Christmas season is such a good description for the month of December. Everything we do that month is about Christmas--in preschool, school, and a dozen get togethers. I have so many pictures from the last couple weeks that my blogging desire tanked.
In preschool, Kate made wrapping paper, homemade cards with her picture on them, ornaments, and acted out the nativity. She was a wise man. This upset her so much that she almost refused to go that day. "I am not. a. man!!!" I convinced her she could be a wise man in her Repunzel dress and she could even wear her crown.
Zachary had school spirit week the last days before school let out for three weeks. His favorite was crazy hair day. Courtney saw him at school and teased him with, "Zac! You forgot! It's crazy hair day!" He pointed to his head, exasperated and said, "I have crazy hair!" She said, "It looks the same as always." Wide-eyed, he responded, "IT'S BLUE!!!" Kate also had blue streaks in her hair that day, but I didn't snag a picture in time.
Last year, Zac's class decorated gingerbread houses. This year, they did cookies for the support staff. I would love to see a member of the staff eat one of these. Although they were done in a most sanitary manner, these cookies had more sprinkles and candies attached than you would think possible.
Kate and I played with Makoa for a day. He was the most content child I've ever watched. Kate went around saying that she was babysitting Makoa and mothered him all day long.
Little miss long legs.
That same day, the kids in Zachary's class had a snow day. A parent brought in a shave ice maker and made two huge piles of snow. The kids dressed in their (very limited) snow gear and had a snow ball fight. I think this is in the top 5 most-excited-Zachary experiences.
"Here, Makoa, hold snow!"
I love the slippers with the beanie.
Soggy, wet boys after an exhausting battle.
The kids also had a choral concert. The first graders performed "Jingle Bell Rock." It was hilarious with motions, including a giddy-up section with "to go riding in a one-horse sleigh."
I go in and help once a week, and I love that Kate is welcomed like a member of the class. The kids run up, hug her and ask her to sit by them. She is very upset that she won't be in Ms. Yamada's class next year.
Brady's parents did another round of "The 12 Days of Christmas" for the kids. The kids were so excited each day for the gift, and received snowman crafts, chocolate peanut clusters, and a book (among 9 other gifts). They jumped up and down every night before and after opening the gift.
Our house had some rapid improvements the last couple weeks. Our lawn is coming along and we now have three palm trees in front. (They will grow much bigger.)
We also had a rock wall built around our trash cans and propane (dictated by the HOA) and around our outdoor shower (dictated by me). We should have space to store our lawn mower and a couple bikes in here, too.
The outdoor shower is a half circle. This opening leads straight into the back door of our garage. The walls still need to be stained (they will match the rock on the front of the house), I need to clean up the dirt on the house, and we need more gravel, but other than that, these went up in a week.
But this is my single favorite part of our house: the backyard. It is beyond exciting for me to look out the door and see my family playing in our yard. (You can see where our property ends with the landscape beds.)
Friday night, we packed up to go camping at Polihale with some other families. Plans changed last minute when I had medical stuff come up for Saturday morning, so we went only for the bonfire. We arrived just in time for sunset.
Zac wanted to pose "hitting the ball":
Nothing beats Polihale sunset pictures.
We had a lovely evening sitting by the fire, roasting mallows and watching the kids run around for hours and hours and hours. I love that even in the darkness, you can tell Zachary's face is beet red. He learned how to play "Capture the Flag" that night. It was the first time Kate ran for hours in the Polihale sand, too. It shocks me she is old enough to feel independent in the sandy darkness. (Of course we equipped the kids with glow sticks and they stayed close by.)
Staying for the bonfire meant leaving after 10pm for the long drive home. Zac was out in two minutes flat.
It took Kate a solid five minutes to fall asleep. She talked energetically to us and suddenly crashed.
Saturday night, Auntie Vicki called and asked to take Zachary to see Santa at the county building with David and Joseph. These are Zac's best friends, and she called this their prom picture.
Kate thinks those boys are her best friends, too, so we took her out for Lappert's as a consolation prize. She bought these light up shoes at the store that day and was more excited to walk around making them flash than she was about this awful mess of gelato she's holding.
Sunday was the ward Christmas program. I played a few songs. I always grumble about the last minute requests I get for playing solos and accompanying the choir, but the day of is always a pay off. It feels warm to participate.
Kate and her friend Penelope in their Christmas dresses. These girls just had their last week of nursery!
Monday, a bunch of girls got together at Waiohai with the kids. I loved the boys playing for hours and hours in the sand and water.
Slip and slide:
That night for FHE, we took the kids around for deliveries and stopped by a live nativity. The kids were super excited about it until Zac was nipped by the goat.
The offender:
I bribed him with a marshmallow to sit for this picture (with the goat to his left!). I wanted to Facebook this picture because I think live nativities are beautiful, but then I looked at the way my kids looked…Zac just done with baseball practice, and Kate without brushed hair, and figured this pic only belonged on the blog. I think it is beautiful.
We also stopped by "Santa's Lane" with houses lit up and a visit to Santa in his sleigh.
Well done, Kauai residents! Almost no one lights up their houses here because electricity is crazy expensive. I wish there was a donation pot we could give to each year for the houses on this street.
Tuesday, we wrapped presents and had another beach outing. The kids were secretive about their gifts to each other.
We capped off the day with peppermint popcorn and a short Christmas flick. Brady and I stayed up until almost 2am getting things ready for Christmas Eve dinner.
Christmas Eve! Brady got off work at noon, and we all went to the gym then up to Kalipaki. Kate and I were paddling in the bay when she looked back and freaked out: "SANTA is COMING! Hurry, MOMMY! Do you need help paddling?"
Zac rushed to make a sandman, per tradition. Not quite "Frosty the Wahine" from last year!
Lots of friends to play with at the beach afterwards.
Zachary body boarding with Brady in the small, dirty waves:
We rushed home with barely enough time to get set up for dinner with the Clarks, Chadderdons and VandenAkkers. We were so excited with the way the house "performed" with company. We opened up the Western Door and the lanai became living space, too. Kids were running in and out all night, there were nice trade breezes, and overall the house was exactly what we envisioned when we designed it.
Kat's pomegranate and mac nut salad:
Paislee and Dalton were the best--helping the kids decorate and entertaining them.
Jennie's beautiful cake:
We left cookies for Santa and a note, too. I love the part at the top that makes sure Santa knows that Zachary is in first grade.
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