Rain, Rain, Rain, And Christmas Lights

We made a valiant effort to add another tradition to our family Christmas.  It didn't go quite as planned, and actually, it really wasn't even planned.

On Saturday night we had been invited to a neighborhood Christmas light hayride.  When the hostess's children got sick, it was canceled.  To say the least, my little ones were extremely disappointed.  So on a very last minute whim we decided to head downtown to the Botanical Gardens Light Show.

I advise you to never do that on a "last minute whim" especially on a Saturday night. Unknowingly,  I set my kiddos up for more disappointment.  After sitting in nearly 45 minutes of traffic just to turn in to the joint, we read a beautifully illuminated sign that said, "show sold out".  Lesson learned.

I broke the news to my three very restless children and then bought tickets for Sunday night's show right there on my iphone.

Jack barely made it through the next 24 hours.  He was severely heartbroken.  Maggie made the best of it and reminded us all, "it's okay, don't worry, we can see the lights tomorrow".  And I'm pretty sure Lucy was waiting for us to show up in another state after how long we had been in the car.

Sunday finally rolled around and with it a giant monsoon.  Of course.

With nonrefundable and nontransferable tickets we headed back down to the gardens sans Lucy this time.  It was an excruciating decision, but I could not see how I could possibly push a stroller, hold an umbrella, and keep her contained {seeing as how she does not own rain boots at this point in her wee life}.

Let me just say it was an interesting evening.  We did indeed see lights.  Although not all of them were illuminated due to the hideous rain drenching us.  And as you can imagine, we were soaked to the bone as was everything in our possession.

It was in the moment of unpeeling wet layers off of Jack and Maggie, that I praised my decision to spare Lucy this little adventure of ours.

I can only assume next year this tradition will be experienced as should be...no rain and little Lu in tow.

Until then, these very soggy memories must hold us over.

Happily Grandma joined us. She kept our spirits up when we were all near the point of drowning.

The photographer of the gardens insisted I take my hat off for this picture.  I knew better.

S'mores in a Christmas monsoon.  There is nothing like it.

Looking forward to a dry Christmas celebration.

Lucy's Walking Session...A Preview

Oh, how I wanted to do this session in the Fall before Christmas.  But, by the time I felt Lucy was a strong walker and confident enough to schedule it, Andrea was booked up.  I kind of assumed that.  So we set a date for January in hopes of an unseasonably warm day.

Well, it just so happened that a date came available four days before Christmas.  I jumped on it and again prayed for an unseasonably warm day.  Well, we got that.  Temps in the near 70s.  But,  in exchange we had to deal with a sopping wet ground and runny noses on two of my three kids.

Don't ask me how she did it, but I will never question Andrea Wood again.  Amazing.  I am so in love with this little preview that she posted today, that I just had to share the link.

I keep zoning in with my eagle eye looking for mud splattered pants and snot, I've yet to find any of the above.  But I do see a family that I adore.

The best Christmas present EVER!

http://andrea-wood.com/blog/2013/12/luwalking/

'Tis The Season For Class Parties

I had the honors of flitting from school to school this week for Christmas parties.  I was mighty thankful that none of the parties conflicted with one another and even more thankful that my shopping and wrapping was complete so I could enjoy my sweet bigs to the fullest.  

I can hardly believe that I will be juggling three of these in no time flat.

Until then, I spent three of the five days this week watching Jack and Maggie in their school element.  I just love a class holiday party.  It is such a wondrous celebration and the all important end to another season of school.  And most importantly, it means I am on the verge of having all three of my kiddos home at once.  Call me crazy, but I think that is the best part.

I started the week at Jack's Christmas Party {also known as his Winter party}.  I prefer to forgo the political correctness since this is my blog and all.

Ms. S and the party Moms had the cutest centers plans for all of the K kids.  Instead of manning a center, I was designated as picture Mom.  All the more freedom for me to peruse the room and stick a camera in Jack's face.  And this time I can say, "Ms. S told me to".  My rule bound boy can't argue with that.

Jack is so intense and focused at school that I can hardly get him to look my way sometimes.  So, I decided to capture him as he truly is.

However, I was ecstatic to grab one smile during one of his few work breaks.

I headed back up to Jack's class again mid-week for Gingerbread House Decorating Day.  Again, I was picture Mom.  I'm starting to like this gig.  I get invited everywhere.  It's like a backstage pass.

Just as before, Jack was very focused and intent on completing his house to his highest standards.  Through over complimenting him on his creation, I'm hoping I've nixed the idea of devouring it.  If only you could have seen the variety of Kindergarten fingers that went into those candy bowls and the intermittent licks, trust me, you would have done the same thing.  {Gag}

I ended my week with Maggie's Christmas Party {which is properly titled just that}.  If you remember way back when at the Halloween party, Mags was a less than desirable guest to party with.  I was hoping for a better time this go round.  I knew it was going to be when I walked in to this adorable face...

And just when I thought Maggie and her brother were polar opposites, I have discovered they actually were cut from the same mold.  Sitting at Maggie's Fall conference I almost fell out of my chair while talking with her amazing teacher.  I thought Ms. J was talking about my oldest and I mean to a "T", who knew?

Well, I got a snip it of my Maggie in school mode today.  During this reindeer craft Maggie was so meticulous and particular about every detail, she was the last one at the table and still intently focused.  All the other pre-school kids were on to the next festive activity.  We actually, had to bring it home to complete.  There is only so much time in a Christmas party.

I was one happy Momma to celebrate with a smiling Maggie though.  I think I may just come back to do it again {I was nearly scarred from that Halloween celebration}.  Way to bounce back my sweet Magpie!

Now on to our own celebrating around here.  We have cookies to bake, family to love on, Christmas Lights to see, and so much more.  Christmas Break is definitely one of our most wonderful times of the year!  Can't wait...

Reindeer Games

I hitched up the sleigh and loaded up my trio for, yet, another Cibula Family tradition....Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.  

Part of me questioned whether Jack would still want to participate this year.  And if he did, well that meant weekend tickets.  With this in mind I asked him nearly a month ago, and got a resounding "yes, I want to go!".  I was loving the fact that my big boy is still a kid at heart, but I was not loving the prospect of a Saturday show.

Surprisingly, it was only a bit more hectic than our quiet weekday visits.  Grandma climbed aboard our sleigh and we were off {thank goodness for the extra set of hands}. Instead of flying through wintery white snow, we dashed through puddles and teaming down rain.  That's Christmas in the south for you.

My merry little ones didn't mind a bit.  They were so thrilled to be heading to see Rudolph and honestly, I was just enjoying the time with all three of them together.  {don't forget I had an extra set of hands with me...that's the key to enjoying three at one time}  

We blared the Christmas station on our XM radio and we I sang the whole way to the show.  Do anyone else's kid's cry out, "stop singing Mommmmmy" in those nasty little voices?  Other than that {and that fact that Lucy started up with cold symptoms} all was merry and bright on our short trek to the theater.

We grabbed our tickets from Will Call, hung up our umbrellas and rain coats, and took one quick picture with proof behind us of the monsoon we had just slushed through before we headed in to the show to grab our seats.  

{And do you see what I mean by little Lu and the start of cold symptoms...poor baby and such a trooper. }

Okay...so I have never in all my merry Christmas's, with kids that is, taken a 15 month old, much less with a cold, to see Rudolph.  You better believe I grabbed an aisle seat and was ready to follow the command of "please take all restless and crying babies to the lobby".

And wouldn't you know that toddler of mine was terrific.  Busy, but terrific.  I never once saw that lobby until the curtain went up and the theatre lights came on.  Lucy danced and clapped throughout the entire show.  And then she ate, and drank, and climbed from my lap to Grandma's to Jack's and then back to mine, and stood up, and ate some more, and drank again.  But was a jolly little soul all the while.  Love that gal.

Post show, we headed upstairs for the Create a Puppet Workshop.  I'm not sure if Grandma knew what she was getting into when she graciously offered to attend the show with us be my extra set of hands.  Surely, she's got it figured out by now.  But, boy, was I thankful for her presence.  When Lucy wasn't sitting in her lap, "making her puppet", she was tearing down all those lovely bulletin boards you see in the background.

All the while, the bigs were very engrossed in creating their Abdominal Snow Monster puppets.  I was reading the directions and guiding them along in between monitoring Lucy's path of destruction.

Somehow we all left with perfectly completed Snow Monsters.

And I just adore how my sweet girl always manages to put the Magpie touch on everything she wears and creates.  A bow for her monster...wouldn't you know?

Before we left, I had to get one more closing picture.  This was proof that we survived an hour long show with a toddler in tow, made three puppets, and still left with the Christmas spirit in check.  All you momma's of multiple children know what an accomplishment that is.

{However, the Grinch in me is still trying to figure out why it is so hard for some people to take a picture and include everyone at equal proportions...geez, Jack barely made the cut, much less his handcrafted puppet.}

I guided our sleigh back home with three exhausted kiddos and three monsters in hand and this time I spared them the en route Christmas caroling.

That's true Christmas love, if you ask me.