Our Christmas, in photos.

Undeniably, I'm borrowing Norbyah's idea by "writing"  about our Christmas with family and friends by sharing a few of my favorite photographs.  We were incredibly busy, keeping up with all of our favorite Christmas-time traditions and, at the same time, maintaining our (Dave's) schedule (he had to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.)  Unpredictable weather patterns and a little bit of a cold (Emmett) tried slowing us down, but we pressed on.

On Christmas Eve day, Theo and I met the Pritchard family at Olbrich for the Holiday train and gingerbread house exhibit. Theo enjoyed the trains, almost as much as he LOVED playing with Julia, Ruaun, and (most of all) Chewie (pictured with him, above.)  Afterwards, we shared lunch (thanks again, Janiece and Ted!!) and spent the rest of the day talking about our adventure.  We can't wait to see you guys again.

As has been our tradition for the past four years now, we shared Christmas Eve with the Colby family.  Dave interned with Tom (aka Tommy, to Theo) before he joined the department and has been my husband's mentor, both personally and professionally, for over 10 years now.  Tom was our Best Man on our wedding day, and his youngest son Mark (holding Emmett, above) is Theo's Godfather.  

On December 24th we gather at the Colby residence for LouAnn's infamous Christmas Eve meal: grilled brats, a Brennan's fruit salad, cheesy scalloped potatoes...  This tradition started with the Colby's oldest son's military career.  During his limited leaves, he craved good ol' Wisconsin meals when he was able to come home.  This meant brats and burgers and corn on the cob at Christmas. Works for us!!

Theo loves visiting the Colby's house because Tom and LouAnn have saved and stored Mark's entire Playmobile collection from when he was a kid.  Theo, increasingly a Lego-man himself, loves to dive into the cedar chest full of Mark's childhood treasures.  He spent hours playing with Bud, Mark, and Tom.

We also share Christmas Eve Mass with the Colby family.  This year, however, due to the fact that Dave was at work and "midnight" mass doesn't start until 9pm, we saved church for Christmas morning. I didn't think it fair, to subject the other parishioners to my over-stimulated, over-tired babes, who I knew I wouldn't be able to handle on "my own" (without their Papa).

Christmas morning. Presents under the tree.  The boys had so much fun, opening and exploring and SHARING.  Dave and I, with our coffee cups in hand, enjoyed the quiet hours of the morning with our little men, marveling at the gifts left for them under our tree. 

Gregg (Emmett's Godfather) and Lindsay joined us on Christmas morning, too, to share in the coffee and fun of a house full of children on Christmas Day. Traditionally, Gregg brings books as gifts, and this year was no different.  He always chooses something special for each of the boys, and I always inscribe them for him (he prefers my handwriting) and them make them safe for special occasions.  

After our morning at home, Dave headed to work and the boys and I ventured to Fort Atkinson for Christmas Day with members of the S extended family.  The photo above speaks volumes about what transpired at Uncle Tom and Aunt Anita's house, because Theo and Emmett NEVER fall asleep in the car.

Emmett has been waking earlier than the rest of the family lately, and I've been taking advantage of our alone time together between 7 and 8am.  He is talking and growing so much. He loves to read.  And sing. And build. And just play.  He is my sunshine, early in the morning, and into the darkest of night.

(Emmett with Grampy. Their resemblance strikes me.)

(Aunt Moony with her baby, Sam.)

(Cousins.)

(Brothers.)

Dave's parents and siblings and our S nieces and nephews infiltrated our house on the 26th for another family celebration. Traditionally, we retreat to Nanny and Grampy's house on Christmas day, after leaving Tom and Anita's house. Since Dave had to work this year, we moved our family gathering to the day after Christmas, Dave's first of 3 days off.  Dave tried his hand, for the first time, at making a standing rib roast (it was glorious) and the rest of us pitched in to make a pretty incredible meal.  We ate and opened gifts and played cards and visited and did craft projects with the kids.  My house looked like the wake of some sort of natural disaster area afterwards.  I was too tired to deal with it, however, and went straight to bed!

(I guess one way to get him to smile is by wrapping his Christmas presents in Victoria's Secret boxes!!)

(Meggan gets the prize for most creative gift. It's always fun, to render Eli speechless.)

(While my running attire may be more colorful, I'll eternally be chasing her heels.)

(Josh, Jen, and the girls.)

(Uncle Luke and Ethan... on his first Christmas. He looks as overwhelmed as I think his daddy feels when we are all together!)

(Gabe, digging out the dinosaurs. If you know a little boy who is curious AND patient, this is a great gift!!)

(Santa even made us a snowman this year!)

(Theo's gift from his Godmother... homemade play-dough.  It's kept him busy for hours, already!)

(Sledding, Theo and Gabe.)

Finally, this past weekend, we traveled north to celebrate Christmas with the P family.  All of us under one roof is becoming an impressive gathering... there are 23 of us now (hopefully, by next Christmas, we'll be 24!!)  The P family traditions include all kinds of eating (my sisters' homemade candy, prime rib and shrimp cocktail, brandy slush and grasshoppers, to name a few of my favorites...) and gifts that result from a name exchange, and reading Robert Frost.  It is becoming more and more rare, as our family grows in size, that we all fit together in one place. What I treasure more than any gift under the tree is my family, itself... each of my siblings and those that are extensions of them, and everything that makes them mine.  For better or for worse.  Family squish.  

Transitioning

"Santa" brought me a new computer for Christmas, and I'm in the process of "moving" from my PC to my new MacBook. I have a few photos here and a few there from the past week. We're still in the middle of our Christmas celebrations... tonight we're getting together with Emmett's Godfather Gregg, his girlfriend Lindsay, and Gregg's family. And tomorrow we're making the trip north to have Christmas with my family... my parents, my siblings and their significant others, all of my nieces and nephews. We can't wait.

We received a holiday package in the mail from Hong Kong. Theo and Emmett got these adorable little hats from the Nolasco clan. In all honesty, Norbyah, capturing a picture of Emmett wearing his new headpiece was a bit of a challenge (in other words, he hates it.) But Theo was thrilled to wear both of them and is proud to show them off (and tell about who and where they came from) to anyone who will listen.

Dan and Jessica headed out early last week for some quiet time together, a date night, and I had a house full of S and M family kids. I'm not sure if who had a better time... the kids or me! After being cooped up in the house for 2 days straight thanks to the subzero temps and the mounds of snow, we all needed the visitors. Theo and Emmett were getting kind of sick of one another, and I was getting kind of sick of the "bickering" that resulted. We played and played and played, and when it was time to rest we shared a movie (Polar Express) and some popcorn. I think I vaccuumed the last of it from between the couch cushions just this morning.

I enjoyed my alone time each night this week, after the kids were asleep. I listened to Christmas music, drank hot chocolate, wrapped presents, and thought about Christmases past and those to come for my growing family. Of course, I couldn't help but think about our baby. Certainly not alone, certainly being loved and cared for by someone in Korea... his birth mom, or his foster mom, or someone at his orphanage.

I want him to know that I am thinking of him. Waiting in wonder. Hopeful, and joyful, knowing that next year I will hang his stocking here, too.

Peace and (not so) quiet.

As tomorrow marks the first day of 5 in a row, filled with Christmas celebrations to be shared with our families and close friends, I wanted to post about what happened at our house today, both inside and out.

First of all, while I have so much to learn and am struggling a bit with white balance and iso (I think this is the problem. Boy, do I need some help!), I have to say that I totally dig my new camera. I have been having so much fun playing around with it... I have about 2 million pictures from the past 2 days to sort through!

Emmett and I were up early this morning, and we love to watch our fine feathered friends feast at our backyard birdie oasis.

(the oasis.)

(Okay, fine... some of our furry friends feast there, too, despite the squirrel baffle. And the field corn suspended from a distant tree.)

(He really makes Dave mad. The boys and I think he's pretty cute.)

Dave and I have been faithfully keeping our feeders full, knowing that lots of fuel is necessary with the cold, windy, snowy weather we are having. We have a ton of suet out there... Dave actually picked some up from the meat department at the grocery store today (per my Mom's suggestion) and I'm excited to see how it goes over. We've been seeing plenty of Juncos, a fair share of Mourning doves, a finicky female Cardinal, and 2 of the fattest woodpeckers (I think they are either male Downys or Hairys. Not certain...)

A Junco...

and one of our woodpeckers (I think we have three.) Does anyone know what he is? He is super fast, and LOVES the suet.

(Note: I took all of these photos from inside, through my patio door which is laden with rain/snow spots and fingerprints. I mean, seriously, this camera rocks!)

As for what happened inside of our house today... you may have noticed how I titled this post. I'm not sure what has gotten into the boys (cabin fever?), but it has been wrestle mania here for the past couple of days. Emmett is truly the aggressor, and Theo is the sweet big brother who allows him to climb all over him (that is, until he has had enough.) Dave and I couldn't get enough of this today... we're thinking of pitching the play pen and charging admission for a cage match. Any takers?? (On second thought, maybe we should wait until our homestudy document is complete. Hmmmm....)

Emmett says, "Ready, set, go!!!" now. He is such a ham.

Still having fun...

Okay, now it's starting to hurt...

Let's rest!

Good night!

As the New Year approaches...

Nabbed from here.

Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to - leave in plain font

1. started your own blog

2. slept under the stars

3. played in a band (not unless an armit band counts...)

4. visited hawaii

5. watched a meteor shower

6. given more than you can afford to charity

7. been to disneyland/world- i'd never really wanted to go, but right now i wish i were making the trip with K to run the half marathon in 2 weeks, after all of our training together!

8. climbed a mountain- tetons

9. held a praying mantis

10. sang a solo- in johnny applseed, 6th grade.

11. bungee jumped

12. visited paris

13. watched a lightning storm at sea

14. taught yourself an art from scratch

15. adopted a child - (in progress!!)

16. had food poisoning

17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty- too many other cool things to do in NYC!! she wasn't as tall as i thought she'd be.

18. grown your own vegetables

19. seen the mona lisa in france

20. slept on an overnight train

21. had a pillow fight

22. hitch hiked

23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. built a snow fort- just this month, matter of fact!!

25. held a lamb

26. gone skinny dipping

27. run a marathon- okay, i've run a half, and aspire to a whole. i have a few answers in half bold/half italics...

28. ridden a gondola in venice

29. seen a total eclipse

30. watched a sunrise or sunset

31. hit a home run- not that i can remember. i think i kicked a home run in kickball, once.

32. been on a cruise- Colby Cruise or Bust!!!

33. seen niagara falls in person

34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors- the Belgian ancestors, but not the German or Dutch ones.

35. seen an amish community

36. taught yourself a new language

37. had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person

39. gone rock climbing

40. seen michelangelo’s david in person

41. sung karaoke- never!!!!

42. seen old faithful geyser erupt- twice!

43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant- okay, not in a restaurant, but at the grocery store...

44. visited africa

45. walked on a beach by moonlight

46. been transported in an ambulance- does while working count??

47. had your portrait painted- thanks to erin.

48. gone deep sea fishing

49. seen the sistene chapel in person

50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris

51.gone scuba diving or snorkelling

52. kissed in the rain

53. played in the mud

54. gone to a drive-in theatre

55. been in a movie

56. visited the great wall of china

57. started a business

58. taken a martial arts class- i'd love to do this with the boys someday!

59. visited russia

60. served at a soup kitchen

61. sold girl scout cookies.

62. gone whale watching

63. gotten flowers for no reason

64. donated blood

65. gone sky diving

66. visited a nazi concentration camp

67. bounced a cheque

68. flown in a helicopter

69. saved a favorite childhood toy

70. visited the lincoln memorial

71. eaten caviar

72. pieced a quilt

73. stood in times square

74. toured the everglades

75. been fired from a job

76. seen the changing of the guard in london

77. broken a bone

78. been on a speeding motorcycle

79. seen the grand canyon in person

80. published a book

81. visited the vatican

82. bought a brand new car

83. walked in jerusalem

84. had your picture in the newspaper

85. read the entire bible

86. visited the white house

87. killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. had chickenpox

89. saved someone’s life- i wasn't sure how to answer this one...

90. sat on a jury

91. met someone famous

92. joined a book club

93. lost a loved one

94. had a baby

95. seen the alamo in person.

96. swum in the great salt lake.

97. been involved in a law suit- again, not quite certain how to answer...

98. owned a cell phone

99. been stung by a bee

Scenes, from our house.

I got an early Christmas present from Dave, my incredible new camera, and I've been busying myself during all of my free time over the past couple of days playing with it. Experimenting. Reading. Trying to learn everything there is to know. (I'm taking a class in a couple of weeks.)

Last night, I took a few photos of some of my favorite ornaments on our Christmas tree. My family and our friends have so many incredible traditions this time of year... and one of my favorite things is the history that comes with some of the ornaments on our very own tree. I wanted to share a couple of them with you...

I bought this ornament for Dave in December of 2004, 6 months after we were married. Our first Christmas.

Every year for at least the past 8, my mom has given me (and each of my sisters and Jenny) a new ornament for our Christmas tree. She wraps all of them and just lets us pick. We (and she!) never know what we'll get. Sometimes there is a theme, and sometimes she just finds beautiful ornaments. This one was from 2005.

Another one of my ornaments from mom. This one actually came with 3 other pieces of candy... green, red, and blue, too!

Speaking of moms... my mother-in-law makes sure that we have a new police officer for our tree every year. Santa as a cop, a snowman as a cop, a cop car...

My friend Cindy gave me this ornament when I graduated from college. With it a note about how, during my years at UW, I was an angel to her and her family (I met them at a church where I worked, and quickly became their "surrogate" daughter, and like an older sister to their three girls, who I babysat frequently.) Cindy and her oldest daughter, Megan, played their violins at our wedding.

The year that Dave and I were engaged, his mom gave me a box full of Sesame Street ornaments for Christmas. These were Dave's when he was a child, and they are some of my (and the boys') favorite ornaments on our tree. They are handmade, from felt, and I hang them on the lowest branches, so that Emmett can touch some of what is beautiful on our tree without getting into any trouble! We have Bert and Ernie, Oscar, the Cookie Monster, and Big Bird.





This is my favorite one. For the past 30 years it's hung on either my parents' or our Christmas tree. I received it as a gift on the day I was baptized, in February of 1979. It is a painted sand dollar, with a music box attached to the back. Do you know "the legend" or the significance of the sand dollar?

There's a pretty little legend
That I would like to tell
-Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely,
You'll see that you find here
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman's Spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star
That appeared unto the shepherds
And led them from afar.

The Christmas poinsettia
Etched on the other side
Reminds us of His birthday
Our Happy Christmastide.

Now break the centre open
And here you will release
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me
To help us spread His Gospel
Through all eternity.


Which is the favorite ornament on your Christmas tree?