December 20, 2008

California snow!! Okay, so it was from the snow machines at the museum, but my kids loved it all the same. :)

December 19, 2008

Our bookclub Christmas party. Nathan got a cool, Jenga-type game and Shaylah knitted all of the kids (10 of them!) hats. She also had my name in the name draw, and gave me a beautiful geranium, and Reese's peanut butter cups and a Dr. Pepper--these are a few of my favorite things!! Norah with Shaylah's Christmas tree. She just learned how to clasp her hands behind her back yesterday, and so she walks around looking very thoughtful and wise. :) I love the way she is looking so carefully at this glass ornament.

December 9, 2008

Another two-week catchup post! We have been busy getting ready for the holidays. This year, I have gotten rid of a lot of the "extra" decorations that didn't have any personal meaning, in favor of family heirlooms and memories.

This Santa belonged to my mom (you can see me holding it in one of the pictures below). The deer belonged to my grandma, who thinks she's had it since the 30's. These decoration boxes belonged to my great-grandma. I never met her, but apparently she was *quite* the Christmas decorator!
Some of the pictures on our mantel. The big picture is me, holding the Santa from the first photo in this post. The other pictures are my sister and her boyfriend, me with Santa at about age seven, Karl with his dad in 1973, and Nathan with Santa last year.

Nathan took this picture of our Nativity. We received the main pieces thirteen years ago as a wedding gift from a friend who owned a Christmas store. We have added to it almost every year (not all the pieces are out this year). Connie passed away this year, so putting out the Nativity had even more meaning for us.

Nathan with Grandma's Christmas village. My dad custom-made the mantel piece this year, to hold all the pieces.

One of Nathan's MANY pictures of the village!

My parents on their 45th wedding anniversary last week.

We all went out and saw our friend, Jeremy "Elvis" Pearce perform (there's Nathan behind the menu card!).

Norah has had too much decorating!

Our annual Toys for Tots donation.

Making orange pommanders.

November 29, 2008

Putting up the Christmas lights. Daddy worked . . . while the rest of us relaxed on the porch!

It was a beautiful, autumn-like day. The leaves have just started to fall!

The neighbor's cat spent the afternoon in our yard. She let Norah get pretty close to her, but never close enough to touch.

She DID get close enough to check out the new decorations.

The inside decorations are also up, but the mess that comes along with that is not quite cleaned up yet. I'm hoping to get it all done tomorrow, and post pictures!

November 28, 2008

First of all, our Christmas card picture! Taken on Thanksgiving day . . . you saw it here first! :) And a side note, Norah is 14 months old today. Where did the last year go???? And on to the Thanksgiving pictures. Here, Nathan is getting ready to make the cranberry sauce.
Making the chocolate pie . . . we had one pie for every two people!

Never too old to lick the beaters.

Grandpa's smoked turkey . . . SO good!

Nathan's favorite part of Thanksgiving (and Grandma!).

Also never too YOUNG to lick the beaters!

The Feast! Notice Grandma slumped against the wall in the background, lol. She gave me and my sister little booklets that she made called, "How to make Thanksgiving for Eight with Leftovers." We think that's a hint, but she says she will keep doing it until she can't anymore. :)

November 25, 2008

Nathan's first trip to the archery range. Karl said he shot two arrows, and said, "I love archery!" They are going back on Monday for a fieldtrip with our local homeschool group (Karl is heading up the trip). I have a feeling there will be a lot of arrows in our future.

November 20, 2008

At the holiday open house in Old Town Clovis. On the horse-drawn carriage ride.

Nathan with a crazy contraption that drives around and plays patriotic music!

This picture is for our Shine friend AnneO--it was her birthday that day! The universe was announcing your birthday, all the way out here in California!

Nathan took this picture . . . can you guess what it is? I couldn't, either. It's of the pot that I burned broccoli soup in, lol! I'm not very happy about the pot, but it's a super-cool picture!

November 15, 2008

Cool things we've gotten lately . . .

A finger piano from Indonesia. We got it in our zoo's gift shop.

Our museum opened yesterday after a three-year renovation. Norah got a sparkly, shiny ball that she LOVES.





Nathan got an "animation praxinoscope." It shows how animation works, which is something he has been interested in for a while. I love it when the universe gives us what we've been looking for!

November 4, 2008

Last night, Nathan offered to read me one of his favorite stories. Who can turn down an offer like that?!? Sometimes people ask me if he's reading "at grade level." I have no idea. Some of the things he reads are probably "grade level," while others are picture books and still others are books or magazines for adults. What is infinitely more important is that he reads (abundantly, probably a lot more than what a "typical" fourth grader would read) because he enjoys it, and because it satisfies his need for information. Imagine how boring life would be if we all could only read what someone else determined was appropriate for our age! What IS grade level for a 39 year old these days? :) Hmmmm. . . .

October 31, 2008

Our Halloween apothecary, complete with cackling witch. We had a lot of fun putting it together, even though we didn't have many trick-or-treaters this year.

October 30, 2008

At our bookclub Halloween party.

Shaylah knitted socks for all the moms!