December on FB

Chocolate and science advent calendars this year

First World Problem: shoe choice on a rainy day when you didn't realize the drive thru was closed at Starbucks 😆🤦‍♀️

For his birthday, Isaac got a Crunch Labs kit from some really thoughtful people which included the components of a disc launcher. He loved putting it together and loved playing with it.

Yesterday, he discovered that he can put several Lego heads in the launcher and shoot them all off in different directions all at once.

It's the gift that keeps on giving. 😆🙄

Isaac, hunched over a Lego building book, "I have finally found my purpose."

Christmas

Someday we may get to the point where we can open presents Christmas morning after the sun comes up, but this was not that year. Since we were doing this early in the morning, I must give a hat's off to our extended WA family who all would most likely still have been sleeping at 7am on a holiday but who were at our house right on time! 

I took this picture while the kids were squirming on the stairs and it was so lovely to have so many people here this morning that there was barely enough room for all of the stockings.

Did I say the kids were squirming? That may have been an exaggeration. One of the kids was squirming. The other three were struggling to be awake and coherent. Eight million pictures later and it was go time.

I put my phone away while we opened presents....and then for the rest of the day. But all the boys got at least one gift they loved (usually from their list) and one awkward gift. After all the boxes and wrapping paper were properly sorted in the trash and recycling, I took a long winter's nap before we went to Rachel and Nana's for Christmas linner. At which point we all ate too much delicious food, played JackBox, and then gathered for a group selfie with Nana's tree.

A great time together! 

The Eve of Christmas

We're specializing in low-key holidays this year since I struggle to breathe and Jason struggles to walk. This morning Jason and I put together a puzzle. The fun was irresistible to Ben so he joined us. No scissors were used in assembling this puzzle, but there were a few times that were tempted! 

Ben and Isaac were peeled from their respective electronic devices long enough to make a Gingerbread House of Horror. I don't know why one of the gingerbread people left a head on the wall, but I also am not willing to ask.

Michael went to his girlfriend's house for the evening, so it was just Josh, Ben, and Isaac here to open their Christmas Eve gift after our dinner of pulled pork hoagies and chips. It's always such a "surprise" each year what they get this night.

Okay, maybe they have a general idea of what they are getting, but not which specific pajamas. I was pretty pleased with my choice of pj top this year.

Michael had a fabulous time at A's house (exhibit A; the hat) so he got to open his gift alone. 

And then off to bed so everyone could be rested for the 7am wake-up time Christmas morning!

"Sick" Day

To be fair, Isaac actually does have a cold. But the question is: Is he sick enough to stay home from school?

Yesterday morning he sounded so sick that I kept him home for one more day. 

Almost 20 years into parenting and I have apparently forgotten that kids always sound sicker in the morning. I suspect that there is a biological explanation for this, although there may be a "I want to stay home from school" component as well.

After keeping Isaac home yesterday, the following things happened during the day:

• Isaac argued with me as he believes that a triangle can have two parallel sides (yes, he does know what parallel means)
• Isaac built himself a robot costume out of tape and the excessive number of Amazon boxes in the house
• Isaac discovered that the disc launcher (built the day before from the Crunch Labs kit he got for his birthday), if filled with Lego heads can shoot Lego heads in all directions at the same time

Isaac went to school today.

Isaac is 9

December is a great month for this kid. His birthday and Christmas are within 10 days of each other. Since this is an odd numbered birthday, this is not a friend party year. I was still planning on inviting a couple of his friends over for the dinner and movie night since his birthday was on a Friday. Sadly, he came down with a cold with nasty cough. So, no friends but he also didn't have to go to school. 

He ate chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast after sleeping in until 9am. 

He opened some of his presents that evening. The hand-directed drone was a hit! But not literally because it has sensors and so doesn't hit the walls.

 Family birthday celebration was this evening so we got to put candles in a doughnut.

He added the sprinkles after blowing out the candles and he was quite thorough about it.

His birthday gift from our WA family is a yearlong subscription to Crunch Lab - a service that delivers a STEM-related kit to your door once a month. It was difficult to drag him away from the kit to eat dessert, but he got his fill of sugar and then returned to finish the kit. This month is a disc launcher and is thrilled! It should be a great year!

Winter Fest

Two nights, so much music.

Round 1

Rachel joined me and Michael at the Koval Center to see Ben perform.

Ben performed with the Green Orchestra. We were very impressed. Perhaps so impressed as to imply slight insult. But, truly. Ben claimed that the piece was an easy one. I maintain that the key to a concert is to pick a music the group has mastered. The audience would prefer not to listen to the musicians struggle through a more complicated piece. 

This was a 2-in-1 event for Ben as he also sang with the Bass Choir. Impressively, he soloed in Latin!

Round 2

Rachel joined me and Ben at the Koval Center to see Michael perform.

Michael accompanied the presentation of the visual arts projects (not seen here). He was asked fairly last minute to play so I was quite impressed with his improvisation of uncharacteristically calm music. And even more impressed later when he told me it was all variations on the melody of Never Gonna Give You Up. I think an argument could be made that he Rick Roll'ed the entire audience.

Then he sang with the Symphonic Choir. He is always very critical of this group, but we thought they did well. Michael has such a beautiful, resonant voice that I can often pick him out even in a choir.

Both nights ended the same: we dropped off Aunt Rachel and went to Dairy Queen for Blizzards.

Holiday Lights

 This evening was dry and chilly with no swim meets or shifts working at the skate rink - a perfect night to drag take the boys to see holiday lights!

With hot chocolate and hot apple cider in our bellies, we drove north to Spanaway for the lights.

The response to this activity was mixed.

Josh invited his girlfriend so they spent most of the time chatting with Michael in the backseat.

Ben slept through as much as he could.

And Isaac excitedly pointed out everything to us for the entire drive. He may be the only one interested in going next year, but I am glad we went.