Christmas at Home

For the 2nd year in a row we celebrated Christmas at home (Spence too!) with Yia Yia, Grandpa, Gregory, Matt, Misty and Drew. It isn't often that so many family members are with us at Christmas so we took advantage of every moment together. We were busy shopping, decorating cookies, building gingerbread houses, cooking - lots of cooking!, playing and mostly enjoying.
Christmas with four little ones isn't without hiccups... We spent part of Christmas night in the ER (there were no other options). John and Claire both have ear infections. Spence is now being treated as well. Allison is borderline. I think her little body is fighting it off quite well; she'll be watched closely. Katie and I are healthy. Of course Katie is the healthy one - she is the other mommy in the family. She happily helps take their temperatures, check their ears and dispense their medicine. They are usually happy recipients of her help.
Everyone is on track to be completely healthy by the new year. We will celebrate our health, enjoy the present and look forward to all that is to come.

Christmas Programs

Katie (far left with Brown Bear)

John (left of center, red shirt)

Allison (far right, thumb in mouth)

Tis the season... And I enjoy it so! The bustle. The gift giving. Reading Christmas letter updates. Family visits. If I could change just one thing it would be the weather. Perhaps I will lobby my family for Christmas in Hawaii next year. :) If it must be cold then Let it Snow!

Yesterday morning was Katie & John's CCD Advent program. John, no doubt because of his easy going willingness to try anything, was chosen to place the ornament on the Jesse tree and to deliver the gift from the 3s class. The walk onstage was slow - there were awkwardly spaced steps to climb. It gave me a few extra moments to proudly admire him doing what most other children his age would be afraid to do. He even spoke clearly into the microphone when he presented the gift. He is such a good boy...

Last night was the preschool's Christmas program. It was Allison's onstage debut. She has been singing (screaming) Jingle Bells at the top of her lungs for weeks. I've contemplated moving her carseat to the far back row for noise control. :) She was't nearly as loud onstage but she was perfectly Allison. She sang every note with her thumb securely in her mouth. John and Katie also performed (is that really the right word?) in the program. John did exactly what he was supposed to do. He is so easy... Last year Katie bolted from the stage sobbing hysterically. So this year she decided a little extra emotional support would be useful. She carried Brown Bear (an honored member of the family) on stage and held him in front of her face most of the time. Katie pouted a bit and hid behind BB (or Bravo Bravo as Spence likes to call the bear) often. Still, she stayed on stage and never shed a tear. We (Spence, Katie and I) were thrilled with her perfromance!

Holiday Recap

Like all great Anderson celebrations there was one big glitch in our Thanksgiving meal - Daisy, the dog, ate 18 individual homemade apple apricot strudels just an hour before dinner. I am still furious 2 days later. She is still vomiting.

It still doesn't trump John's performance at Heather and Mitch's wedding reception where he vomited at the table where all of the wedding guests were seated and waiting for dinner to be served.

Or my great fall at dinner the night before their wedding. I was holding 9 month old Claire in my arms... Great save by me!

Surely there will be many more to share...

Happy Thanksgiving

Today we will celebrate with Cousin Drew! Katie, John and Allison adore him and can't wait to get there. I am thrilled to be sharing the holiday with Matt and Misty (and not only because Misty is doing the cooking). It isn't every year that we have family living close enough to share special occassions with.
May everyone recognize their many blessings this year!
Jenn