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.