Happy New Year!!

Selfie Stick Fun

Yes, Mike got me a selfie stick for Christmas! There's no turning back now!

I've Created A Monster

Here is Amelia listening to her playlist on her iPod, which includes Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga among others... She calls her earbuds her "Beats", a reference to the $300 headphones she most certainly does NOT have, although apparently is in the market for ;-)

Boo Boo Buddy

We ended our trip to Great Wolf Lodge with a boo-boo; poor Amelia slipped and hit her head as well as scraping her thigh. The first aid staff patched her up and even presented her with a "boo-boo buddy" which might have *almost* made up for the incident. 

And... She's Texting

Yes I am very afraid. 

A Great Wolf Lodge Christmas

We joined the Kaplans for our 2nd annual Christmas at Great Wolf Lodge! Clearly I am still getting the hang of my new selfie stick :-P

Merry Christmas!!

A very Merry Christmas morning!! The kids were spoiled by Santa this year; An American Girl doll and iPod for Amelia and an Xbox One and iPad mini for Charlie! 

And To All A Good Night!

Star Wars

We had a Force filled Christmas Eve!

Holiday Decorations

Here are the kids posing with a few of the holiday decorations adorning uptown this year! 

The Nutcracker

We kicked off winter break by forcing -- err taking -- the kids to see the Charlotte Ballet's production of The Nutcracker at the Belk Theatre. 

I had grand plans to dress the children in their Christmas best to see the production but this is how they arrived:

Their consensus of the ballet? 

Charlie: "Is anyone ever going to say something??"

Amelia: "Can we go to Chilli's yet??"

Cookie Party

Amelia had a fun afternoon yesterday at our neighbor's cookie decorating party and I had a fun time at said party drinking wine ;-)

Something Tells Me She Found The Xmas Presents...

Amelia: "Mommy, I was looking for the Elf and I went in your closet, and there was a big blanket in there... But I didn't look under it!"'

That's My Boy...

...Refusing to make a Panthers football at his class holiday party ;-)

Holiday Baking

Mandy and Rebecca came over this evening and we had a cookie baking marathon, somehow managing to squeeze out 40 cookies from the batch of dough that Amelia, Rebecca and I made yesterday afternoon. 

Two dozen cookies are reserved for the cookie decorating party that the girls are going to at our neighbors' on Saturday afternoon, and the remainder we iced and sprinkled as gifts for the kids' teachers. 

Two hours of chaos in the kitchen & mission accomplished!

Kindergarten Holiday Party

Amelia's holiday party was this afternoon; it involved making snowmen out of rulers to measure all the snow we're going to get this winter, a snowman/snowball bean bag toss, pin the nose on the snowman and a snack of "snowballs" (aka powdered munchkins) from Dunkin Donuts. 

Just as long as nobody mentions it's going to be in the 70s all next week, with a forecasted high of 75 on Christmas Day... 

Overheard At The Bus Stop

Mason: "Do you think we'll get snow on Christmas?"

Charlie: "No, my Mom says it's going to be in the 70s."

Mason: "Maybe we'll get wet snow...?"

Weekend Recap

We had a BUSY weekend!!

Friday night the kids had a new babysitter -- their regular babysitter's  little brother filled in with rave reviews -- and Mike and I went Christmas shopping and then out to a late dinner at Firebird steak house. We managed to get most of the rest of the Christmas shopping done, as well as getting stocking stuffers, gift wrap and birthday presents for the aforementioned birthdays. 

Saturday was full of errands -- in addition to the bike store we made stops at Michaels, the grocery store and Versona, and then came home to string Christmas lights, rake the front yard and scrub the kitchen floor. 

Sunday morning I did an 8 mile run then took Amelia to Caroline's birthday party while Mike took Charlie to Mason's birthday party and then I came home just in time to head out again for drinks with a friend. 

So it was a jam packed weekend and looking like more of the same for next weekend, with a cookie decorating party, a performance of The Nutcracker, babysitting, and possibly a movie night with one of Charlie's friends in the works... 

Dueling Birthday Parties

We had a birthday party filled afternoon, with Mike taking Charlie to his friend Mason's 10th birthday party at a rock climbing gym and me taking Amelia to Caroline's 4th birthday party at an art studio. 

Looks like a good time was had all around! 

Wine

Thank you for the overflowing wine rack Grandma and Grandpa!

We Got Santa Letters!

Jasper Has Grown Just A Bit...

... In the 9 months since we've had him...

Amelia's New Ride

Amelia got her birthday present early today, thanks to us having to drop my bike off at the bike store for an overhaul, and thanks to Mike who pointed out this completely adorable bike!

Happy Hanukkah!

We celebrated night 5 of Hanukkah with the Kaplan clan -- happy Hanukkah!!

Dinner!!

Thank you Grammy and Grampy for the amazing Christmas present! We now have dinner for the next two weeks!

Sunday Morning Biscuit Helper

That's One Terrific Kid!

Amelia was voted her class's Terrific Kid for the month of November -- way to go, Amelia! Here she is with friend & neighbor Elizabeth, who was also her class's Terrific Kid:

Waiting to be called up to get her certificate:

And with all of November's Terrific Kids!

The Annual Addressing Of The Xmas Cards

Significantly helped by booze. 

The Elf Is Back...

For the 5th straight year! Aka how much longer do I have to do this??

Perfect Weather To Decorate The Christmas Tree!

Sunny and 70, this the season!

Projects

We enlisted Mike's dad to hang a few things before they head back to NH tomorrow -- the dart board Charlie got for Christmas last year, and the medal rack Mike got me for the marathon:

Thanksgiving 2015

Christmas Lights Made Easy

Laser lights courtesy of Grammy and Grampy :-)