As the end of 2011 draws to a close and we get closer to celebrating the birth of our Savior, I just wanted to make sure I sent out an"updated" blog to friends and family.
Not too much new since my last blog in...gulp...September! Scott is still busy with work and the addition of some new clients-to my relief-since our trainings have slowed down a bit. We continue to be blessed by the fruits of his labor.
The kids and I are plugging right along with school and I hope to update my homeschool blog very soon as well with our activities/accomplishments. You can always check that out at www.schooldazeofoakvalleyacademy.
In early November, Leah, Mema & I went to see the musical, "Beauty & the Beast" at our new theater in Folsom. The El Dorado Musical Theater Co. puts on a great performance and I'm so excited to have the new theater in Folsom! Now I won't have to go to Sacramento anymore for any performance (unless Josh Groban performs again and I can afford the tickets-then I'll have to travel to Sacramento). But the Three Stages Theater in Folsom offers performances of ballet, musicals, plays, and concerts for an afforable price and free or $1.00 parking! Can you tell I'm exicted!
In November we also went to visit my aunt for the day. In addition to going to one of the kid's favorite parks, we visited the fairly new library near her house in Sacramento. Her daughter helped an artist this summer paint a mural in the children's section of the libary. The mural is incredible and even more incredible is the work my cousin did on the mural. The kids are posed next to her "Dorothy" in the photo to the right labeled, "Visit with Dorothy". Leah looks up to Michelle and hopes to one day "paint as good as Michelle." That is one tall order-since I don't think too many people could even hope to aspire to her level of expertise-and what's even more incredible is that she's only 17!
For Halloween, both kids dressed as Spider-Kids. Leah went as Spider-Girl & Nolan as Spider-Man. And it has been Spidey-Mania in our house ever since. Their Christmas Wish lists were almost identical with their Spider-man wants. I never thought having a boy & a girl, that I'd have to deal with jealousies over toys received. Plus, they both still dress up and play Spider-man at least 4x a week. The picture to the right shows them with their masks on watching-you guessed it-Spider-man cartoons on Saturday morning.
Leah celebrated her 7th birthday in early December. She had a few celebrations, as we took her roller skating with some friends after we'd gone to cut down our Christmas Tree. Mema had even made a Spider-man decorated brownie cake to help us celebrate. Then on her actual birthday, Scott & I took her to the movies without little brother tagging along-which apparantly was a bigger treat for her than we thought. We then had a celebration with her favorite food-Ribs and another Spider-Man themed cake from Mema to help us celebrate with the Grandparent's and Uncle Russ.
The day after our family celebration, I anxiously awaited news of my nephew's arrival after my sister's phone call that he was on his way. I called my mom several times that day expressing my angst about not being able to be there for this birth and that I didn't like waiting for news. But little Grant arrived healthy and without giving my sister too much trouble I'm assuming, as she performed her third (and she says final) birth once again drug-free!
And as we approach the climax of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I'm taking it all in-one day, one hour, one breath at a time. This year Leah is 7 and Nolan is 4; and I know all too soon-in the blink of an eye-that next Christmas she'll be 18 & he'll be 15 and the magic and enchantment of Christmas will be replaced with? Who knows?
So this year, if the homemade gifts don't get done-don't despair. There's always next year.
This year, this day, this moment, I'm stringing popcorn for the tree with Leah. I'm reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to Nolan for the 12th time today. I'm pointing out which ornaments on the tree belong to Leah and which one's belong to Nolan. I'm telling stories about the Christmas decorations my Grandma made. I'm helping decorate gingerbread houses. I'm making hot cocoa with candy canes. We're squinting our eyes at the Christmas lights and tilting our head back and forth to make them sparkle and dance. We're oohhing and aahhhing over the Christmas lights in the neighborhoods we drive through-just for the sole purpose of looking at them. We're counting down the days until Christmas on the Advent Calendar. And most importantly, we're remembering why we even celebrate Christmas in the first place!
We want to wish every oneof you a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! May God Bless you and your families!
Love,
Jill, Scott, Leah & Nolan
