Didn't even make it over night...

On Christmas break Brian and Jake headed down to the beach to stay the night with "just the boys". They had Star Wars movies that needed to be watched, BB guns that needed to be shot, and a dog that was a long for the ride.

It was so beautiful the next day when they woke up, Brian convinced me to head down with the girls for one more night.

This was the view when we got there:
Beautiful blue skies, very little wind. I can't explain my love for this place.

The funny thing was this is what the kids did the minute we walked into the house...... seriously.

After pulling the kids away from their screens, we headed down for the sand:

The tide was out and there were so many rocks exposed this day:

Brian and Jake had found this really sturdy fort that looked like it had been there for a while.

Heading back the sun was setting:

Avery's action shot!

And that is where the fun ended.............................. I really should try to just focus on the positive, and it was positive for the first few hours. And then the fighting started, crying followed and I accidentally dumped half our dinner in the sink...... Brian and I looked at each other and decided to pack it up and drive two hours in the freezing cold, foggy weather to go home at 8pm. I really think that we were the one's that were punished, not the kids. The kids immediately fell asleep and Bri and I caravaned back in crummy weather! We really showed them!

The Question

Last night we were driving home from the beach late (that's for another post....) and Avery said, "Mom, can I ask you a question?" The tone and sincerity in her voice was so sensitive and curious that I thought for sure she was using this quiet moment to ask me where babies came from or some other question that I would have to stammer my way through....

I took a big breath and said, "sure, what is it?"

Avery responded, " Can you walk around when you are on an airplane?"

Oh to be a child and have the thoughts and worries that only children do....

A Christmas in Pictures

It was a great Christmas Season..... and a busy one. I really feel too tired to even add commentary... but I'll try a little.

At Bri's parent's house for Christmas Eve:

New basketball gear.

New jammies

With baby Addie:

One of Grace's fave gifts, a new doll house.

Showing Poppa what we picked out for him.

Christmas Eve with all the presents

Christmas morning....still dark out.

New X-box Game:

This child always looks disheveled:

Her new pearl necklace, she got to dig the pearl out of the mollusk by herself.

BB Gun!!!

Christmas Afternoon at my parents:

Pillow pets:

The kids piled on my parents bed watching Ben Hur. That was a cute sight.

Johns Hopkins matching shirts for the grand kids:

It was a truly blessed Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for.

Santa's Visit

My Animal Activist

The other night we had the kids get on their pj's and loaded them in the car with hot chocolate to look at Christmas lights. A business in our town always does a "live" nativity scene, with animals, music and the Christmas story playing in the background.

Well when we got there, Avery was just appalled that the animals had to stay in that one little spot and listen to the same music over and over and over. She could just not get over their "conditions"..... Bri was trying to convince her all the good things the animals had and that they were happy. I just sat and laughed.

This Girl

I tell you .... this girl is putting me through the ringer right now. You would never know it by her angelic look, but trust me. She has taken to dropping to the ground, lying flat, and holding her hands close to her whenever I count to three to get her to do something. It's like she's been through the drill before with the police. It's actually kind of funny. She did it the other day in front of bri and I and I couldn't even continue to punish her...bri and I just started laughing.


As it's been said, "this too shall pass" .... Well let's just say, I say that to myself a lot lately.

Christmas Date

This years Christmas Date: The play "Annie" and Italian food in Downtown Portland.

This is something Avery, and Brian for that matter, look forward to all year. It truly is priceless.

It is the only time of year Avery actually asks me to 'do' her hair. I am usually in heaven! How I love those curls.

Ahhhh this red wool coat. How I wish I fit into it!