Pancakes with Santa

Derek and cousin Brooke joking around

Us with Santa

Cousins

The trains are always a big hit

Helen's brothers, wives, and kids (L-R Paul, Brooke, Agatha, Chris, Lindsay, and Mike)

Lindsay shows us her Santa face painting

Brooke does a security check on Derek

For the past several years it's been a tradition for us to go Helen's parent's church for a holiday pancake breakfast. They do a good job and the kids always enjoy it.

Early December 2009

Derek sings with the rest of the school chorus

The kids love Advent calendars. Adam especially loved the new Lego calendar my mom gave him.

Derek's book report comparing and contrasting "Marley & Me" and "Old Yeller"

Decorating the Christmas tree

Discovering all the craft ornaments from year's past - priceless!

Derek's Christmas list went electronic this year

Tinsley the elf was busy again this year pulling pranks like this - sitting all the stuffed animals around the Christmas tree

It turns out Tinsley even likes to play the Ninendo DS

I can only imagine that it must be really draining on Tinsley to think up new pranks every night. That must be the reason why this year he came a little later, left a little earlier, and took a break in between.

Thanksgiving #2

Playing around before dinner

Brooke looks faboolous!

Let's eat!

Lindsay and the boys

Helen's parents

Playing around after dinner

The girls winding it down in their pj's

Saturday November 28, 2009

On Saturday we went over to Helen's parent's house for our 2nd Thanksgiving. Helen had to gear up somewhat and make some appetizers, etc. but it wasn't too bad for her.

The hero is really Helen's mom. I don't know how she does it. Not only are she and Poppy taking care of the girls on a regular basis at almost 80 years old, but she also hosts all the holiday get togethers.

If you've ever hosted a get together then you know it's a lot of work - before, during, and after. She sits down for dinner and that's about it. I try to help out some and Helen helps out quite a bit as well because she doesn't want it all to be on her mom, but the traditional mom and daughter stuck in the kitchen thing is getting old. Much props and respect to Helen's mom. I surely wouldn't do it - without much more help.

Christmas Cards

Derek and Adam work on the Lego's my mom gave them the night before

Adam works with Patrick and other neighborhood friends on Christmas cards

November 27, 2009

Derek and Adam couldn't wait to get up on the day after Thanksgiving and work on the Lego's my mom gave them the night before when we had Thanksgiving at her house.

Adam somehow talked his neighborhood friends into making Christmas cards. It was very cute as they sprawled out on the garage floor and worked by flashlight. They continued to work on the cards several more times and eventually went door to door selling them - and people actually bought them! They were all very excited. It was neat to see them work out how the money would be divided. They decided the proceeds from any card sold would be pooled, but the artist would retain a bigger cut. I think the cards sold for 50 cents each.

Thanksgiving

Our tradition is that Helen makes cinnamon rolls and we eat them while we watch the parade

Adam draws a design into the pie crust

Derek is finally old enough to mow the lawn - and do a decent job

Helen and my mom talk while getting dinner ready

Derek (always with clicker in hand) gives some love to Hannah

Dinner is almost ready!

Derek interviews my mom for a school project on ancestors

My mom got the boys Lego's for Thanksgiving - they're all for that being a new tradition

Conked out on the car ride home

Asleep in our bed waiting for their bedtime story

November 26, 2009

Here are the catch-up photos from Thanksgiving. With all the different family's involved, it's nice that it works out so that there's no conflict on Thanksgiving day. We spend that day at my mom's house and then do Thanksgiving with Helen's family later on the weekend.

My brother, Jason, and his wife, Laine, usually join us at my mom's, but they were off on their cross country adventure. It wasn't the same without them.

Helen always starts out pumped for Thanksgiving - especially the baking, but she's always deflated after working so hard for so long only to have everybody sit down for a dinner that takes about 15 minutes to eat and an hour to cleanup. I try to comfort her by touting the benefits of leftovers, but it doesn't really help. By the 2nd (or sometimes 3rd) Thanksgiving dinner - we are, put a fork in us, done!

I think I could eat leftover Thanksgiving food for a really long time, but Helen usually tires of it pretty quickly. It's filling, it's easy, it's quick, it's inexpensive, and it's good - what more could you ask for?

The Rockettes

Getting ready to head to the show

Dinner before the show at Baraonda across the street from the Fox Theatre

Derek with Helen's parents

Adam and Derek get the royal treatment

Some clandestine no flash pictures

Waiting around after the show

November 22, 2009

I thought I would go back and catch up on some holiday stuff before I forget about it.

We try to go to some sort of show each year during the holiday season. On the weekend before Thanksgiving we kicked off the holidays by going to see the Rockettes at the Fox Theatre. My mom and Helen's parents joined us. We had dinner before the show at Baraonda, an Italian restaurant. It was just OK - a little rushed before the show and it's always tough to coordinate a large group.

We were all looking forward to the show. We had great seats in the Loge (the first section of the balcony). The dancing turned out to be even more entertaining and impressive than I thought it would be - very tight and powerful - especially when all the Rockettes get going at the same time.

It seems that it's traditional that the Rockettes finish their show with a birth story of Jesus. I'm not against a good Jesus story in the right time and place, but it didn't really work for me here. The tone of the show is all festive and fast paced and then they totally change the tone and the pace at the finish with the Jesus story. I know they're probably trying to make sure we understand "the real meaning of Christmas", but what a Debbie Downer - wahnt wahnt wahhh.