She couldn't have a big party, but she sure had a special day. We surprised her with yard signs ( cardmyyard.com ). We released the butterflies into the garden. They hung out on the kids' hands for a while before flying off. Her gift from us was a purple hoverboard - she is so excited! Her neighborhood friends came and secretly decorated the garage for a little party. She was so surprised and loved sharing cake with her best friends. THEN to add even more excitement, two of her best friends from school came for a 'drive-by' socially-distant celebration. She was thrilled to see them drive up - she hasn't seen them in person since March 6, before Spring Break!! Both sets of grandparents gave her a new bike (she will get to go shopping and pick it out herself next week). She has grown so much and is in desperate need of a new bike! My beautiful 11 year old... how time flies!
Ainsley's class spends time each day doing a Reading Workshop and a Writing Workshop. She has written numerous stories (and illustrated them too) and they are always hilarious. Every few months her teacher will send home a pile of them. I captured one here for your enjoyment. [One day I lost my first tooth] [Fortunately, I was so happy] [Unfortunately, I dropped it and Blue got ahold of it] [Fortunately, my mom got his toy and it made him drop my tooth] [Unfortunately, I put my tooth down to go eat dinner and my brother took it from me] [Fortunately, my brother gave it back and the tooth fairy came and took my tooth.] Note: This is not based on a true story. Although Blue and Parker do often take things from her.
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