Tonight we wrapped up 2010 with a trip to Zoo Lights.  I initially wasn’t sure if we were going to make it, this year.  But, when I was sick, Rick asked the kids if they wanted to go, and Franny’s response was No, that is something that we always do together!  With a response like that, there was no way that I wasn’t going to take the kids this year.  And, it was a fun trip and I’m very glad we went.  While it was something that we have done every year, it was quite a presentation, with a lot of new things to see, as well a lot of old favorites.  And, for Delaney it was all new, and she really loved all the lights.  It was bitter cold, so we kept our visit short, but it was long enough for Franny and maintaining a favorite holiday tradition, as well as for the other kids.  It was their choice for celebrating the end of the year, and in the end, that is what is most important.

Before heading back to Portland, we decided to spend the morning and early afternoon in Seattle.  We took the kids up the Space Needle (which they call the Space Ranger), rode the Monorail, and walked to Pike Place Market and then, on down to the waterfront for lunch.  Although it was very cold, it was a beautiful day in Seattle, and perfect for taking in these local sites.  There were some other things we planned but didn’t have time to do, so they will have to wait for another trip.  But, this was a very fun—and full—day, and everyone loved it!

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We took a short, two day trip to Seattle to visit Great Grandma Margie and George.  It was a really nice trip, and everyone had a great time.  We took Margie flowers, to celebrate her 89th birthday, and spent several hours talking and playing.  Usually our visits also include other relatives and cousins, which is always nice, but the kids don’t get as much one-on-one time with their Great Grandma.  This was a really wonderful visit, and I am so glad we went.  Hopefully, we will be able to visit again soon!

Franny and Margie

Cole trying hard to observe the ‘one finger’ rule on Grandma’s organ

For a long time, 'No' could mean either no or yes, for Delaney. But, she definitely has her yes (or yeah) down, now!

Yeah...yeah....yeah from T on Vimeo.

The e-reading book that Santa brought Franny is a favorite for all the kids, but maybe the most for Delaney.  She already has taught herself how to turn it on and navigate to the book section and ‘turn’ the pages with absolutely no assistance.  She will then sit completely engrossed for as long as we allow her to watch it.  It is amazing how quickly kids—even ones as little as Delaney—learn and respond to technology, and how intuitive it is for them.  As with all media, it definitely requires moderation, but it is unquestionably a lot of fun for them and it is very cute to hear Delaney repeat the vocabulary words she presses on.  She has emphatic protest when it’s time to take it from her, but that is the life of the 18 month old!

Today, Franny and Cole had their first ski lessons, and they were fantastic!  They both had four hours of instruction, at the Mogul Busters ski school at Ski Bowl West.  I had initially been concerned that this would be too long, and the kids would want to pack up their skis early, but this turned out to be an unwarranted concern.  I had expected Franny to love it, but I wasn’t sure about Cole, who has always been more cautious and prefers his feet solid on the ground.  But, he loved it!  He even chose to ski during the second cocoa break and after the lesson was over.  We were so thrilled they had such a great experience, and plan to take them again in a couple of weeks.  It was a great day for everyone, and the kids can’t wait to go back!

Franny off to the rope tow

The very patient observer…for now

It’s so hard to summarize how special and magical Christmas was for Franny, Cole, and Delaney.  From beginning to end it was a continuous series of wonderful memories—from them peering over the landing with big grins, to opening presents, to spending time with very special family members, to listening to Uncle Bill sing and play Frosty the Snowman on his guitar (probably 20 times by Delaney’s request?), it was nothing less than incredible.  It’s amazing how weeks of holiday parties, activities, and fun culminate in this one day.  And, it was a wonderful day; when I looked around and saw the joy and smiles on the kids’ faces, I couldn’t help but think about how blessed we are to be healthy and be with our family to celebrate this special day.

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The kids spent the evening of Christmas Eve getting ready for Santa’s big visit.  They made a card, set out cookies and milk, and tried to be calm when they were bubbling over with excitement.  Rick read them Christmas books and they checked the NORAD Santa tracker numerous times to see where he was and see the sights from around the world.  They went to sleep surprising quickly, and no doubt dreamed of Santa, reindeer, and all the Christmas festivities that would await them when they awoke.  I love being a part of their excitement during the holiday season—for them, there is so much fun and magic.  Their joy is the best gift I’ll receive this Christmas.  Merry Christmas!

Due to both Rick and I recovering from a nasty stomach virus, we spent Christmas Eve at home resting up for Christmas Day.  Fortunately, we hadn’t yet decorated our gingerbread house, so it was a good activity for the afternoon.  It was fun to see everyone work together—including Delaney!  We do this every year, and while our houses will never win any awards for best decorated, we do have a great time doing it!

Yesterday evening, the kids went with Rick and Auntie Noelle to see the lights on Peacock Lane.  It was their first trip to see this great Portland tradition, and they came home very excited about all the different displays—Snoopy, the Grinch, Santa, snowmen, and candy canes taller than Franny!  The had a really wondeful time.  I wish I could have been with them!

This year, we started a new tradition of the kids giving gifts to children in need.  I had the kids each ‘adopt an angel’ that was their gender and close to their age, hoping that it would give them more of a connection to what they were doing.  As we got the gifts ready, we had an extended discussion of exactly why we were giving gifts to kids we didn’t know.  At the beginning, it was very clear that they didn’t completely understand that there were kids that didn’t have enough food, clothes, or even a warm home to live in, much less toys to play with.  But, by the end, I think they got it.  We took our gifts and put them under the Angel Tree, and while I’m not sure if they really felt good or proud of their gifts, I was definitely proud of them.  Our own Christmas festivities and traditions are fun and meaningful, and I am so glad we have them.  But, starting this tradition of reaching out to others that aren’t as fortunate as we are, I think is just as important.  I hope Franny, Cole, and Delaney all grow up to be empathetic, giving people who are conscious of making the world better for others, in whatever way they choose.  This year, while their gifts were small, what they did was big, and I hope they do understand that they did make a difference for somebody.  Regardless, it was a good experience and I’m very happy not only that they did it, but that they did it so thoughtfully.

Franny and Cole are both very excited about Santa and Christmas. But, as in prior years, Franny wouldn’t even get within talking distance and Delaney didn’t want any part of it, either.  Cole, however, had no problem sitting on his lap and chatting away about the gifts he’d like him to bring.  It was fun to see how pleased he was with being able to talk to Santa—hopefully Santa’s helper will be able to come through with a couple last minute changes!

Today, we spent the day downtown.  Although it was rainy and very wet, we had a great time walking around enjoying all the holiday hustle and bustle.  We checked out Macy’s Santa Land, had cocoa and treats at Pioneer Square and saw the Christmas tree, rode the escalators at Pioneer Place (Delaney’s favorite) and walked around the shopping district.  We have never spent any time downtown since Delaney was born, so it was fun to watch her reactions to the people, statues, MAX train, and the area in general.  It was a very fun day and a great way to kick off Franny’s winter break and Christmas week. 

Pioneer Place Skybridge

Delaney and the singing reindeer at Santa Land

Franny brings home various craft projects nearly every day.  The bigger, nicer ones I have to wait and see when I go to the school to volunteer in her classroom.  I love all of Franny’s art, but some are more special than others.  About a week ago she brought this card home that she made during her “choosing time”.  She was very proud of making hearts for the cheeks.  I just think it’s the sweetest snowman face I’ve ever seen.  And, of course, I’m not biased!

Today was Franny’s last day of school—she is now off for two full weeks!  Not only am I happy to have her back at home, but I am thrilled she can have some time to rejuvenate and get excited to go back to school.  Her school day is rather long, and she works very hard.  She’s also in a very advanced class, so she does feel some additional pressure as a result of that.  It’s amazing to see the tremendous academic changes in her over the last four months.  I can’t wait to see how she continues to progress in the upcoming months.  But, until then, she has two full weeks of being a carefree kid—we’re going to have a great time!

This holiday break, one of the things we are really looking forward doing as a family is getting the kids introduced to snow skiing.  Although we will have to rent gear for Cole, we were fortunate to have a neighbor fit Franny up with these skis and boots.  We’ve been told by several friends that they are definitely not too young, and it’s actually good to start them young because they have a low center of gravity and learning to balance is much easier.  I’m not quite sure about Cole, but I think Franny is very excited to get started.  Especially with our proximity to Mt. Hood, I think skiing is going to a fun thing for us to all do together (once Delaney is old enough!) And, with Franny’s love of speed, I’m sure it won’t be too long before she is skiing circles around us!

When one of our neighbors offered us a chance to go to the Nike Employee Store, we jumped at the opportunity.  All the kids were in need of new shoes and I figured we could get a few other things, since the kids have been rapidly outgrowing their current wardrobes.  Franny especially, but Cole as well, had a lot of fun picking out their new outfits, shoes, and sweat suits, and were very meticulous and insistent on what they liked.  After standing in a line to get in for half an hour, we shopped for three hours before I took the kids home and left Rick to continue shopping even more.  In the end, we are all geared up from head to toe.  Hopefully, we will have another chance to go; and, while we are very thankful for our neighbor’s invitation, we all hope the next time is not in the middle of the holiday shopping frenzy!

After waving goodbye to Auntie, sweet Delaney stared out into the darkness for quite a while.  I think she was waiting to see if Aunties was going to come back.  She eventually turned and pointed and ‘Auntie’.  Poor Delaney—a week always seems so long when the countdown gets reset!

This week, Auntie’s came to bake Christmas cookies with Franny, Cole, and Delaney!  The kids always love the time they spent with Auntie, but they really look forward to these traditions that they share every year.  There is always such a special feeling in our house when Auntie is here—the feeling that only comes when family and very special people visit.  We are so lucky that we have that feeling almost every week!

Although we brought our tree home on Sunday, busy schedules didn’t allow for us to decorate it until Wednesday.  Needless to say, by this time the kids were very excited about pulling out the ornaments and lights and trimming the tree.  They did a wonderful job and the tree looks really beautiful.  Now, it is really starting to feel like Christmas is on it’s way!

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I took these pictures on our trip to get our Christmas tree but I didn’t post them.  But, I loved them so much that I thought I’d post them, even though it is old news.  It is, however, less about our trip and more about their beautiful faces.  They are such incredible people, and I can’t even begin to imagine my life without them. 

We were deeply saddened to learn that the kids’ pediatrician, Dr. Jeffrey Miller, passed away on Sunday.  It was unexpected--he suffered severe head trauma after falling from the roof of his home and wasn’t able to be saved.  It is a terrible and devastating loss. He was a wonderful doctor—kind and patient, and always had a genuine interest in the kids and their well being.  The world was a better place with him in it.  I’ve had a very heavy heart the last two days.  I am so sad for his family, which included two young kids, and as we continue with our lives and our holiday traditions I can’t help but think of their overwhelming loss and wonder how they are coping.  It makes me hug my family a little tighter and be thankful that we are healthy and happy.  And, it also makes me thankful that Dr. Miller was a part of our lives, even if was for just five years.  At this point, I don’t know who will step into his place as the kids’ pediatrician.  But, I do know he will never be replaced in our hearts.