Christmas break

I'm really enjoying the open days of Christmas break. I've let all routine go out the window, and for the short-term that feels really nice. But Adele said to me yesterday, "Mom, I want to go somewhere. I'm a kid that likes to go places." Long days of organizing and relaxing get old for the average kid, I guess.

This week the girls discovered that the bathroom mirrors open and spent an hour making faces.



We went to our third week of gelato for Ceci. She is in the process of quitting sucking her thumb. The first few days were really hard, but she has stopped cold turkey since. (Although she'll occasionally mention it with longing.) After the first week she got one scoop, the second week two, this week was three scoops, and next week she gets all she can eat gelato! I think we'll have to come up with a few special outings to keep her going, but this process might work! Our thumb sucking days may be over! (Secretly I am sad to see that sucking and twirling of my baby go.)

It was sunny today after many days of cold rain. It was still really chilly, but we took advantage of the sun and got out on a hike.

Ceci was trying to spy on various family members, and occasionally blended in with the grass. Can you find her in this picture?...

Geoff and the girls had come here to swim in the summer. The river is really full from all the rain.

Ahhh, feel that sunshine!

Merry Christmas!

There is nothing like kids on Christmas morning...

Ceci tried to be a little more controlled...

The girls woke up at 3:30AM. I woke up to their giggles and shrieks on the stairs at 4:15 after they had bumped into Geoff's dad and explored the stockings a little "without touching". I reminded them that 6:30 was The Hour and they were to stay in their room until then. Geoff woke up just before the designated time and was surprised not to hear the girls. He approached their room to hear a whisper, "...fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine..." and then the three of them charged out of the room, nearly running Geoff over.

They had left a plea for Santa to leave a lot of candy canes and he didn't disappoint. There must of been a pile of 50+ candy canes near the note.

Trying out the new straw glasses

Adele's cousin gift from Taeya

Adele got two little frog pets!

Fun sticker books from Grandpa and Babsie

When Geoff was little his dad told stories of Solomon the Troll, a troll-looking doll his parents had bought during their years in Switzerland. I'm not sure what happened to the original Solomon, but Geoff made a felt troll cousin of Solomon to continue the story-telling with the grandkids.

Geoff's felted gifts. The Santa was for his mom.

Wrestling with aunt Kiki

Christmas brunch (Ceci got face paints in her stocking and I let her go loose on me, as you can see)

Adele bought Kipper a bone for Christmas. After he opened it she said, "I can't believe I spent more on my freakin' dog's present ($5) than on my sister's ($4 for Tennie's gift)!"

Ceci got to Nikki too

New robes from Mormor, new slippers from mom and dad, and new feather pillows from grandma...
the girls are in heaven

Tennie got slippers from Mormor

Best of all was the father and son gift exchange. Geoff's dad had complimented Geoff on a leather jacket he has, and had begun to look for one for himself. He never seemed to like the ones he found as much as Geoff's. One that he brought home Geoff commented that he liked, but that was the end of it. So both wrapped up the admired coats for the other on Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve cheer

The girls finished their gingerbread houses a few days ago and they've been picking at them and playing with them ever since.

And now we're to Christmas Eve. Tonight we went to a senior home to sing Christmas carols. It was wonderful to have them sing along. Most, if not all, had no visitors. Even the workers were cheered.

Geoff's sister Nikki is in town for Christmas!

This is Erna. She was Adele's partner when we used to play Jeopardy each month last year at this same senior home. We've been to visit it her a handful of times, and she is very fond of the girls.

This is Mary. She was Tennie's partner several times, and also lightens up when she sees their familiar faces.

Tonight we had another little Christmas program.

A little sign for the performance...as a reminder

Familiar moves

A lot going on at once

Tennie, Adele and Ceci shared their budding music talents

And now the stockings are hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicolas soon will be there...

The Half-way Mark

That's right, this was my breakfast this morning. Today I turned 40. Suddenly 40-year-olds seem very young!

Turning 40 is pretty strange. There is a "Half over" feel about it. I'm still trying to process that feeling. Geoff has been doing everything possible to make this hefty birthday great. He took over the cooking ALL week! (My days feel so long!) He made all of the arrangements for our snowshoeing adventure today. He made me some chocolate waffles with ice cream tonight. (Well, I think those were more for him but it served double duty.) And he has a surprise that involves many family members that is yet to be revealed. It has been a perfect day.

We've had lousy rainy weather for days. But today is was clear and sunny. Just for me. We drove an hour to Donner Lake State Park and had our first go at snowshoeing.

Ceci needed an occasional lift from the get go

Ceci also needed frequent rests

Here I am at 40!

Adele helped Ceci get her boots back on (I'm not sure why they were off...)

Can't get enough of Ceci's delicious laugh

Kipper was sure he was in heaven

We got to the car just as the sun began to go down and the air got a tad too cold

We ate at a little local place in Truckee then headed home in time to get your phone messages and calls. Thanks for remembering me!

I'm off to count my gray hairs...

Christmas in the city

Inspired by Geoff's parents recent holiday trip to New York City, and Geoff's childhood memories of going to San Francisco to see the city all dressed up for the holidays, we went to San Francisco on Friday and Saturday for our own Christmas getaway.

We register very high in the Davis family!

A walk through Macy's at Union Square

A visit to a filled-to-the-brim toystore.

A stop to see a gingerbread castle made by a French chef and based on a castle in Bordeaux, France.

We went to admire the Oakland Temple lights and lucked out getting in to a free Nutcracker performance in the auditorium. A very good show for no ticket cost! Tennie and Adele saw it last year, but this was Ceci's first time.

A post-show picture with Clara

Saturday morning we had breakfast and a nice visit with our good friends the Christensens, always a treat. We headed back in to the city and stopped in a hotel to use the bathroom only to discover some large nutcrackers and a dazzling light display!


As we were trying to decide whether or not to go ice skating in the drizzling rain (knowing that any fall would leave you very wet) a large and loud man approached us, struck up a conversation and insisted on paying the girl's admission. He seemed a little drunk, and with only two teeth in his smile he had the look of a homeless man. Despite our hesitation he both paid for the girl's ice skating experience, and was a part of our afternoon. He lives in a sketchy part of town, raises his daughter alone, and brought her to the city to experience a little of Christmas. I liked him. He is fighting to survive, and is trying to give his daughter a good life.

Here is Tony, our benefactor, his daughter Janet, and Tennie

After a few hours of skating Geoff and the girls were cold and wet (I stayed on the sidelines as watching people ice skate, or try to ice skate, is FAR more fun than actually doing it!) so we finished our San Francisco adventure with some hot cocoa at The Top of the Mark, a nice rooftop restaurant with a view.


And now...five more days until Christmas...