Holiday Time

No pictures from my birthday dinner - it was chaotic (in the very best way) - but we had time earlier in the day for a few shots in the ‘studio’ (better known as the upstairs hall). Also, “few” is relative; between us, Mary and I snapped 155+ photos in about 30 minutes . . .

Best pic of the day - Donovan is fascinated with Dad’s beard and grabs hold every chance he gets. 

Mary and Donovan 

Leia, Matt, Donovan and Mary

Showing off his new shirt from Auntie Rachel

Matt and Donovan - and in case you were wondering, Mr D is almost always smiling and happy.

And his giggles are definitely contagious. 

Happy Early Birthday

Hubby found me the perfect birthday gift - something I didn’t even know I need.

 Green screen and professional photo lights. Sweet!

He put it together yesterday and today we did a trial run with the little girls. 

Success!

The backdrops are fairly inexpensive, 

easy to change, 

and the whole thing folds away neatly when we’re done.

Between grandkids and finished quilts,

I think this is going to see a LOT of use. 

Hooray!!

Santa Picture Day

I think Santa picture day is my favorite tradition in the run up to Christmas.

 Escapee!

Leia thinks it’s mean, 

 Cousins, Leanne and Donovan 

but I’m just as happy with a crying baby picture as when everyone is smiling and cooperative. 

 2-year-old attitude. Makes us laugh every time. 

And crying baby pics give us better stories to embarrass the kid with tell later in life. 

The three top pics were taken as warm-ups before we reached Santa.

Donovan was pretty chill throughout the processs but Jac was NOT happy.

She cooperated, to a degree, but she was off like a shot as soon as Santa released her. 

Poor Jac. She’s definitely the hit of this year’s photo parade. 

If This Is Monday . . .

If this is Monday, it must be baby day!

Jackie - in her lovely new dinosaur apron - and I played bubbles, her current favorite activity;

talked to hot-air-balloon Santa, her favorite holiday decoration;

and played “fire”, her newest game. 

Jac insisted we all wear “fire”. Donovan was excused when his bowl fire wouldn’t stay on his head.

Leia used my Hamilton app to immortalize her brother - all hail King George Donovan! -

who spent much of his day napping* on his favorite pillow PopPop. This is a really big deal -  up until now, Donovan has taken mostly 30 minute naps, twice a day. Today he slept for an hour and 45 minutes, 3 separate times! Hooray!

Side note: Leanne and Jaclyn got to pet a unicorn this weekend. So jealous. Also? I knew they were real!

AND the new Christmas stockings arrived today!

Love them . . . but I need to find more stocking hangers ASAP.

Range 2

Range backpack #2 is finished and gifted. 

Rachel did a nice job picking out the fabrics, long-distance, via the fabric shop’s website.

I made the first backpack (here) in a class, under adult supervision. I did this one on my own and made every possible mistake - some more than once.

 Interior lining and pocket

But Rachel seems to like it and overall I’m pleased with how it turned out. Just don’t look too closely in a couple of spots . . .

Wicked

Took the little - and not so little - girls out to dinner 

and a show 

in the pouring drizzling rain.  

Our poor little California girls were freezing.

It was a great show

at one of my favorite venues. 

AND we got to see Lin-Manuel Miranda’s (the Hamilton, Moana, Mary Poppins Returns guy) brand new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Score!

Home Sweet Home

Traveling is (very) nice - especially to see Addy - but it’s always (very) nice to be home.

It turned cold (low 60’s) and damp (a few sprinkles) just after we got back, so we were forced to wrap ourselves in quilts and have dinner by the fire. Hey, that’s cold for California!

Jackie missed her PopPop (he might have missed her too.)

Donovan is still growing. At 7 months, he outweighs 2-year-old Jaclyn by several pounds.

There were no spare pants in his diaper bag on Wednesday, so Pop put him in a pair of Leanne’s pants. She’s 7!! They were too long on him, but the waist was juuuuust about perfect. I’m still laughing . . .

By Thursday, it was raining for real. 

The girls decided quilts by the fire were borrrrrring, so it was tent forts and popcorn instead. 

Jac wanted to go with me to get the mail, but we only got as far as the first puddle.

She thinks splashing in the rain is the best.thing.ever.

 

 She might be right. 

Homeward Bound

Denver

and Los Angeles

look pretty good from the air, 

especially at night.

But I prefer the view from my own front door.

 Christmas shopping has begun!