3rd Annual Marine Corps Camping Day - November

We missed last year, but Marine Corps Camping Day is back!  Because it happens in November, our camping and activities are usually restricted to inside.  This year we hit a warm spell, and incorporated a hike into our training.

We found Tom's old compass in a box at home, but it was broken.  We guessed the kids would not know the difference, and Patrick helped us navigate the trail using his readings.

Once at home the boys tried on some old gear.  Tommy's call sign should be "Squirrel" based on the number of treasures and baubles we find hidden in his pockets, under his pillow, and all over the house.

Patrick would be "Aces" because this is one squared away kid.

 The crew (not me!) chowed down on some MREs from the camping store.  Lasagna I think.

 Some R&R in the tent was followed by roasting marshmallows in the fireplace.

 Kaya slept in her bed a=, and me in mine, but all the boys lasted the night roughing it in the tent.  Success!

Christmas 2015

Each year, I am determined to be more ahead of the game so I can enjoy the last week leading up to Christmas.  Each year, at about 3 weeks out, I start to convince myself that I am.  Then I enter some strange time warp that ends with me still buying things 3 days out, and wrapping the teacher's gift on the morning of the last day of school before break. Still, it was an amazing (snowless) Christmas.

Star Wars, Legos, and Star Wars Legos topped the boys' lists this year.  They each wrote out a list for Santa that included about $3,000 worth of Legos.   Kaya only asked for a Doc McStuffins doll, although it isn't even her favorite cartoon.  Our elf, Dooser, made his annual appearance and the kids had the best time hunting for him.  He hung out with Snap, Crackle and Pop, flew a kite, and went sledding in our T.V. cabinet.  Dooser even left a note for Patrick to let us know he is 206 years old!

We decided to attend the Christmas Eve Children's Mass.  It was chaos.  Tommy did not want to put on his bow-tie for Christmas Eve Mass.    Patrick participated as an angel.  He could have picked a shepherd, but he wanted to be an angel.  He was the only boy angel, and I love that he did not care.

Tommy sang "I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas" with his preschool class. Tommy hates singing and dancing, so it was interesting to see him in the front row. 

My dad came to spend Christmas Eve night with us again so he could see the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.  We let each kid open one present each after Mass.  Tommy had carried around Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Matt's wrapped gift all day because he knew Legos were inside, so we knew which would be his pick.

After the kids were tucked in and fast asleep, Santa stopped by and unloaded all his goodies

Our new artificial tree joined us this year.  It is fantastically life-like, and after hanging some pine scented sticks on its branches, it passed off pretty well as the real thing.

Joy!

Kaya's favorite gift overall was a Frozen umbrella Santa brought.  Santa brought her a bunch of new princess dresses and dress-up shoes also since she had outgrown her last play dresses.

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We tried for a photo of the kids with Pap Pap, but this was the best we got!

Kaya was so obsessed with the umbrella, she begged to go outside.  Luckily, we had a record warm December, and it was probably 55/60 degrees outside Christmas morning.

After opening gifts and some Lego building, we went to Baba and Grampy's house for Christmas lunch.  More Legos.  Tommy has neither the desire or skills to build his complicated sets, so he has Patrick build them all.  Patrick loves building, so I get hours of the boys playing quietly and nicely together!

Tom with his dad.

Baba and Grampy's dog, Yoda, is getting up there in age, but still tolerated Kaya's attention.  She sweetly read to him.

My mom and Mr. Rich stopped by our house around dinner to see the kids and all their new toys (both boys are wearing the new Star Wars shirts Santa brought)

It took Patrick only 1 1/2 days to build this monstrous Millennium Falcon Santa had brought, and another day to complete his Ice Walker.  Daddy helped Tommy with his Sith Infiltrator.  Kaya was just photo bombing their Lego shoot.

(As I finish up this post mid-January,  the tail end of the huge East Coast storm that is making snow headlines is blowing outside.  We have only about two inches of snow on the ground at sunrise, but it is still coming down.)

Countdown to Christmas

This year's Christmas party contained a small miracle.  All THREE of my children spoke to Santa.  Patrick even HUGGED him, and Kaya sat on his lap (Tommy still preferred Mrs. Clause).  No one cried.  And then, while I was still in shock, something else miraculous happened - they all looked at the photographer and smiled (mostly). At the same time (gasp).  Oddly, after Kaya asked for a Doc McStuffins doll, and Tommy rattled off his Lego request, Santa forgot that Patrick had not yet told him what he wanted.  Good thing the kid is persistent. Patrick also asked Santa how he ate "with that thing".




Meanwhile, Tom and I moaning and groaning about our elf.  We are only into day three of hiding the thing and I already wish it was time for him to return to Canada.

Erie 2015

We made our annual beach trip to Erie, PA this year, although we went in August, later in the the summer break than we have braved in the past.  We lucked out with beautiful weather and hot, but not uncomfortably so, temps. 

This is by far my favorite shot from the trip (which earned it a place on this blog's header).  The beach was in no way crowded Saturday morning, so the kids had a chance to take turns flying our kite. 

My favorite beach day was actually a beach evening.  We arrived in Erie around 5:00 and picked up Chik-fil-a on the way to our hotel.  The kids ate quickly, then we loaded up in the car for a quick look at the beach.  since we weren't going to be there long, we headed to Beach 10, our favorite, more isolated beach at the far end of Presque Isle State Park.  The light was amazing and it was just the right combination of not too cool and not too warm.  We told the kids NOT to get wet since we were just staying a short while, but I don't think Tommy heard.  This was him 2 minutes into our arrival. That wave did not end well for dry clothes.

 I thought Kaya would be just like her brothers and remain terrified of the water until she was 3 or 4, but after a few fearful glances, she got was all about the waves and getting her feet in the water.

 We booked at the Residence Inn attached to Splash Lagoon again, because we remembered it being nice from a previous stay.  We like having two separate bedrooms with a common living room for these trips so the kids can be put to bed while we watch a movie.  We just borrowed some kitchen chairs to make a bedrail on either side of the bed for Kaya and she slept like a rock.  The boys shared  the other queen in that room. 

 Perhaps we over-packed buddies.  Perhaps.

In short, we probably won't stay here again.  It has slipped a bit beyond its peak.  The HUGE jetted tub in the kids bathroom was broken (a big disappointment after we spent 20 minutes filling it up) and breakfast was so-so. 


We woke up Saturday,  had our so-so breakfast, then hit Beach 7.

We bring the kite each year, and Tommy was old enough to take a turn at the flying too.

My Aunt Janet was in town for a girl's weekend and set up her blanket right next to ours.  The kids loved playing with her.

Our last day we broke out the old boogie board that has been hanging in our garage for the past 7 years.  All the kids loved it, especially the princess.

Overall it was another fantastic trip.  Goodbye until next year, Erie!