The week between Christmas and New Year's is one of my favorite weeks. As a kid, I loved that time to play with the new things we got for Christmas, before going back to school. As an adult, I like that the getting ready for Christmas shopping and general craziness is over and we can just enjoy being off work and school.
As I reflected on the weeks leading up to Christmas, I was a bit disappointed by the many pre-Christmas traditions we didn't do this year: sending out Christmas cards (yep, none!), driving through Hastings Ranch to see the lights, baking and decorating gingerbread cookies, playing the opening presents game, and making "Happy Birthday, Jesus" cupcakes (or treats). I'm sad about missing out on those things, but there's nothing I can do now!
We did, however, do a pretty great job in the week after Christmas.
Like most people, we spent most of the 26th cleaning up after Christmas. Ashlynn was invited over to her friend Lydia's house for most of the day, so we just had one kid to entertain.
On the 27th, the kids went to my mom's house for a slumber party. In the evening, a couple of my friends from my high school show choir came over. It was a lovely time of catching up and remembering good times.
The 28th was an especially busy day for Ashlynn. In the morning she and a number of the girls from her fall soccer team played in an indoor tournament. It was the first time most of the girls played in an indoor soccer court and the team didn't do particularly well, but Ashlynn had fun playing the fast-paced games.
In the evening, Ashlynn joined her Brownie troop for a Rose Parade Float event.
We saw Ashlynn's math and writing teacher, Mrs. Bridges, who also happens to go to our church. She was helping decorate the floats.
One of the stations had a former Rose Queen telling the girls about being a queen and about the process of award for the floats in the parade.
At the second station, the girls drew a design for a float and then decorated it with natural materials.
We got to preview a few of the floats.
The girls did a hunt where they looked at a few floats and tried to spot materials like grasses and beans.
My favorite stop was the presentation by a real float designer. He talked about the process of designing a float and then answered a bunch of questions.
There can be the post-Christmas blues, and Carter is certainly suffering from those. Carter was majorly looking forward to Christmas since early in 2013, so the fact that it is now passed was a major let down for him. In protest of us taking down our Christmas tree (which was dry and needed to be taken down), he sings Christmas songs frequently and passionately, with a hint of annoyance. Our favorite lyrics are: "Oh, God lets us adore Him! Oh, God lets us adore Him! Oh, God lets us adore Hi-im; God is the Lord!" In case you're wondering, those are the words he sings to "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him".
On the 29th we got to get away for a night. A few weeks back we found out that Eric's dad had some Marriott time share points that needed to be used by the end of 2013, or they would be lost. Eric found that we could use the points to stay one night at the Marriott Vacation Club in Newport. We realized the "villa" had enough space to invite our friends, the Mountains, to join us. Eric and I have gone away with Katie and Bo for kid-free weekends, but this was the first with kids. We think it went really well and look forward to more Mountain-Vales trips.
We started our time at the Crystal Cove State Park where we explored the tide pools. (Please observe Ashlynn's jeans through the course of the visit.)
Our kids get along so well and are so sweet together!
Ashlynn is so happy and content to get all wet and sandy.
We arrived at the "villa" in time to watch the sun set. This was the view from our balcony:
The sun set behind Catalina Island.
I imagined "My Heart Will Go On" (from Titanic) playing at the moment shown below:
Carter and Jakie wanted all the boys to sleep in one bedroom and all the girls in the other. That did not happen.
Jammie time!
Silly kids
Sweet girls
4 kids sharing one electronic device (in the morning).
Eric enjoying the view
After breakfast, we took the kids to the pools.
They also spent some time in the spa.
Spa supervision
Mellow kids
After getting dressed, we played a little Foosball before leaving the Marriott.
Group photo!
Look what we found in the lobby! Carter loves Christmas trees!
On our way north, we stopped at Balboa Island for lunch, a walk, and a treat.
Most of the houses were decorated. Based on what we saw during the day, they must be amazing at night!
Ice cream!
Eric was thrilled to get a hand-dipped ice cream bar.
On the drive home. I call it "synchronized car napping" (it doesn't look comfortable, does it?).
Then, as though the day wasn't awesome already, Eric went to a Clippers game with his dad and Ashlynn had her first friend sleep over. Yep, Lydia and Ashlynn had a sleep over at our house.
Making English muffin pizzas:
Even brushing their teeth was silly and fun.
More silliness
Sweet girls
Today was New Year's Eve. It was a fairly mellow day, mostly spent at home. In the evening, my mom came over and Eric cooked a nice dinner to end the year. My dad and brother are on a week long road trip, so we Skyped with them for a few minutes.
Dinner
Yay, 2013 has come to an end (it wasn't my favorite year). Here's to a great 2014!
