Busy Month

Wow, I can't believe it is almost the end of February!  It feels like it just started, we have been so busy!  We had Jason's 5th birthday (!!!!) and Valentine's Day with their respective parties, ice skating and making new friends, visiting the San Antonio Grandparents and going to the rodeo.  It feels like we just clean up from one thing and we are off on another adventure.  I'm looking forward to March slowing down a bit.

At the beginning of the month Jeff wanted to take Jason ice skating again and he did so well this time.  Jeff would skate out a little bit then let Jason skate to him.  We got a couple of times in there where he didn't even fall!  They both had a great time!






The next weekend was Jason's Cars themed birthday party.  We are so thankful to all the family and friends that joined us.  I was worried that the house would be too small to hold all those wild big boys, but it ended up being perfect and the sun came out right before the party so we were able to go outside a bit also.



Then came Jason's actual birthday.  We had a playdate with some new friends and took him out to dinner at his favorite "tortilla restaurant" before heading off to Awana's to celebrate with those friends.  I still can't believe my baby boy is 5!


Last weekend we drove down to San Antonio to join Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Michelle at the Rodeo.  Jason really enjoyed watching the cowboys on horses roping the cows.  I've been doing lots of photography practice because I am taking another online class.  More importantly I've been asked to photograph a 5k charity race at the beginning of March.  I want to be sure I can do a good job so I have been taking pictures of the kids running around to be sure to capture all the details. To be sure the runners can get their photos I started a website they can order from http://rachelsalomon.smugmug.com/









As I said we had a lot going on and next week Jeff and I are going to Salt Lake City while the kids spend more time with Grandma and Grandpa.  We will get back just in time for me to photograph the run.  I hope to put more frequent updates in here in the next few months.

Mirror Mirror and mini Christmas

Elizabeth loves standing on our bathroom counter and playing with her "2 Elizabeths" in the mirror.








We celebrated "Little Christmas" with gifts from the Grandparents in Virginia.

Christmas wrap up

This Christmas we drove down to San Antonio to spend time with family.  We did lots of traditional thing and had a great time.



Making cookies with Grandma

Reading 'Twas the night before Christmas


Santa came


The kids on Christmas morning


What the kids saw


Daddy got an Ipad Mini


Jason got a garage to fix his cars


After she got her pink dress Elizabeth wore it most of the morning


You've got to climb on Daddy, because well...he's Daddy


I got some camping wine glasses


Elizabeth happily ate a Christmas colored doughnut

After Christmas we had a little bit of downtime to be in San Antonio.  We decided to try going to the Children's Museum in downtown.  It was wonderful for our kids ages!  They had a blast and I hope to do it again soon!

Elizabeth loved playing in the balls and having them fall on her


A huge indoor sandbox


Jason was so excited to fly the plane


A cup of tea in the little house


huge building blocks


Playing in the bubble


You were supposed to milk the cow, but it wasn't working so Elizabeth decided to try to feed it


Little piano and couch in a room to teach kids about the Victorian era.

We headed back home and to reality right before the New Year.  We are trying to get back to normal with a few resolutions.  Hoping you had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year!

preparing for Christmas

This weekend the kids participated in our church's Christmas pageant where they talked about some of the symbols of Christmas.  Jason memorized his part and Elizabeth repeated after one of the older girls.  Here are their performances:

 

They got to get to know some of the older kids at church and made more friends.

 

 

 

Earlier this week I got inspired and decided that Elizabeth needed a cape.  I already had the fabric and it was way easier than I thought it was going to be.

 

I hope she enjoys wearing it!  Are you ready for Christmas?  I am!



On the Polar Express

Last Sunday we surprised the kids with a ride on the Polar Express.  I had been wanting to go for a few years because it is Jason's favorite movie, and I finally convinced Jeff to take us.



They were both so excited to show me their tickets



We had cookies and hot chocolate.



And danced...



A lot!



It was a wonderful family experience and one I hope they will remember for a very long time.



Elizabeth was so excited when she saw that Santa was coming!



Now my house is filled with the music from their silver bells.

Christmas cards fail

So yesterday I was on a bit of a high horse so I decided to show you some of my recent fails.  We have had some gorgeous weather for the past two days, but it is supposed to be getting cold and rainy tomorrow.  So I was trying to take advantage of the warm Texas weather to get some Christmas Card photos of the kids.  They were not as interested!



Elizabeth's look of concern is because I tried to fall as I was taking the photo.


Nice hands Elizabeth!


They were just done at this point, hence the grimaces.

It is looking like we might be using indoor photos for Christmas this year!

No Naughty or Nice

Lately my kids have been less than angels.  I don't know if it is because we have all been suffering from a cold and not had enough sleep or we have watched too much TV because of that cold or some combination of those things, but we have been having a hard time.  If one kid isn't fussing the other one is, or fighting with each other or sassing Jeff or I.  Sometimes I wish I could warn them by saying Santa and his elves are watching, but we don't do that. 


When Jason was young we decided that we weren't going to threaten the kids with the possibility that Santa wouldn't give them any gifts.  I can't imagine a scenario that we would go ahead and return the kids gifts. We try not to threaten consequences we wouldn't make good on.  My mom told me a story about her brother that one Christmas he had been so bad on Christmas Eve that there weren't any gifts for him on Christmas morning.  His parents said that if he was very good at Christmas Mass then Santa may come back with his presents.  He was the best little boy ever and there were gifts when he got home. 

The most important reason we don't focus on naughty or nice is because it really isn't in the spirit of Christmas.  I mean Christ came into the world and died for our sins independent of us being naughty or nice.  God gives us his grace and there is nothing we can do to earn it, no matter how nice we are.  It feels disingenuous to say be nice or else. 

We haven't gone as far as to do away with Santa and we even still move the Elf on the Shelf every day, but we try to avoid saying things like "Santa is watching" or make Christmas morning threats.  Of course we want our kids to be good, we just want them to behave and obey to make us and God happy not to receive presents.  While I will be working with the kids on improving their attitudes they know that Santa will come on Christmas.