Auld Lang Syne

Auld Lang Syne: n. The times gone past; the good old days

Wishing 2010 a fond farewell ...

 A year of hard times and grief, met with perseverance, support and strength.
A year of friends and family and laughter.
A year of celebrations and joy.
A year of trials and successes, new beginnings and endings.
A year of sickness as well as health and recovery.
A year of watching our children grow and learn and prosper, all while missing the years gone by.
A year of thankfulness and gratitude for all that we have, and the realization of how much it all means.

... and wishing everyone nothing but the best in 2011.

As always, I'd like to mention that I know for a fact I didn't actually take all of the photos in my montage.  I know for sure that I owe credit to my sisters-in-law Mary Karen and Jen for some of the photos, and to our babysitter Ashley for a few others.  

Lighting Up Our Lives ...

Since we weren't able to make it to the East Peoria Festival of Lights before the holidays this year (and since the kids all took L-O-N-G naps after bowling earlier), we decided to take the trip.  Better late than never!

For those of you NOT from Central Illinois who would obviously NOT know about the event ... it's a big deal down in these parts.  A holiday tradition, of sorts, that our family has begrudgingly adopted as one of our own.

It's not like going to see the lighted windows along Michigan Ave in Chicago ... and it's not quite like going to visit Candy Cane Lane in Milwaukee.  But the idea behind it is the same.  Tradition.

Something that we did one year, that the kids remember, and now expect to be part of our holiday plans. 

I love that about our kids.  It's so much fun to build holiday traditions and memories with them ... and it's incredible how flexible they are about those traditions.  Since we've lived in 3 different places in the 7 years Jenna has been alive, we've had to adapt.  Change.  Grow.  Adjust.  Not just in our lives and homes and jobs and schools, but in our traditions too.

It saddens me sometimes to think that our kids aren't going to have a real firm memory of any of these things that we've done, or places that we've been.  We work so hard to build these memories with our children, knowing all too well how limited our own memories are.  How little we can all recall about our own childhood, especially before age 6 or 7.

But still, we keep on taking these trips and incorporating these traditions and building these memories ... because we also know that they all contribute to the overall general feeling we have when we think back to our earliest memories. 

They may or may not remember how we used to always visit the East Peoria Festival of Lights while we were living down in Central Illinois.  But hopefully they'll be able to hang on to the feelings.

Let's Bowl! *

On our continuing quest to get the kids out of the house, protect them from each other, and appear to be the coolest parents on the block, we took the kids bowling today!

There was a lot of launching the ball from inappropriate heights and inappropriate distances from the foul line.  A lot of use of the bumpers.  And more than one ball that took a lifetime to make it from the point of launch down to the pins.

There were some teachable moments and some coaching going on, along with some fighting (just because that's how they roll).

There was celebration, dancing (again, how they roll), and sodas bigger than our heads.

And, because I'm a big fan of full disclosure and honesty ...

there was also the fact that my 7 year old daughter beat me at bowling.  She also tied with her daddy, for the record.  And, no ... we aren't the type of parents who "let" our kids win.  In fact, I was trying my hardest.  Sad, but true.

from the top:  Jack, Kara, Jenna, Mommy, Daddy







*

Let's bowl, let's bowl, let's rock-'n-roll.

Hey, come on, let's get this show on the road.

-Johnny and Paulette, from Grease 2

Sorry.  I haven't been able to step foot into a bowling alley without thinking of the bowling scene from this movie since 1982.  If you know what I'm talking about and can hear the song in your head now, you're welcome.  I know you'll enjoy listening to that roll around in your head for the rest of the day : )

Sledding

Having heard that the temperature is supposed to be in the 50s later this week, I decided that one of our first Christmas break priorities needed to be sledding!

Luckily for us, we have a water retention area right down on our corner that makes the perfect sledding hill for little kids.

And adults.

The girls had no fear this year, and jumped right on their sleds for a trip down the hill.

Jack was a bit more hesitant at first.  He made several trips down the hill on a sled with mommy before he felt brave enough to even try a trip with daddy.

He's a smart kid, because on the 2nd turn with daddy, he was tricked into taking a solo ride, unbeknownst  to him.  Neither of us realized that daddy could bail off of the sled so quickly before it went downhill!

But all of the kids loved it and had a great time ... and I have to say that I did too!  It was the perfect day for sledding:  sunny, not too cold, and the perfect way to put a hold on the post-holiday whining at our house.

In Other News ...

Having been so consumed with all of our holiday happenings, I haven't posted the other great news from our household as of late ...

Kara can read!

She's been working on it for a while now, learning letters and sounds and how it all fits together.

Well this past month has been when the magic happened ... it all "clicked" and came together for her, and now she's officially sounding out words, reading some by sight, and doing it on her own.

I remember going through the experience with Jenna, but have been reminded once again how exciting and magical it all is.  I love that first moment when they "get it" ... you can see the light in their eyes, the smile on their face, and you just know that you're witnessing an important moment in their lives.

We're so proud of you, Kara!  And we all look forward to listening to you read to us now : )

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."

— Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

The Day After Christmas

We took a break from our Christmas celebrations to celebrate Grandma's birthday, a day early.  Unfortunately I have to return home to work tomorrow and will miss out on being here for her actual day, so we gave her birthday gifts this morning before we left ...

Then it was time to hit the road once more, and head to my other aunt and uncle's house to celebrate the holidays with my dad's side of the family ...

Jack couldn't take any more and fell asleep

me, my daddy, and Mark

Uncle Jack, Dan and Ann - watching the Bears game

Kara's picture of me and Mark

self-portrait of me and Jack

Jack's photo of me and Jenna

And that's when my camera died.  It was probably trying to tell me something (like that nobody needs over 200 photos of their holidays).

What you can't see is that we had a great time, great food, a great Bears game, great presents, and a great visit with The Dorgan side of my family.  We need to do that more often!

Finally, at long last, it was time for us to pack it up and head back home (again) for our last trip of the weekend. 

Our Letter From Twinkle the Elf

On our Christmas morning post, I mentioned that the letter on the tree was from Twinkle, our Elf on the Shelf.  He always leaves one that we find on Christmas morning, once we realize he's gone.  He seems to enjoy catching a ride back to the North Pole on Santa's sleigh, but never leaves us without saying goodbye ...

Dear M Family,

Well for the 3rd year in a row I have LOVED spending the holidays with your family. It’s so much fun for me to sit very, very quiet and still in the morning while you try to find me. Sometimes it’s hard for me not to laugh out loud and give myself away! But you guys are super at finding me!

Jack, I’m really excited to see that you wear underwear now and go potty on the toilet. Not only that, but you go to preschool now AND sleep in a big boy bed! I can hardly wait to see what new things you’re doing by the time I arrive next year. Keep on being such a good little boy for mommy and daddy. Oh, and Santa says that he wants you to try really, really hard to be nice to your big sisters!

Kara, I’m so proud of what a great job you’re doing in kindergarten. Riding the bus, learning how to read … you’re such a big girl now! I was in your garage one day, and I also noticed that your bike doesn’t have training wheels on it anymore! I heard you crying a couple of the mornings that I was here, and that broke my heart. Santa and I are both happy that you’re being so brave and going to school each and every day. We know you’re trying your best and that you’ll love school a little bit more every week. We also know how much your mommy, daddy and teacher all love you.

Jenna, I almost didn’t recognize you again this year because you keep changing so gosh darned much! Your hair got longer, you grew some new teeth, and you’re taller than I remember! But you’re just as sweet as I remembered, and doing such a great job at school and at home. Santa is happy that you’re trying so hard to be respectful to adults like your parents, teachers and babysitters. He says to keep up the good work, and keep making us proud!

I noticed that Dakota isn’t living at your house anymore, and I’m sorry to hear that he went to heaven last summer. He was sure a good dog. I’m sure you miss him. I also noticed that you guys have a Disney ornament on your tree that says 2010. Did you guys go to Disney World last summer?! Oh boy, that place is the best! I think I might try to go there on vacation when Christmas is over and Santa doesn’t need me anymore. But for now, it’s time for me to head on back to the North Pole to help finish making some last-minute toys, and to help pack the sleigh. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and I’ll see you in 2011!


Love, Twinkle

Presents from Santa

And now, for people like grandparents who might care to watch such things, a video of the kids opening their Santa gifts:



Notice that the entire process only took about 3 minutes (just over 2 for Kara) ... I wonder how long it took Santa's elves to MAKE and WRAP all of those gifts?!?!

My favorite part of the video is Kara saying, "He thought I was nice enough!"

"He" would be Santa.

The night before, on Christmas Eve, mommy got 4 e-mail messages on her phone on the way home:  video e-mails from Santa for Jenna, Kara, Jack and daddy!  Each message included Santa looking in his big book at pictures of the kids, and pictures of the one thing they asked for this Christmas.  For Kara, it was the Walking Pup, and Santa mentioned that she would get it "if she had been good enough this year".  Kara took that to heart and wondered all night long if she had been.  Good enough, that is.  Turns out she was!

Jenna and Jack must have been too, because they got the Barbie Video Girl and Bigfoot the Monster toys that they had each asked Santa for. 

Merry Christmas!

Warning:  We  had a LONG Christmas day, and this is going to be a LONG re-cap blog post. 
Christmas morning at our house ...

mommy and daddy actually woke up BEFORE the kids this year, and had a chance to be in position for pictures before they came down the stairs Christmas morning

The first thing we noticed was that Santa had left the fireplace doors open, and that he had made a mess with soot and ashes when he came into our family room.  Jack was stunned.

Jack also quickly noticed that Santa  had eaten 1-1/2 of his cookies, drank all of his milk and took his presents.  Oh, and apparently the reindeer DID like the apples!

Presents from Santa on Christmas morning (and a note from Twinkle the elf before he returned to the North Pole)

The Christmas jammies from mom and dad that they usually open before bed on Christmas Eve ... but were too tired to do this year.  Traditions are made to be broken, right?



Kara with a gift



Jenna reading our letter from Twinkle

beautiful gifts from my beautiful children

presents for daddy



Jack (changed into his new jammies) and his stocking

Later Christmas Day, at Grandma and Buck's house ...
after mass (which involved frantically getting ready and running out the door to 9:30 mass, only to find out mass was at 9:00; going back home, and repeating the process to go to 11:00 mass at another Catholic church across town) and another 2-hr. drive back up north

Our day started out there with 2 nice surprises, both of which I didn't  have my camera ready for.  My sister-in-law Jen was prepared to photograph her family's little surprises  ...

Mark's nephew Zack was able to come home on leave after just returning from his deployment with the Marines



And Jill (Mark's oldest niece) and Nick got engaged this morning!



American Girl doll suitcases from Grandma and Buck



Jenna and Rapunzel doll from Tangled



Kara on her cousin's Sit-and-Spin

the little kid table at dinner time

Jenna wearing her English paper crown and reading her fortune from her popper

Kara in her crown



the grown up table set for dinner

the middles table (not the little kids, but no room at the adult table)

Jen and her delicious chocolate cake, the winner of the family's 2010 Best Dessert Contest

A few other great pictures, not taken by me, but by my sister-in-law Mary Karen.  She takes the best photos and they're always my favorites from family gatherings ...

my handsome bubba, Jack

Jack and his cousin Lily (who take THE MOST darling pictures together)

a beautiful shot of Jenna and Kara

Mark's sister Jen and her kids (plus 2 significant others)

Lily, Jenna, and Kara

It was a wonderful Christmas, filled with the blessings of family and togetherness!

Sorry if your eyes are bleeding ... congrats on making it through the longest blog post EVER!