Over the weekend, we got our Christmas Tree. It's the first time since we've been married that we got a real one. We got a Noble Fir and between the scent of our tree and Christmas cookies, our little home is smelling quite heavenly.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Hazel's first solids
Hazel has been showing signs of readiness for her first food for several weeks longer than I'd like to admit. I was the one who wasn't feeling quite ready. Over the weekend, she hit SIX months(!!!) so I figured it was time! So, yesterday before rushing out the door and off to church, we sat her in the little bouncy seat, snapped on a bib, and had at it. She was more than ready - no hesitating, she took to the spoon like a natural and ate like a champ!
Something I didn't think to consider as our family grew, was how much fun it is to have the older siblings be so excited about all the milestones of the littlest family member. Sawyer and Aspen are a year and a half apart, so kind of too close to appreciate those types of things (or more like Sawyer was still little enough that he would've shoved the spoon down Aspens throat or in in her eye if we weren't careful!) - but having the older two a little, ahem, older, this time around, is soooo much fun! It makes every milestone that much more of a celebration! They each had a turn giving her a few spoonfuls, and now I have plenty of volunteers for helpers at mealtime :)
Yes, it's safe to say the food was a big hit. She was super excited about it this morning. We did take some video as well but of course I'm too lazy to post it, for now. I need to do a six month post eventually, so maybe I'll post some video then...but for now, DIG IN, Hazel Gracie! Enjoy the goodness that is FOOD!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Chuy's Children Giving to Children Parade
Here's a few images from our first advent activity - the Children Giving to Children Parade downtown. It was 82 degrees! It felt like summer, but we were celebrating the Christmas Season. I'm still trying to get used to it (but not complaining, either). I took the kids to pick out a few new toys to donate - basically, there is a fun parade, but at a certain time, it stops. Santa's helpers invite the crowd to come out into the street and donate their toys - and truckloads are filled! The Blue Santa (aka Austin Police) find homes for those toys, where a child will appreciate and love them. So fun for everyone! I loved shopping with my kids, and seeing what they picked out, knowing it was not for themselves, but for another child. When I explained the event to them, I got all teary when I told them how some mommies and daddies aren't able to get presents for their children, but they wish so badly that they could. So Blue Santa and his helpers help those mommies and daddies so their children can be happy and get a present under the tree. Mixed with all my emotion, somehow my own kids were touched - at least it was very evident that this subject is one that is close to my heart, for a variety of reasons. I thank my own mother for instilling the love of giving in my heart.
Anyway, back to the parade. It was Christmas, Austin style!
The bagpipes - reminded me of my Grandma Iris. She always loved the bagpipes :)
Elvis even helped gather some of the toys. Funny thing is, our kids have NO idea who Elvis is, but I wasn't surprised to see him at the parade - Austin is, after all, the Live Music Capitol of the World - and he's the King.
This is just one of the many trucks filled with toys - toys from children, to bless other children. Such a sweet idea.
A Christmas Parade wouldn't be complete without a showing of the Big Man himself - and his Mrs., in this case! I think they both wanted a mini vacay from the North Pole, hot rod and all :)
After the parade, we went in search of food. The littles were tired, so rode in the BOB. Hazel slept through most of the parade in the big girl backpack. We walked over to Whole Foods for some lunch, and had a nice time just walking around our city. The leaves are finally turning a little and starting to fall.
We ate outside, as it was such a gorgeous day. This pigeon kept coming over to try and steal crumbs from under the kids' seats. They kind of freaked out and screamed a little bit. It was both funny and embarrassing. You would've thought they ran into a snake or something :)
And the bebe woke up for lunch. I tried to nurse her, but there was so much going on, she wasn't really interested. The thing she is ALWAYS interested in, though, are her toes. She sucks on them like no other.
Such a cute girl! And such a fun day! Oh, how I love Saturday's with all of my favorite people!
...and we swam
Well, truth be told we didn't PLUNGE in, but we did get wet and splash and have a marvelous hour playing in the pool today, for our advent activity. Call us wimps (it was 82 degrees) - but we had a blast! *note-pools in Texas are not heated. We wore hats, for a winter effect :)
Okay, now don't laugh too hard. Long before she was born, I got this little vintage swim cap for like $3 on clearance thinking it would be fun for some pictures one day. Well...it looks kinda silly on, but since it's 0-6m size I figured this might be my last chance for any pics. And since we were Polar-Bear-Plunging today, I thought, why not? She doesn't have hardly a lick of hair, I won't dunk her under today, it's warm and we're pretending to be Polar Bears...nothing really makes sense and we're a bunch of sillies anyway, so why not bring the silly swim cap? And there ya go. Her brother and sister really liked her "flower hat" I couldn't decide if it was cute or just crazy, either way - the bebe is cute and there's no doubt about that. And she seemed pretty happy wearing it, so win - win :)
In fact, we were all happy. It was a lovely afternoon. We went home, turned on the A/C and made some hot chocolate with peppermint ice-cream, one of our favorite winter treats. I think these advent activities are just as much for me as they are for the kids. It's fun to look forward to each day! I can't promise pictures every day, but a handful here and there will do fine to document our new adventures and new traditions.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Advent in Austin
We have a tradition in our family, which makes December one of the most wonderful times of the year. Every day, we do a little something special to get in the holiday spirit and spread some holiday cheer. Advent! This year, it's going to be a new adventure as we're in a new city and totally new climate - today it was 82 degrees! It still feels a lot like summer, but while it may not look like the Christmas we are used to (lots of palms, but no pine trees here), it IS beginning to feel like Christmas. I'm still kind of scrambling to put everything together, but I've got a good start and will tweak as I go along. I've been researching all the fun things there are to do here in Austin this time of year, and there are many! I fully admit my heart is a little sad when I think about missing out on some of our Seattle favorites (My very favorite Santa at Pike Place Market, The Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition - Llew Crew!, Argosy Christmas Ships at the beach, and Greenlake Pathway of Lights, you will be sorely missed!), but I am also super excited to start some new traditions right here in Austin, Texas!
Here's how our Advent works: Each morning, the kids get to open the door of our little advent calendar, where they find a little treat (chocolate or mini candy cane) and two little notes. The first note is a scripture. So, we open our Scriptures and read a story from the life of Christ, which illustrates one of his attributes to which we can aspire. The next note tells us what fun activity we get to do that day. It could be something simple, or more elaborate, depending on the day. Then, each evening, once everyone is ready for bed, the kids get to take turns each night picking out a book to unwrap and read together by candlelight. They LOVE this tradition! I wrap up all of the books we have collected, and then substitute the rest with books from the library, until our collection expands enough to have a book for each evening.
Here is our list for 2012 - Let the fun begin!
1. Children Giving to Children Parade. (bring new toys to donate)
2. First Presidency Christmas Devotional. (you can find info to watch a live stream here)
3. Polar Bear Plunge (it's supposed to be over 80 degrees so it shouldn't be too bad...but we'll warm up afterward with our annual hot chocolate party - a la mode with peppermint ice-cream!)
4. Craft: make a starry garland (inspired by this one from the Land of Nod)
5. Address and Mail Christmas Cards and Packages
6. Make and decorate Christmas Sugar Cookies (bring 3-4 dozen to share tomorrow at the Musical Fireside)
7. Listen to Christmas Music at Stake Musical Fireside
8. Pick out a Christmas Tree. Luminations @ Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center (bring canned goods to donate to food bank)
9. Decorate Christmas Tree
10. Christmas Movie Night: A Charlie Brown Christmas
12. Make Homemade Eggnog and Eggnog French Toast for dinner!
13. Write letters to Santa and pay him a visit.
14. Tidings of Comfort and Joy - church dessert potluck and service, anyone is welcome to join us - info here and sign up here.
15. Find Baby Jesus at Main Street Bethlehem (Burnet, TX).
16. Make Gingerbread Houses
17. Read "The Legend of the Candy Cane" and make Candy Cane Cookies. If you don't have the book, you can use this resource.
18. Dance it Ourselves - The Nutcracker (I will make masks - inspired by these - and play our favorite Tchaikovsky suite, so we can be super silly and dance around the living room! Our kids know the story and the ballet well, so they'll have a blast! Maybe next year we can actually attend the real ballet :)
19. Make some snowballs and build a snowman (snowball cookie recipe here, and felt snowman for the kids to dress up - inspired by this one)
20. Twinkle Party - sleepover in the living room by the Christmas Tree. Admire the lights until we fall asleep.
21. The Christmas Express! (Idea from here) I'm toying of decorating our little red wagon with special lights to be a "sleigh" and piling the kids in with hot chocolate and popcorn and just strolling around our neighborhood (instead of driving somewhere) once they hand over their tickets. There's so many great houses decorated around here, it would be fun to go out on foot this year - and then come home and watch The Polar Express together.
22. Zilker Park Trail of Lights and Tree. We plan to do some dancing and spinning under that huge tree (we hear it's tradition)!
23. Christmas Carol to Family & Friends afar via Skype & FaceTime - so be signed into your accounts in case you get a call!
24. Christmas Eve Box (inspired by this one)
Other fun local events/ideas I found that won't work with our schedule this year (but I'm taking note in case they work next year!) And if any locals happen to read this and can think of any other favorites to add to this list, please leave a comment! Thanks!
-Zilker Park Tree Lighting Ceremony
-Merry Movie night under the stars - this year was Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Story. How fun would that be?
-Holiday Sing-A-Long and Downtown Stroll - Capitol Building
-Cut down a native tree at the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm
-Play in REAL SNOW at snow day at the Hill Country Galleria
-Local school - Ballet Southwest Academy's production of The Nutcracker - it's slightly shorter (1.5 hours) and a bit more family friendly, yet still a great production. OR Austin City Ballet's Children's Nutcracker.
-Ice skating (a rarity in Texas!) on the top of Whole Foods Flagship store, downtown on Lamar, up on the plaza.
-Handel's Messiah, or the Sing-it-Yourself version.
-The Polar Express Story time at Barnes and Noble
-37th Street Lights - craaazy lights!
-Wimberley Trail of Lights
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