Marla used to have caroling parties when she was in high school so when we got an invite from a friend to go this year with the kids, she jumped at the chance to introduce Emma and Henry. Continue reading
We stayed home this year for Thanksgiving. It was a bit smaller than I’m used to from childhood (no “kids table” filled with cousins) but it was nice not having to travel.
Our menu was excellent, as usual. Continue reading
The weekend before Halloween I agreed to help Emma and Henry carve their pumpkins. Whatever face they drew on the pumpkin I would do my best to carve. Emma, as you might guess, drew a pug. I created a cute little smiley pumpkin face for Cora. Henry? Well, he scribbled all over the front of his pumpkin but I dutifully tried to carve it.
Emma’s always looking for an excuse to “dress fancy,” so while Grandma and Grandpa Mandel were visiting us in October we had Cora’s baby naming. Emma and Henry were little angels and behaved the whole way through the service. (See photos from Henry’s naming here.)
Children pick up your bad habits quickly. I’m glad they also seem to pick up the good ones. Emma and Henry ran their first “race” this 4th of July after I finished the Freedom Run 10K in Ladera Ranch. Continue reading
Emma is getting to the age where we just can’t hide Easter eggs well enough. She blazed through the yard intent on her mission of beating Henry and finding as many eggs as possible. Poor Henry was no match. Continue reading
We tried hard this year to have a very small-scale Christmas. Henry and Emma, who have no shortage of “stuff” already, don’t necessarily need a whole bunch more so we limited our gift giving and tried to focus a bit more on the “spirit” than the “stuff.” Continue reading
Emma and Marla went to see The Nutcracker at the lovely Orange County Performing Arts Center in December. It was the first time Emma had been to see ballet and she was absolutely ecstatic. The show didn’t disappoint her one bit and, in fact, she’s now enrolled in ballet and tap dance lessons. The arts certainly can inspire!
These photos are from the “Christmas Festival” the city held this year. The kids were able to entertain themselves with some cookie decorating, a few craft projects, face painting and other standard festival fare. Continue reading
In years past we would regularly have over a dozen folks over for an extra large lunch. As family members aged and passed or moved away the crowd on Thanksgiving day steadily shrank. This year Thanksgiving felt a bit more like old times. Continue reading