This year was another great Christmas. All the traditions - cookie decorating, gingerbread houses, band concerts, Detroit symphony concert, light show drives, nativity play, etc. We also went roller skating a few times, played a TON of monopoly, got sick (Peter), sang/played piano in church, and played at other churches. It was a full, busy, fun month.
Benjamin's Christmas band concert was wonderful. He never told me he was doing a song with just the percussion section. It was so fun to hear him. As he gets older, it becomes more and more real that every concert is his last of that thing - the last Christmas concert.
He also played at another church nearby. They did a wonderful concert as part of the church's Christmas program. I loved all the groups performing that night, especially an all men's barbershop choir. They were so fun!
Bella being a saxophonist means I can never see her during the concert. She's always so buried in among the other instruments that she disappears. So these walking -in shots are all I get.
Bella has been called to be ward assistant pianist. As such, she plays prelude music on Sundays. It's so fun to see her up there using her talents....talents for which I've spent so much money finally coming to use. :)
Peter was finally willing to go up and sing with the primary for the first time! I was so excited. Up until now he's always refused, but this time he went up and sang "Picture a Christmas." I wish I'd had a better view of him, rather than him getting lost behind the podium and the scriptures.
My favorite Christmas concert is the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's "Home for the Holidays" which they do every year. This year Benjamin and Bella came along. It was so wonderful to share that with my two band kids. I am always in awe of the hard work these musicians put into their craft.
There was a lego version of parts of Detroit in the lobby that Bella and I visited before the concert began.
Bella with the legos and the water that cost me $4.
Sugar Christmas traditions - houses and cookies. Bella, Peter, and I were the only ones interested in making gingerbread houses. We had a blast. The others missed out, the party poopers. Everything this year was a little different as the kids get older. They are less and less willing to participate in traditions. Thank goodness for Peter and Bella who are always willing and up for anything I suggest.
We also decorated cookies on another day and I sadly didn't get a single picture. So, Bella sent me these from when she invited friends over to decorate cookies at our house. The scene was similar. I love that she is always inviting people over and hosting things like this. I gladly made all the cookies, frosting, and royal icing. It was fun to the the girls so excited.
Kelly loves to roller skate and the rest of us like skating and love Kelly, so we go and usually have a pretty good time. This week was peak skating because it was nearly empty. We had the whole practice floor to ourselves at times! Peter skated phenomenally well. He lasted the whole 2.5 hours and was doing it on his own. What a champ.
Skate dancing and spinning is always fun.
The lights on the skating floor make for some whacky pictures!
The stake also organized a skating day for the youth. All the kids had a great time with friends.
Heinz Drive light show and Perrin Family Light show. Again, just Bella and Peter. Luckily Kelly was able to come too. In fairness, though, Christian would have come to these if he hadn't had robotics.
Christmas Eve always means the nativity play. I love that my kids are still good sports about doing this. The older they get, the more lax we get about the costumes, though. Benjamin's wise man costume was on-point with my Alma the Younger robe slung over his shoulders and Christian was sporting the "Which Joseph am I" with the Joseph Smith vest and his scrap of Christmas fabric while playing Joseph. :)
Peter was a very reluctant baby Jesus, as usual, and refused a costume but I was able to get him to cuddle with me anyway and it worked.
My mom and our friend Thea also joined us, as usual. It always makes for a fun evening.
Peter even serenaded us on the piano.
Christmas Day - lots of presents, very few pictures. Don't blame me - it was 7am after a very late night. Benjamin decided for the first time to make it more like Hanukkah and only opened two presents a day all week. Each morning and each evening we've gathered in the living as he opened another until they were gone. It was very unconventional, but also a lot of fun.
Bella has made a video to the tune of We Need A Little Christmas. I think its fantastic and so I'm posting it here. She amazes me how quickly she can video edit such a fun project. (If you're viewing this on a phone, the video likely won't appear. It usually takes a laptop to see it.)
We put up our Christmas tree, outside lights, and indoor decorations last weekend. Bella and I did it alone this year because Benjamin was unwilling to leave his video games and Christian was at a robotics tournament. She loved it because it meant she could do it exactly as she pleased with no argument from anyone. I had a great time peacefully putting up the tree without being a referee. And, of course, Bella got to be the one to put on the finishing touch - the star on the tree. It was such a fun afternoon. No one loves Christmas more than Bella and I loved sharing it with her.
Peter's favorite part is when we get out the nutcrackers. I keep a bag of unshelled peanuts and another bag of mixed nuts for him to crack and he throws himself at the task with gusto. As Bella and I were discussing what roles we'd fill in the Christmas set up, I said, "I'll start by setting up the tree." Bella responded, "Then, I'll be over here putting up the lights." Immediately Peter called from the kitchen, " And I'll be in the kitchen cracking the nuts!"
Peter also wanted to continue the tradition we started when Bella was very little - of painting a tree on the window, complete with presents and ornaments. He's not quite the devoted artist that Bella is, and he grew tired of the project a few times throughout. He always rallied, however, and was very pleased with his finished product. I did the main tree and he did the ornaments, presents, tree skirt. Then I completed it with a start and a "Merry Christmas" (not pictured). He admires it happily every day.
Up next on the list of Christmas traditions - seeing light displays in the neighborhood, gingerbread houses, cookie decorating, caroling, nutcracker ballet, Christmas concert at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and all the kids' holiday band concerts. So many fun things coming up! The traditional holiday parade all the kids were supposed to walk and perform in was canceled due to bad weather. That was sad since it was going to be Benjamin's last time.
I can't believe it's been a month since I posted anything. Time is flying. School, robotics, band, holidays, illnesses, etc. Everything has been rushing life along. Here's a recap of November:
We attend story time at the library every Thursday. Peter loves going. He loves the songs, the stories, and the librarians. He knows all their names and they all know him. Libraries are both his and my favorites places. How cool is it that libraries don't just have books, but also dress up clothes, toys, board games, and even make-believe houses with food/cleaning products/etc.?! Peter decided to use a duster as a sword since the librarians wisely don't include weapons with their super hero dress-ups. However, boys will make weapons out of pretty much anything. He slew countless bad guys with that duster.
We visited the zoo on a particularly perfect fall day. Warthog came along and was introduced to all the butterflies (and all the other animals all day long). I don't know if I've mentioned it, but Peter is obsessed with having conversations with his toys, so he speaks to them and I do the toy's voices and speak back. I was getting chuckles from other zoo patrons a lot that day as I spoke for warthog everywhere we went.
Soccer season ended. Peter stopped loving it about half way through the season and then complained bitterly every time we went. I'm really not sure why. He could never give me a clear or consistent answer. The only thing I could deduce was that he spent a lot of time standing around while the coach wrangled the other kids who could never seem to follow directions and always derailed the plans. The girls were great but the other boys were always off in their own imaginary world. Until the last day when they played parents vs. kids so I got to be on the field and he got a medal for participating and suddenly soccer was fantastic and he was so upset I hadn't signed him up for next season. Oh well. We're going to try swim lessons and see how those go.
Fall is so incredibly beautiful. We spent as much time as possible outside. Peter is happiest in the basement with his legos, but anytime I can wrestle him free of them, I do and the woods are always the favorite spot to go. This day we rode bikes and even Kelly got to come along. It was perfect.
Thanksgiving was great. We invited over 40 people to join us at the church. We invited anyone we could think of that might not have family around - missionaries, singles, newly married couples, empty nesters, etc. It was a blast and everyone had a great time. There was so much food! Kelly made enough stuffing for an army and his turkey was fantastic. I'm so lucky to have him or I could never have pulled this off.
Peanut came to visit again. We had him for a whole week and he was so sweet. I loved his warm little baby cuddles. Didn't love how he woke me up every night, though. I'm definitely not a dog person deep down.
These boys. Christian is full teenager and can be such a tormentor sometimes, but they are still such sweet buddies.
First snow of the year! So fun to play in snow again!
The only time all month when they all did something together that I didn't initiate. I had to document it, even if it was just a video game when we were trying to start dinner.
We're so excited for Christmas around here. The decorations go up on Saturday! Can't wait!
Halloween and my birthday celebration were super fun. Kelly bought me a pair of Kizik shoes which I've been wanting but have never been willing to spend the money on. I still debated for 2 days if I should return them because I felt like they were way too much money, but I love them too much!
Kelly and I had take-out Thai food for lunch together - the benefits of working from home! Then Bella invited friends over that evening and we all made pizza and went trick-or-treating. I will always love trick-or-treating. There's always such a feeling of community on Halloween - everyone out, talking, walking, sharing candy. I wish every day could be like that instead of everyone in their houses, tucked away. I'm so glad Peter wanted to go. I love having another little one to take around. Peter nailed the loud "trick-or-treat!" at each door and he came home with two huge buckets full. Thank goodness dad came along to help him carry all the loot. I ended up having to carry him by the end, but he went a long time! He was Spider man at the church trunk or treat and at school, but when the big day came, he decided he'd rather be an astronaut. The benefit of having lots of costumes from older siblings laying around.
The only ones interested in carving pumpkins were Bella and Peter. Bella pulled up an image on her laptop as a guide and so Peter wanted to do that too. He got his pretend laptop and drew a picture which he placed on the screen. A very creative work-around, I'd say.
I could barely get a picture of him in his spider man outfit before preschool. He was only willing to stop mid-run to the car for this one.
I forgot to ask Bella to put up her Perry the Platypus head, but that's what she is, and Marin is Dr. Doofenshmirtz, both from the show Phinneas and Ferb. Ailey came in her Christmas PJs, because, why not?
I also opted for the warmer costume this year. Since Christian was being a party pooper and not coming, I took his Tigger costume rather than my usual hippie one, so I could be more comfortable. It was wonderful to be cozy and warm all evening.
Peter was not happy with the pictures, but at least he humored me.
No pictures of the candy haul, but it was substantial. Peter has been super good about it, though. Most days, if I keep it out of sight, he forgets it's there. When he remembers, one is usually enough for him. It will last until next halloween!
It wouldn't be fall without some adorable leaf pictures of Peter. I'll end with these. :)
It's the end of marching band season. The more relaxed schedule will be great but I am feeling a bit weepy as we approach Benjamin's last time on the field, leading the drumline. Marching band is like a family and I've been so happy that Benjamin has been able to be a part of it.
Cross country season also came to an end this week. Christian did phenomenally well. He improved consistently and always worked hard. He said he really enjoyed it and wants to continue with track in the spring. I love how Christian always sets the bar high for himself. He strives for perfection and works hard to achieve it. What makes me worry, as a mom, is that he is so crazy hard on himself when he doesn't achieve that standard. No one is perfect all the time and when he isn't perfect, he loses sight of how much good he's done and becomes so depressed.
He competed in districts yesterday - an achievement just to have made it that far - but he didn't get the time he was shooting for and he left very upset. Ignoring the fact that he's only a 7th grader competing against older boys, on a crazy hard unfamiliar hilly course when he's only competed on flat ground. I was sad he couldn't rejoice in how well he did because I was certainly proud. I look forward to running with him in the off season whenever weather permits.
Bella has been doing well too. Marching band and scouts has kept her very busy. She also attended the Homecoming dance with some friends. I love that they don't always have to have a date to attend the dances. So different from when I was in school.
This is the most recent court of honor. She received the rank of star.
Peter continues to be his sweet, precocious self. With fall comes endless pine needles and leaves to rake which he loves to jump in. Preschool is going well and we've been enjoying fall cider mills on warm days and museum trips on yucky days.
In preschool they got to hammer decorations into their pumpkins. He had a fabulous time doing that.
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