See Ya 2010!

2010 was a good one for us. We have great family, great friends and jobs. We have jobs. We have so much to be grateful for. I learned some things about myself this year. Maybe, I didn't so much learn them, as much as just admitted them to myself after a little introspective thought.

#1- I'm not a fan of staying up till midnight to ring in the new year. I'm just as happy to wake up at midnight to the sound of fireworks, roll over and kiss Shane. I'll tell him I love him and wish him a Happy New Year. But as for partying till midnight.....New Years is so not my style. I might even be awake still. But I'll already be in my pajamas with teeth brushed. Every party has a pooper. This is mine. Happy New Year!

#2- I want to watch Duck Football at home, totally focused, in front of my own t.v. I love to gab. Chit chat and catching up with friends is totally my style. I just can't do it on game days. Either I'm going to watch the game inside Autzen, screaming with the masses, or at home with total focus. I think this change came with the birth of our kids. At home I know where they are and what they're doing. When we're not at our house, and my kids aren't in my sight, I don't know how much access they have to knives and electrical outlets. When I'm sure they're in your bathroom guzzling poison, I can't really watch the game.

#3- I like my job, and I can be a good mother. Both are possible. Did I mention how fortunate I am to have my job?

#4- I know now what people meant when they used to hold my infant girls and say how much they missed when their own kids were new babies. I can't help but remember looking at them as infants and recalling with fondness what that time was like for our family. But, this new stage gets better and better all the time. The girls can be reasoned with. They're starting to see the world and ask questions. They're noticing things that we haven't pointed out to them. When we were in Bend for Christmas, Libby went to the movie with Grandma Margie. Peyton cried that she couldn't go to. When I promised her that she could go when she's a little older, she protested, "But, I love it sooooooooo much!" She also tells us, "I love you so much." Melts me every time.

Happy New Year family and friends! May it be filled with love, good health, and laughter....

and

....Go Ducks!

Christmas

I took Peyton to the pediatrician today and had to fill out some paper work. I sorta lose track of the days given that I've been on vacation and I had a small panic when I wrote 12-29-10 on her form. Where does the time go? Please, can I get over that cliche'? I never will. Time off to spend with family has been so great, though I'll blame the cold I've been fighting now for nine days for the lack of pictures this year. I got good ones of the girls, but we also spent time with friends and family and, well, I'll take better pictures next time....

Peyton's wearing the sweater that Grammy Jane knit for Libby for her birthday. Libby won't wear it. Peyton will though, and isn't it so stinkin' cute? My kids have both just exploded with independence when it comes to choosing what they will and won't wear. It was so much easier when they just put on what I handed them. Gone are those days. Every once in a while I get lucky.

Pop superstar Peyton gets ready to rock the house.

The week before vacation I worked a late day at school with the girls. Libby is always happy to play on my computer, and Peyton started this one with a nap.

Peyton plays dress up with her tutu, crown and backpack. That's one prepared princess....

Getting ready for her Christmas program at school.

Grunden hasn't had a whole lot of mention on the blog lately, but he did get a whole lot of attention this month and a whole lot of our dollars too. A few weeks ago he started throwing up every meal. About a week into it Shane took him to our vet and late on a Friday afternoon he had surgery to see what was going on with him. Finding a Barbie head or some Legos in his intestine would have provided a quick answer, but there was no such toy to be found. The vet took four separate biopsies of intestine from him though, before stitching him back up. Those four separate pieces of intestine all came back inflamed, likely due to an allergic reaction to his food. For the next two weeks he ate chicken and rice and then we switched his food to one without beef or wheat. Fingers crossed.... We were thinking of a flat screen for Christmas. Instead, we have our Grunny.

My friend Julie (a.k.a. Boog) was up from San Diego for Christmas. She made tea one night and Libby wanted to see what she was doing. Here's where they ended up watching the tea steep. Julie's a teacher too and our girls love her!

I hesitated to put this picture on the blog and I ran it by Shane. The verdict: We are who we are. Let me explain. As a kid this machine gun was a favorite toy of mine at my dad's house. I ran around shooting up anything and everything. I've been begging my dad to find it for years. Then, when they moved to a rental for the building of their new house, they found it and gave it to me. I believe it was wrapped in a towel and exchanged in a parking lot one night after dinner. You can understand why bringing it into the restaurant might not be a great idea. Or a bank, for that matter. Anyway, the gun has been sitting in our linen closet for a few months now. In the spirit of bringing together tradition for the holidays, I got it out and let the girls play with it. The rules (per Shane) are that they cannot point it at another person. Ever. (I'm pretty sure Julane was the primary recipient of my gunfire as a kid.) I mean, look at Peyton. She's gonna be one protective mother. Just so you know, I questioned the appropriateness of this toy, but then I turned out okay. I realize Julane might debate that.

Here she shows her less combative side.

On to Christmas....

We spent Christmas Eve with Kevin and Susan, Susan's daughter Casey, Lucy and Amy in Redmond. The first gift of the evening was a treasure box that contained these dresses. They spent the next hour running around the "princess castle" and slaying dragons. Come to think of it, slaying dragons would be easier with a machine gun.

Christmas Eve Jams

The book 'Twas the Night Before Christmas was passed around and everyone took turns. I was going to bring our copy so Kevin could read it to the girls and I forgot. Luckily, Susan was on the same page. Great minds....

Christmas morning, all dolled up and ready to see what Santa brought.

The only thing Libby asked Santa for was a snow globe. She was banking on that globe and Santa didn't disappoint.

The morning after Christmas we went dogsledding at Mt. Bachelor with Grandpa Dad and Grandma Margie. We were divided into two teams behind 12 dogs each. It was a bit blizzard like, so I don't have pictures, but it was really fun and despite the cold, the girls liked it too. I took this picture from their website, and you can watch video (not of us) here. I'd recommend it.

With a bunch of new toys to play with Peyton decided instead to take over my computer. She loves pbskids, but is more successful on starfall. I just can't believe she can navigate the mouse as well as she can. This may mean a little less facebook time for me.

Libby takes in the comics at Grammy Jane's. That is, she looks at the pictures and laughs hysterically.

This was the scene on the drive home today. There was lots of traffic and it was pretty slow going. We passed one car with its nose stuck in a snow bank and another spun off the road two cars ahead of us. I'm just thankful we're past the stage of having to stop for feedings. Both girls napped and ate some chocolate chip cookies. I like my traveling uneventful, and today it was.

It's good to be home.

Christmas Letter 2010

I didn't have time to write a letter to put in our Christmas cards this year. Then, as I started drafting one to post here, it was just too contrived, so I scrapped it. In a nutshell, we're well. Often after the girls go to bed I look at Shane and say, "Can you believe this is our life?!" It's better than I ever imagined. It's harder, easier, more worrisome, more frustrating, busier, more boring, faster paced and more joy-filled than I ever pictured it. We're part of the daily grind like everyone, but we have these moments that surprise us in ways we can't see coming. Moments that reduce us to tears or fits of laughter. Moments full of family and friends that are richer than I would've even known to ask for. We're blessed. Thank you for loving our family. We love you back.

Here are some pics that didn't make the card, and some that did....

Love,

Shane, Jenny, Libby, Peyton and Grunden

Christmas Vacation!

I woke up at 5:33 this morning.

Then, I slept for two more hours!!!

Fa La La La La, La La La La!!!

Christmas Performance

Libby's School Christmas program was on Thursday night. I'd hoped that she'd sing, but wasn't holding my breath. The last time her class sang, she sat on my lap and cried. I wasn't in a hurry to get to the performance, because I thought if we were near the front, where she could see us, it would surely increase the chance of a four-year-old nuclear meltdown. When we got there, the only seats left were the last two pews in the church. I wanted to be hidden, just not that hidden.

Anyway, people filed into the church after us and the isles against the walls started to fill in with people willing to stand. Nelson and Valerie snagged a seat behind us, at the other end of the pew, near the middle isle. When the classes of preschoolers came in, I scanned each class looking for Libby and crossing my fingers. When I spotted her she was marching happily with her classmates smiling as she came. And then she spotted (we think) Nelson and Valerie, two people she knows and loves like family. And that's when she exploded right smack in the middle (literally) of the church. I ducked down and told my mom, "I think I'll let her teacher deal with this one." I was prepared to wait it out hunkered down in my seat until the crying ceased, but Anita (the mother of Libby's best friend and classmate) saw what was happening and jumped out of her seat to console my crying child. When I peeked up over the heads of the people sitting in front of me, I could see Anita and Libby's teacher desperately scanning the crowd looking for me. Busted. I went up the side isle saying to people, "Excuse me. Hi. Excuse me. I'm the mother of the crier." Libby and her teacher continued with the preschool procession up the main isle and I met them up front to intercept my child on stage. Sigh.

I was sure the story would end here....

...and we'd try again next year.

But, it didn't.

Luckily, Libby's class was the last to sing and as the other classes gave their performances it gave me time to talk to Libby. I told her, "I know this is hard for you, but Daddy and I really want you to try. Please try." And she said she would. And then she did. She got up and sang with her class. Since I was now sitting on the floor in front of the stage, every once in a while she'd glance over at me and start to whimper, but as soon as she'd look at her teacher again, she was fine. She even sang. It was awesome.

Next year, we'll all sit in the balcony. She'll never spot us up there.

Ho Ho Ho!

There has been little time for blogging lately as I'm trying to wrap up a lot of things at school this week. I'm soooooooo looking forward to a few weeks off. I did have time to watch the personal messages Santa sent the girls this year. This one is Peyton's and you can see Libby's here. Ho Ho Ho!

November Wrap Up

I've got some recapping to do, starting with our first (and maybe only) snow day of the year. Thanksgiving week is a short work week anyway, but this year I only worked Monday and Wednesday. I spent Tuesday remembering my life before going back to work. It was awesome. The (very light dusting of) snow was a bonus.

The girls played on the trampoline where the snow was clean.

Because the Ducks played on Friday, Thanksgiving was at our house this year. We started by putting feathers in our thankful turkey. The girls made this with our friend Tracy. Isn't he cute? We wrote what we were thankful for on his feathers before sticking them in his back (a styrofoam ball covered with yarn), and a new tradition is born.

Libby's birthday fell ON Thanksgiving for the first time this year. She helped decorate her turkey cupcakes.

A pre-dinner burning of calories. Libby and I stayed behind and ate more calories rested.

Turkey dinner. In more ways than one.

Dessert

I posted this picture, because it was one of very few where my four year old is smiling about her birthday. She seems not to love being the center of attention when it's not her idea. She hides while we sing, and cries when there are gifts to be opened. At one point she even refused to open a gift and it just sat on the counter for a few days until I finally opened it. Sheesh.

Libby got a Barbie make up set from the Dovers, which she LOVES. Here Jayden paints Peyton's nails pink. This could not be LESS up my alley. So thank you Aunt Ju Ju. They love their girlie side, and maybe I'll come around. For Christmas we're getting the boys a drum set and a trombone with an amplifier. Merry Christmas Dovers! Bahahahahaha!

Peyton in purple eye shadow. She said, "Mom, Ju Ju paint my eyes!"

Storytime was led by Jayden, which is so sweet because it doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Jayden was learning to read.

Wow. I just added an electric guitar and a jack hammer, Dovers. Love you.

Without an audience, Libby was happy to open a princess piano from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Susan.

Our regular bedtime flight practice....

Because her birthday fell on Thanksgiving we opted to celebrate last week with some friends. Just low key. This was NOT a party. I lied and promised no singing and that nobody would watch her open a present. Just dinner. Maybe a cake. That's it.

But then, when a few of us tried bust out "Happy Birthday", this was the result, so we quit....

Ella Boo doesn't mind a birthday. She's interested in the cake.

Libby and her best buddy from her class.

With Thanksgiving and birthdays behind us we're ready to start thinking about Christmas, but not before celebrating yesterday's Duck victory over the Beavs in Corvallis! GOOOOOOOO Ducks!