Thanksgiving Fun

We had a fun, very busy Thanksgiving weekend with the Zwahlen family in Williamsburg.  We started Thanksgiving by celebrating Abby's 10th birthday with a cousin Olympics.  It was a lot of fun and I wish I had more pictures.  We had an opening ceremonies, a parade of nations, lit the torch, and then had 6 Olympic-inspired games.  It was a lot of fun!

Balloon Tennis 

Ping Pong Ball Toss 

Synchronized Snack Toss

We played more games, but they were so fun that I didn't get pictures.  But the kids were having a blast.  At the end, Roy presented everyone with medals and had silly names for each kid.  There was a whole lot of giggling.  And then Abby was spoiled by presents!

Before we knew it, it was time to decorate the Thanksgiving tablecloth while the last-minute food prep was being done.

Taking a bath with a bazillion bubbles is a fan favorite for these girls.  They end up so covered in bubbles that we have to lay out a row of towels for them to walk to the shower and get clean. 

On Friday, we celebrated cousin Sophia's birthday with a trip to Build-a-Bear, a visit to the local rec center with a rock-climbing area, and watching the Emoji movie.

Everyone was happy to discover the indoor soccer field too.  The soccer-playing adults impressed all the kids with their down-field kicks.

On Saturday, we turned on Christmas music and gathered the cousins to decorate the Christmas tree in the front yard.  Grandma and Baba Z plant a tree for each of the grandchildren.  Since Abby is a December baby, her tree is a dwarf pine and we love to decorated it each year.  It's been fun to see it grow bigger and discover that we need more ornaments or lights every couple of year :)

During lunch prep, we had a visit from some cute Christmas carolers who sang several songs, including every verse of "The 12 Days of Christmas".

And then we were off to Busch Gardens for their Christmas Towne celebration!  The kids were really looking forward to riding roller coasters, seeing Christmas shows, and spending even more time with cousins.  Since I am not able to do rides now, Andrew and I were buddies for most of the afternoon and Roy took the big kids on their requested rides.  Sam LOVES roller-coasters so he was up for everything, but both girls aren't quite as excited about it as Sam.

After a fun-filled weekend, it was time to head home to get ready to send Roy off to China and decorate our house for Christmas!  I love having cousin time and seeing the kids love being together!

Zwahlen Family 2017

You better take off your solar eclipse glasses because we are about to throw some serious shade (sorry, Roy is taking his responsibility to embarrass his tweenage daughter very seriously).  In 2017, we decided to break our trend and not move.  We have thrown away the moving boxes and officially declared ourselves North Carolina residents.  

Abby found a new passion this year starring as JoJo in her school play Seussical the Musical.  She loved everything about it.  Abby also discovered that the only thing she liked about Rec League basketball was being with her friends and that her father likes to complain about driving all over the county for a children’s rec game.  Starting 4th grade, she did decide to step out of her comfort zone and participate in Math Olympiad this Fall.  While not as natural a talent as reading and writing, she is quickly learning to see numbers in the world around her.        

Sam’s discovered a love for art and has been enjoying his weekly art class.  He dutifully educates his art teacher and classmates on the finer points of the Loch Ness monster and other cryptids (complete with clay renderings to fill their nightmares later).  Sam also tried basketball and came to the same conclusion as Abby, along with learning how to laugh at himself.  Sam continues to thrive in 2nd grade and enjoys his new teacher and classmates.  Sam has developed a love of reading and especially enjoys Captain Underpants, scary animals, and heroes and villains.

Lydia is officially a Kindergartener and desires all the world to know it.  Our little supernova has quickly wrapped everyone at school around her little finger and absolutely loves school (that is, once her parents have dragged her out of bed each morning).  Lydia loves reading and aims to catch up with her siblings in ability as quickly as possible.  Lydia is learning piano, as are her older siblings.  She loves to write her own songs.  She loves to create games for Andrew and relishes being a big sister.  Lydia loves to sing, dance, and act and is always ready to put on a show for any audience.     

Andrew has come out of his shell in 2017.  He spends his days telling jokes to his mother and teasing her as much as possible.  Andrew decided he wanted Minion underwear early in 2017 and is now potty-trained.  Andrew also took advantage of our “Trick or Treat” sign to learn his ABCs.  He misses his siblings during the week but manages to still have a great time.  He has started telling stories, jokes, teasing people, singing, playing independently, and loves to make people laugh.

Because life simply could not stay the same for a whole additional year, Michelle announced she was pregnant in the middle of 2017.  We will welcome Nora Grace Zwahlen early February 2018.  Along with managing pregnancy, working on house improvements,  and shuttling kids, Michelle spends her time volunteering at the school and helping out with teaching and planning activities for the teenage girls in our church congregation.  As an added bonus, Roy gets reminded on a daily basis exactly why he decided to not be a teenager forever.

Roy is settling in at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and has managed to travel less than his prior job.  However, he did make it to China for two times this year and visited the home of the pandas in Chengdu.  Roy also enjoyed his leadership training at the Disney Institute, complete with park tours, iron chef competition, and photo-op with Mickey Mouse.  Roy’s work highlight of the year was when he managed to earn what he is sure is the Dean’s first academic fist bump (it’s the same as a regular fist bump but just feels oddly out of place in the ivory tower).  Roy continues to volunteer as the Bishop’s secretary at church (yeah, that’s a head scratcher for us too… have you seen his handwriting?).  Beyond work, Roy spent time carting the family across the United States to Utah for two family reunions and to Myrtle Beach this Fall for some much-needed downtime, where the big kids learned to body surf and everyone enjoyed trying to create the world’s biggest sand castle.

We hope our letter finds you and your family well and that you enjoy the peace of this holiday season.

Preparing for Christmas

I am the room parent for Abby's class this year and got to plan the Holiday Party, which landed on the last day of school before Christmas break.  It was a little stressful to come up with ideas that would be cool for 4th graders, but it turned out really fun and we ended up with several extra parents showing up to help.  When I went in after the break to bring Abby's birthday treats to share with the class, I kind of felt like a rock star because I had hugs, high fives, and kids lining up to talk to me :)  There's no better place to feel amazing than in a room filled with kids :)

I also have to share this funny story.  Abby is doing her school play ("Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory") and tried out for a speaking part in early December.  The week before the break, everyone got their part and Abby found out she is Charlie!  Like the hormone-filled mom that I am, I had prayed the whole day when I knew she would get her part that she would be happy with whatever role she got, but I was nervous because she was a lead last year and I didn't want her crushed if she ended up with something less.  When she got home from school and shoved the cast list in my face with her name written after Charlie Bucket, I cried and was on a bit of a high the rest of the day.  Anyway, I can't tell you how many of her peers at the class party a couple days later pulled me aside and said something like, "You're Abby's mom?  Did you know she's doing the play?  Did you know she got a lead?  Did you know she's Charlie?  Did you know that she got a lead two years in a row?"  I love kids!

We have this retention pond in our neighborhood that isn't very pretty, but it is fun to throw rocks, float sticks, and wander around.  We took advantage of a warm December day to go play at the retention pond while Abby was at a neighbor's house playing.  We're so fancy with our fun :) 

Roy really needs some new jeans.  I have learned that pants are not something I can buy for him without him being there, unless of course I want to go return them.  So this year for Christmas, we gave Roy a pair of big-paper pants decorated by the kids.  They were hilarious :)

In an effort to keep the kids busy and happy, we hosted a bunch of neighborhood kids for a morning at the beginning of Christmas break.  The kids mostly played together nicely and rehearsed fairy tale plays in the backyard.  I love that we still have days that are warm enough to be outside even in the winter!

NC Zoo

We decided to go to the NC Zoo a few days before Christmas.  What a great way to spend a perfect-weather day!  While the rest of the area was out shopping, we enjoyed exploring the zoo with zero crowds and going at our own pace.  The NC Zoo is divided into two different areas (Americas and Africa) with about a 1-1/2 mile path connecting them.  The Zoo prides itself on being the largest zoo in America, but that 1-1/2 mile path has no animals so I think that may be a creative way to win 1st place for biggest zoo.  :)  We explored the Americas area and loved it!  It was the best way to spend a few hours as a family.

Of course, Sam and Andrew had to pose by the Soggy Bottoms sign.  

  

One of their favorite exhibits was the CA Sea Lion enclosure.  We watched from the top as the sea lions raced around the tank and then discovered we could watch from underwater windows.  If it weren't for the strong fishy smell, we could have stayed and watched for much longer.  It was graceful to watch these two sea lions swim.

Merry Christmas!

We had a really wonderful Christmas this year!  I love spending time with our family, seeing the kids get excited for each other, watching as they anxiously wait for their sibling to open the present they  planned and saved for, and get excited about being just a little bit spoiled.  We are at a really amazing time in our family where the kids get along really well and they help each other in amazing ways and that selfless love was very evident on Christmas.  That's the best gift!

These pictures are in backwards order :)  And Roy has even more pictures that I need to grab from him, but at this point I wanted to get Christmas posted so we can move on to other fun posts!

Mor Mor and Far Far (my parents) sent a tent and sleeping bags this year.  The kids used them that night in our game room :)

Abby absolutely devours books so she was thrilled to get 2 books from her cousin Arianna!

Lydia has kept busy with her gift of Shopkins cars and Hatchimal collectibles from her cousin Sophia.

We gave Abby a huge art set.  This face cracks me up!

We gave Sam the complete Captain Underpants set.  He read them all within a couple days.  And he has reread them multiple times.  So worth the scramble we did to get them before Christmas.

We gave Lydia some Twozies (little babies) and she loves them :)

I'm not sure if Roy or Andrew was more excited about this awesome car track :)

Roy really loves fudge.  A lot.  So I gave him a box of fudge that we need to make at some point!  If it doesn't happen before, I am planning to make it for his birthday.  That's totally something I can do with a brand-new baby and with brand-new-baby-in-the-house energy.

Abby loves crazy socks, especially if they are knee high.  Parents for the win!

Sam filling his mind with jokes from the joke book he got from cousin Neilson.

Lydia finally got a new copy of "Princess in Black", a book that got lost at some point in our move in 2016.  

Thanks for the fun sewing kit, Mom!

Roy displaying his awesome folder and gift card from his brother Steve-o.

Abby got her ears pierced as an early birthday gift.  She was so excited to get some fun earrings from Aunt Cami and Mor Mor and Far Far.

Sam with the newest piece of art equipment.  He is such a good artist and Abby was thrilled to give him these cool markers that allow you to shade between different colors.

This face!  The enthusiasm that pours out of Lydia is seriously amazing to me :)

Andrew finally got the triple decker Mac truck he's been asking for since just after last Christmas.  He loves it!

Santa brought mermaid tale blankets for the girls and shark tales for the boys this year.  With the cold days we have had over the last few weeks, the kids have used them quite a bit.  Thanks, Santa!

Like all mean parents do, we made the kids wait until a certain time (7 am) and wait until we were downstairs with cameras at the ready before they could come down the stairs on Christmas. But it was all worth it!

Santa Rosa Fires

I woke up on Monday morning and saw that a friend had posted that there was a fire and some serious evacuations occurring in my hometown of Santa Rosa.  I immediately texted my dad because, even though it was 4 am his time, he's an early riser and I figured he would be awake soon.  Then I started doing a little bit of looking on some other sites and realized this fire was more than one fire and that the evacuations was actually covering a nice chunk of the city.  I called my brother, who was slowly driving and looking for a safe route to evacuate with his family.  My family members were incredibly blessed to be able to have their homes still standing and have given much of their time and supplies to those who need a shoulder to cry on, a place to sleep, and simple things like toothbrushes, food, a hug, strength and understanding.

I've spent the week listening to Sonoma County local talk radio for updates and news conferences, checking my phone for texts from the Sherrif's office, calling and texting family, praying for rain and relief and a miracle, and crying for those who lost all they own, some without the warning to even grab shoes or anything of importance besides family members and pets.  I have been more grateful for our first responders this week than I ever have been before because they are protecting the people, the places, the city that still feels like home every time I am there.  But I have also been incredibly proud of my hometown for the miraculous response of those who still have and continue to give, those who have lost all and yet still give and talk and love those who have been displaced or been made homeless, and the stories of how people have given love to both friend and stranger.  Through a horrific, unexpected, incomprehensible tragedy and loss, I have been inspired and strengthened by the reactions of those who have relied on their faith and their desire to show love to those around them.  I have always been proud to call Santa Rosa home, but these people help me to be even more proud because we share roots and they inspire me to be better and serve no matter my life circumstance.

It's a ...

GIRL!  

We are beyond thrilled that everyone got to come to our ultrasound and fall in love with this wiggly baby.  We were so happy to see that she is healthy and growing.  The girls were cheering quietly and there were tears from the boys, but I think they have now come to terms with having another sister and Sam said he's even happy about it.