Celebrating 4 Trips Around the Sun

It was a perfect day and a perfect way to celebrate this amazing spirits fourth trip around the sun.  We started with butterfly pancakes with our extra special house guests:

Birthday Breakfast with Bumpa and Grandma

Lots of presents were opened and playing was done:

We got out for a lovely dog walk/ski up to Underhill State Park:

And we made it home just in time to get dressed and do a little prep for the birthday party before our first guests arrived an hour early!

Those in attendance for the kid part of the party were:  Ada, Piper, and Dylan, Hazel and Milo, Aiofe and Fenn, Addie and Mason, Tiller and Edie, Thompson, and Elijah.   We did some cookie and crown decorating:

and capped it off with buttermilk chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting:

It was such a treat to have Grandmpa and Bumpa in attendance:

And in case you can't see from the photos, Cally was on Cloud 9 for the entire party (which had a second part when her godparents, the Ganz Clan, the Whelans, and Marriots joined us) , which lasted for almost six hours.  She loved everything about it and we were really happy to celebrate her birthday in such a special way.  

Cally, you are not always the easiest kid, but you make me more and more proud everyday that I get to know you.  You are smart, inquisitive, articulate, sensitive, energetic,  thoughtful, and kind.  You make me laugh, you make me think, and you remind me everyday how lucky I am to have you in my life.  I can't wait to get to know you better and see the person that you are going to become.

Tis the Season

This time of year seems to come alive with two small children in the equation.  From what I can gather, John has always been about the decorations and festivities.  I'll never forget, a month after we started to date, he was living alone and was headed to visit family for the holidays, but he insisted on getting a tree and decorating the house.  He's even more into it, now that he's got a few little red heads to impress.

We got our tree early this year.  There was snow on the ground, so we decided to seize the moment on December 1st.  Addy Harris was hanging out with us for the day (her parents were in Boston), so she was a great helper.

We didn't actually decorate the tree for a few more days, but we did get to pull the sled on the snow.

Although the white blanket of fun was short lived, we have managed to get out on the slopes a couple of times over the past few weeks.  We even got little H on the hill and after a little apprehension, he seems to love it!  Cally is all over it.  She's cruising on her own and turning a bunch.

The kids got to go to another fun birthday party at the Smuggler's Notch Fun Zone.

 

Cal and I got to go on a really fun mother-daughter date to the Nutcracker.  The local Ballet Company put together an amazing show.  She didn't even get squirmy until the last scene!

 The events of last week in Newtown, CT have really hit me hard.  I don't know if it is because I am a teacher or that I have been in a school when a shooting happened or if it's because I'm a mom or because it took place so close to where I grew up, but this tragedy has had a big impact.  I know that what happened is so random, but every time I look at my kids, who are just budding into the people I have so many hopes and dreams for, my heart breaks for those parents and that community.  I just recently found out that one of my neighbors from growing up lost her son to the tragedy.  This makes everything so much more real and awful.  I don't want to dwell too much on the ugly and I'm trying to use this to cherish all the moments with my little buds-- even when they are biting or hitting or whining.  It makes me so appreciative of what I have.

We've got lots to do between now and Christmas.  We've got grandparents arriving, a dinner with cousins, a solstice burning of a 15 foot mastodon, a 4th birthday to celebrate, cousins to host, and parties to attend.  I'm really looking forward to some good quality time with family!

So Thankful

At this time of year when we give thanks for what we have, I'm not really sure where to start.  I'm thankful for so much in our life right now.  The immediate is obvious.  I'm thankful for the two little ginger children that make my life feel so complete.  I'm thankful for their father, who celebrated another trip around the sun, for complimenting me in so many ways-- for being the best fit I could ask for and mostly, giving me such an great sense of security.  He loves me and this family in a way that I could want for nothing more.

I'm thankful for our friends.  The ones near and far.  The old ones and the new ones.

Here's to the old friends, the ones that we have celebrated Thanksgiving with for the past four years:

The Ganz Clan hosted this year.  We played a little football, blew some bubbles, and enjoyed being with five different families.

Cal got to act like a ten year old -- nails and make up done just like them.

Hazey hung with the guys and watched a some football.

And we all ate like kings.... two turkeys, four pies, seven side dishes, ten kids, and 13 adults.

I'm thankful that our kids had fun at a UVM/MN hockey game.  We made it through two periods of the game.  The kids were a little leary of Rally Cat this year, but they were pretty fired up to see him from afar. 

We are really, really thankful for our new friends, the Mahoney's.  They joined us for our annual Birthday trip to Montreal this year on a whim and they were such a great addition.

Anika, Eliza and Cally had a ball together.  We had a great lunch in the Old Port, ate crepes and fondue, and then headed to the Science Museum for Cally and Hazen's first I-max movie.  It was about the Arctic, 3D, and in french.  It was actually Cally's first movie ever (movie theater or not).  She loved it.  Hazen, well, it was during his nap time and I think the 3-D and surround sound threw him off a bit.  Even so, he hung in there for the 45 minute show.

We cruised around Chinatown, saw a big Catherdral, and had hot drinks at Starbucks.

The kids got to jump around on hotel bed, "swim" in the hot tub, and cruise around St. Catherine Street.  We did have a low point..... a lapse in judgement allowed us to choose a Mexican restaurant for dinner.  We figured it would be family friendly and better than any Mexican food we could get in Vermont.  The biggest red flag arrived when ordering margaritas.  When Kevin placed his order, the waiter asked if he would like lime, strawberry, peach, or banana.  When asked if we could just get a margarita on the rocks, they arrived in a very unnatural hue of fluorescent green and tasted like pure sugar.  The food was also, pretty sub-par...... but if that is the only thing we had to complain about, I feel very lucky.

 We wrapped up the trip with a fun morning of shopping and a visit to the Biodome.

Cal dropped her favorite watch over the edge of the crocodile tank and the only way to recover it was to do a highly illegal recovery maneuver.

Not only are we thankful for friends who are willing to join us on a whim, but all the people who make our life richer in so many ways.

November

 

 The snow has fallen in the mountains, John made his first turns up there.  I haven't seen the bases of his skis yet, but it looks like the coverage was thin.

 

We have to do what we can during this transition period--between seasons, between holidays, between travel, and between sports.  This time of year can be tough.  November is known for its cold grey days.  John always has a trip in November and hunting season is upon us, so we can't just go out and hike around our regular stomping grounds.

We've been lucky this year.  The weather hasn't been so bad and we've made the best of some rainy day options.

A painting of a mountain for Dad

Climbing with Hazel at Petracliffs

 

Enjoying a little sunshine

Dressing up in funky outfit from Auntie Cynthia

In other news, Hazen met with Dr. Hubble, his ENT for his tube surgery, and all is looking and sounding great.  He passed the hearing test with flying colors and everything looks good in there.  He even had a cold last week and didn't get an ear infection!