rio time

We rang in the New Year Rio time (aka. 9pm eastern standard time for midnight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at the first First Night Vienna. Groovy Nate kicked off the night in the heated main tent with some beats, sang his funny songs complete with Aiden as the cat puppeteer in Old McD, and danced with the parrot puppet.  Then it was time for the Great Zuchinni and by that time the heated tent was packed.  This 'magician' is such a character but he doesn't even really do real tricks - the kids go nuts, roaring with laughter, it's amazing really because all the parents are mostly laughing at him - but the kids think he is a god!  He mostly just goofed around on stage in his socks (looking like your funny uncle) and then he counted down the New Year for us at 9pm.  He said it was his best New Years in his 43 years, and I think my boys would agree in their 7 and 3 New Years celebrations.  Although Aiden partied hard until midnight one year in Ohio - hard call!

Don't look too closely under my right eye - I'm recovering from a throbby, icky stye but the antibiotic seems to be doing the trick and I was at least presentable to the public ;)

holiday

Here are some holiday snaps of the whole crew from Xmas day.  Cousins galore!

before

On Xmas eve and before we were laughing about the viral Christmas jammies video and Aiden's imitation of "Are those your Christmas jammies?!" We brought our own family jammy tradition back again this year.

We helped set out and light the luminaries on the tree lawn.  Then we arranged some cookies and broccoli extra healthy treats for the reindeer.  Then we brought  out the big pen for some letter writing.  

Aiden's letter to Santa made me laugh: "Dear Santa, I have been very good this year for Christmas I would like anything that I get.  Psst I especially like a new kind of toy."  And then later he added "except a Barbie or Lalaloopsie doll."  Keaton had some very careful scribbles for Santa too.

Big camera snaps visiting the Ohio Santa to be sure he knew we were in town.

pen glen

The Winter Days game board display was back at the Pen Glen this year.  We cruised over there before it closed early on Xmas eve.  The game pieces were cards like candy land and one spot even had a microphone that broadcast you Twelve Days singing. The littlest cousin will be running through this place next year!

old buddies

Seeing old dear friends is one of the highlights of the holiday!  I feel lucky so many of us were home at one time this year.  All the littles play so nicely together too...just like old buddies.  We missed you R and thanks for hosting us E!

qt in willobee

Cheers to some QT in the Willo-bee with a peppermint martini!  Between the Xmas day cousin cuddles, otters digging through presents for shrimp treats on tv, summery watermelon during brunch, toys (just the stocking treats alone could keep them busy for days! - I was told that Santa is a genius!), and so much relaxed quality time.  My kinda holiday!  Thanks to my folks for hosting us and to everyone for the sweet gifts!

There are so many more snaps on the big camera...can't all cameras be wireless already?!

hygge

On this Christmas Eve, I'm grateful to be home in my cozy childhood home.  It's just full of hygge, which is a Danish word I was reminded of recently on NPR.  Here was the description they gave:

"Usually it is translated as "cosy" but hygge means much more than that. Hygge refers to a sense of friendly, warm companionship of a kind fostered when Danes gather together in groups of two or more, although you can actually hygge yourself if there is no one else around. The participants don't even have to be friends (indeed, you might only just have met), but if the conversation flows — avoiding potentially divisive topics like politics and the best method to pickle herring — the bonhomie blossoms, toasts are raised before an open fire (or at the very least, some candles), you are probably coming close."

That is my ultimate wish for 2014 and beyond, more moments of hygge for everyone!  Thanks to all those that shared these moments with me and allowed me to have these cozy times (ahem, especially my kind husband and these enthusiastic bugs of mine).

I'm enjoying reflecting back on some December hygge tidbits:

Holiday nephew cuddles - baby eyelashes!

A dusting of snow with the Xmas eve luminaries

Gran's treat tree for good helpers

Cruising through decorated Downtown Willo

Tree lighting at our favorite Mosaic

Little Spots and 101 Dalmatians Holiday show

Aiden's first piano lesson on Dec 3 - getting up to speed with extra lessons and Xmas songs 

Searching and cutting down our own tree on the farm

Making an Xmas wreath with red birds and berries and "more pinecones mom!"

New mantle banner - Be Merry!

Pipe cleaner ornaments at PB jacks and sitck stars at school

Paper snowmen and plenty of origami guys

Wreath pizzas with friends

Santa video message - nice guys! - and the Tv Santa tracker with games

Lego holiday families

Holiday mad libs

Presents for needy family at a low income preschool

Countdown paper chain to count when school resumes

Playmobil advent calendar with museum heist theme

Advent book countdown - new books every day is the best treat

Hippo for Xmas video

Decorating a tea towel for teacher gifts

Cozy cuddle forts

Cocoa with fancy marshmallows (Choc brownie flavored!) and choco mint whipped cream

"Skating" on the deck

Checking out the favorite superman toys at the comic book shop

Christmas poems - some in cursive

Learning to make a hook rug

New sock monkeys for group hugs 

hippo lovers

We are hanging out with the ultimate hippo lovers in new hippo sweaters ;) thx Gran and Pop!  (If we are lucky they will still fit next year for a little tradition!). We are having fun with the helping treats from the special tree and making treats.  That Aiden is such a helper cleaning the sugar bowl - jk!  More photos on the real camera...

treats

We'd heard about the new peep train and the Gaylord's light and fountain show added a little indoor snow fall.  We didn't know about the new chocolate shop, the holiday trivia, and the Friday night fireworks!  What a big bunch of treats on a perfect weather night...

harbor

We cruised over to see the holiday cheer at the National Harbor on the perfect 60 degree evening.  Before dinner we checked out the tree and found some treats at the Peeps store.  There was more fun to come...

monkeys

These monkeys are ready for Christmas!

tableaus

We got great seats for the second show of the weekend / and I managed to adjust my camera settings without flash... So here are the Many Expressions of Little Spot.

little spots

Aiden's been spending his Saturday mornings this fall with a fun group of kids and teachers at the George Mason University youth program.  They capped off the season with a fun little set of skits a la the 101 Dalmations called Little Spots Holiday.  The called their scenes "tableaus" or frozen pictures and Aiden appeared as Roger in scene 3.  During the show he offers a puppy a cast and puts his arm around his wife when Cruella threatens them ;). They were the openers for the big kid show, which we saw after the second performance on Sunday.  It was full of lotsa dancing and singing which was fun.  We were happy our friends made it on Saturday too.  Keaton was all smiles seeing his brother up there and greeting him after the show, you wouldn't know he was grumping most of the day.  

mosaic santa

You can never visit Santa too much, right?!  Our friends came to visit this weekend and after Aiden's mini show (more on that once I get the big camera hooked up, which means also after I finish editing my portrait clients from this weekend) and hanging out at our house (with the gang of tigers!), we went to our favorite Mosaic for dinner.  It was rainy, but we were lucky to catch some carolers and Santa in their new little coffee shop glass house.  They didn't quite catch Keaton's excited face that he was flashing on and off, but it's still a fun shot.  

brothers

So grateful for these bubs... Brothers really are the best gift...especially to each other.

minifig family

TGIF!

holiday party

The neighborhood holiday party at the clubhouse was packed with fun.  It turns out that it is run by the gym teachers from the neighborhood elementary.  They bring a sound system (with Cotton Eyed Joe - Woot HB 90s memories) for dancing, and a bunch of fun games.  There was pin the nose on frosty, build a hat from festive wrap, build the tallest block tower, marshmallow structures, marshmallow snowball fights, snowman toilet paper wraps, whipped cream bubble blowing, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some... they just kept going until the final game - tie a balloon to your ankle and then run around like a bunch of maniac kids hyped up on sugar trying to pop each other's balloons.  Guess which kid won this one?! Yep, Aiden dominated at the squirrelly running and dodging even when all of the kids where after him at the same time ;)  They got lotsa prizes including the prized magnifying glasses.  It was fun to meet a few new neighbors and especially to see Keaton's teacher with her family there.  He gave her a big hug.  I love this new neighborhood.

P a r t y from LB on Vimeo.

tidbits

More tidbits from this past weekend and the snow days - lotsa hanging around in jammies, reading books from the advent days countdown (I gave out some extras when the power was out for a few hours), making all the origami guys from the Art2D2 book, those paper finger puppet guys watching piano practice from right on top of the speakers, liquid nitrogen cookies at the craft fair, minion tic tac toe boards at the Home Depot workshop, green and red chip cookies (from the best ever recipe with mostly brown sugar - yum!), "recustomizing" (as Aiden calls it) the bathrooms with new paint named "a winter's day" (appropriate, eh?!) and new lights and cabinet.

ice!

This ice is now all covered with snow... Can't decide which is prettier... 

let it snow

These little cocoa pops are going on snow day two with Sunday fun cancelled as well.  The first day was kinda fluffy snow at first then the ice settled in... We barely got the snow to cooperate for mini snowmen before we headed in for hot cocoa.  The brownie and ice cream flavored marshmallows I stocked up on are a treat!