Christmas Magic/Chaos recap

This Christmas season was packed, as usual, with so many activities.
Honestly, I don't think I have ever baked/made/sewed so much in so few weeks.
It was still bizarre to spend Christmas in Hawaii, our fourth. Crazy!!
I do miss snow.
Anyway...

Cookie making...
We made sooo many different kinds of cookies/sweet rolls this year.
these were being made for Avery's kindergarten Christmas spiral/cookie swap.



I am fully convinced that there is no need to have a cookie swap late at night on a school night with five year olds. I now officially feel like the meanest mom, but seriously?? fifty different kinds of cookies being jammed down little throats at an alarming pace. And cookie vomit is no laughing matter. it is just a waste of a good cookie.



Avery's program consisted of singing a few songs, and walking the spiral of light.



Avery's school is actually in a church. A pretty small church. so even though it was really beautiful, it was also really hot.
A note about my husband. He is the most kind, patient, caring man. Unless he is overheated. You can imagine his joy as one by one each child took their turn walking the spirial to have their candle lit by the "angel". His joy was palpable as the last little boy took his turn. Relief was near. But wait.... The kindergarten teacher lovingly thought of all of the siblings of the kindergarteners.
We ended the night with the aforementioned cookie experience.

Next up...
Christmas parties by the sea.





See Sophia's face? This is pretty much what she has looked like for the last six weeks. It is so sad. Because of her mono, We only went to one Christmas party. Then we left early. Boo on mono.



Lyla Rose, however, thouroughly enjoyed the bubbles given as a party favor.

For teacher gifts, I was looking for something cheap, and I came across the German papercutting technique called Sherenschnitte. It is ages old, and holy cow, amazing! Some of the artists that use this medium are incredible. Seriously, if you have a minute, or like silouettes...

This is my humble attempt...



The teacher it went to loved it, so it was a true gift indeed. She really does water her garden of birdies with love....

I also did a Hawaiian quilt inspired one for Sophia's teacher, but I didn't take a picture of it. (Possibly because it may or may not have still been a little wet when I was wrapping it up! Last minute. It doesn't feel like Christmas without a lastminute thing right?)

Also, because I am crazy, and I have been homebound for six weeks, I decided we should all make gingerbread houses from scratch this year. I thought about buying kits when I saw them at the drugstore. They were fifteen dollars each. Another thing, have you ever actually tasted those premade kits? yuck. So fun to do. No fun to eat. So, a hudrend dollars later....

I love gingerbread. It makes me think of a time when we didn't have instant access to as much sugar as we wanted. So a little sweet goes a long way. It is almost bitter, salty, and sweet. YUM!



Our house smelled soooo goood!!! also, I did the gingerbread houses in three seperate days, so we could actually just sit down and decorate them, a must for little duckies!



Rosie's creation. She did this all by herself. Toby and I, of course, think we have a genius on our hands. I mean, just look at that symmetry!!! (parents are great cheerleaders!)
They were honestly a huge pain to make, especially the assembling part. But when I saw this



I knew I had helped make a wonderful memory.

Decking the Halls....

So magical

Can I get A Woot???

Yes, I know that Sophie is a little old to be just now riding her bike alone. Tob and I were reminiscing about when we were kids, and we were both already cruising our neighborhoods on our bikes at her age.
It is not as though Sophie hasn't had ample opportunities to ride a bike. She has gone through every stage of bike possible. (tricycle, toddler bike, etc...)
Sometimes she has a hard time doing something if she can't just do it right off the bat. Previous attempts have ended in frustration and tears.
When we first moved to Hawaii she had zero desire for her bike. Zero. And very little since receiving her new one last Christmas. But lately...

She ran around with her Dad for a few times. She did not achieve riding without him. Then she was done. When she was walking up to me, I could see her troubled face. I knew better than to make a big deal of it, so I gave her a tender hug, and said nothing, although the disappointment was written all over her face.



As she walked back over to where Avery was waiting for her turn on the bike,(Avery's bike has a popped tube. Of course it is not a standard size tube. One is being ordered for her...grrr..), her shoulders seemed so heavy.

She looked so longingly at her bike bell, and gave it a sad, sad ring.



Oh, how my mama heart ached for her.

Then, I took my turn running Avery around. Holy Cow! She does none of the work. We need her bike fixed now! Also, starting a running program with an extra 50 lbs is not advisable.

When it was time to leave, Sophie walked up to me, and asked if she could try one more time. I said of course.
Then I bent down and whispered in her sweet ear, "just believe, honey. Just believe that you can."

And then...





We were so happy for her!

Avery and Lyla were cheering her on...

As she took a few laps around, Avery decided to pick her a congratulatory bouquet.






Love this girl.

When Sophie finished her triumphant ride, Avery ran up to her to give her a big hug! She kept telling her Great Job Soph! You did so Great!



She was so proud of her sister



And Sophia was proud of herself.

I love being a mom. So much.

Oh yeah, Lyla Rose was busy doing this kind of stuff..