a dozen favorite holiday moments

It seems we almost always end up having a pretty laid back Christmas and this year was no exception.  We didn't travel.  We added a few fun things, and kept our favorite traditions.  Here are a dozen of my favorite holiday moments:

1. Going to our nephew's college Christmas concert was a fun way to start the season.

2. Papa and MeeMaw came to visit for a few days.  Brett made them snowman mugs.

3. The Special Olympics of Minnesota had a fun new fundraiser.  They had different organizations and stores decorate themed Christmas trees and had them on display at the Mall of America.  It was free to look, and you could buy raffle tickets to win the decorations off any particular tree you liked.  Many of the trees had gift cards and products to win on or under the tree, along with themed ornaments.  We had fun choosing which trees to enter to win!

4. I always love attending our Christmas Eve service at our church.  Last year it was virtual.  This year it was in-person, but no candles.  Maybe next year?
 

5. Lydia accompanied our singing of Christmas carols before opening gifts on Christmas Eve.  This is a favorite tradition from my childhood, and it is lovely to finally have a resident musician in our household for such an occasion.

6. Brett helped me make homemade chicken pot pie for Christmas Eve.

7. Reggie helped me make Santa and reindeer pancakes on Christmas morning.

8. In honor of Kwanzaa, we checked out a black-owner restaurant we hadn't gone to before.  We took Bonnie out for her birthday!

9. Ice skating and sledding! Yes, I know that's two. My blog, my rules.

10. My brother's family came on New Year's Eve because they were taking their oldest son, who is in the military, to the airport.  We had fun hanging out for a few hours.  

11. Bryan made the traditional New Year's Day meal of black-eyed peas, corn bread, and greens.  It represents good health, wealth, and good luck.  Lydia made peach cobbler. Yum!

12. Brett won the Timberwolves' Tree! A huge box showed up on our doorstep and it's contents was everything on and under the tree, from the star top to the felt tree skirt.  Brett was giddy!

happy 14th birthday, Brett!

It’s hard to believe our baby is 14 years old already! 

Brett is 5 foot 7 inches and 120 pounds.  He got braces in September.

  

Brett is in 8th grade.  I'm glad we decided not to return part-time to the charter school this year. Even though he did like attending, it was a lot of driving and we did not own our schedule. I love the schedule we have now. We get started around 7:30 or 8:00 and wrap up academic work by 11:00. In the afternoon, he has speech and does the afterschool program at the local middle school two days a week. He joined a gym in December so we do that a couple afternoons a week, too.

He also enjoys participating in our church youth group.  He misses Special Olympics so much! I really hope we can get back on track and they can put something together for basketball. If not, this will be his third season missing out.

Speaking of basketball, he passionately follows NBA.  He has already attended four Timberwolves games this season.

Brett is very thoughtful and creative.  We recently hosted some of our extended family, and Brett planned and created themed games and contests to play.  He also helped prepare the food.  Brett is a big gift giver.  It is important to him to have gifts for all the people he loves on their special days and at Christmas.

Fourteen years ago when Brett was placed in our arms, we didn’t know the adventure that was before us.  Both challenges and joys we didn’t expect, and the future will certainly bring more.

happy 13th birthday, Lydia!

It's hard to believe our Lydia Junebug is already 13!  She stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 88 pounds.

Lydia's birthday wish was to go to her Meemaw's to make caramels. With the way things landed on our calendar, she got a bonus surprise and got to miss a day of school and spend the night.  The caramels were yummy, too!

Her actual birthday landed on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  My parents and nephew were still visiting.  Lydia chose philly cheesesteaks for lunch and asked for a piano on her cake.

I'm excited that Lydia wants to learn to play the guitar, which is her third instrument (not counting the mallets...they were short-lived).  She is coming along on the trumpet in band.  She joined the jazz band club in her school and is in level four in her piano lessons. Lydia is really drawn to music!

Seventh grade has been better than expected.  So far, all in-person.  We've had many exposure notices, but the school has managed to stay open.  Both of the other middle schools in our district had to temporarily go to distance learning.  She's doing well in all her classes, and the one she always talks about is gym!

Outside of school and music, Lydia really likes going to youth group and spending time with her friend from church and her cousin.  She likes to read, paint, draw and play Minecraft. She's sticking with her two sports - volleyball and track. She also loves her guinea pig, Violet!