Trying out the Christmas presents

For Christmas, Muddy and Guppy gave Addie and Ben rollerskates that adjust for four sizes!! Such a smart idea. Here's the videos I was sent today from their basement!

As you can tell, she is more hesitant than Ben.

I think the thing that shows Ben's fall-down-and-get-back-up-spirit are his knees! See the dust marks? LOL.

MomMom and PopPop got them ice skating lessons for Christmas, which they'll start next weekend!

Christmas Eve other stuff

Don't know what's going on here, but it makes me laugh

That is the "Pass the Parcel" package of wrapped gifts in between layers of wrapping paper. It was huge.

Doesn't he look so grown up?

This was Ben's expression when Aunt Kim explained that she and Uncle Tom are taking Ben to the Franklin Institute's Walking with Dinosaurs exhibit in March. Very cool.

This is Addie showing off her Cupcake Tornado gift.

Addie and Ben both got Nooks! And really cool fiber optic bows. Thanks Pam and Victoria!

During the Pass the Parcel game, Guppy got the coveted gift from Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Amanda. Just look at Richard and Brian's expressions-- you can tell this was so funny.

Amanda was keeled over in laughter. It was really funny. (Thanks to Bub and LouLou for their fine photography skills too, which made Kenny even better!)

Richard got the package which consisted of this Christmas light necklace, which flashed in five different patterns! He wore it with pride! Rock it, Richard!

Christmas Eve family snapshots

In our true fashion, here are the Christmas Eve family photos.

Jeremy and Amanda

Wendy and Richard

Muddy and Guppy

Newlyweds Kim and Tom

Onkteb, Ben and Addie (I have the exact same shot with him giving them bunny ears)

Jeremy, Amanda and the kids

Kim, Tom and Ben smooshing Addie

The four of us

Awww shucks, how cute are we still after all these years?

Guppy, Ben, Addie and Muddy

The whole gang picture.

Christmas Eve ringing

Well there were no television news cameras there this year, but man did Addie have a successful Christmas Eve bell ringing for the Salvation Army.

The Major is calculating total collected right now, and I can't wait to hear the final tally. Some people put in $20 bills, others wads of ones. It was awesome. Clearly Addie was the reason for the donations, as most people said something along the lines of either 1)She's really talented or 2) I couldn't resist not giving when she's singing so lovingly.

Great-Grandmom has passed away

Great-Grandmom died yesterday at the age of 91 1/2 years. I am so happy that Addie and Ben got to know her and vice versa. Not many people get to meet and have a relationship with their great-grandparent.

Brian and I went to the hospice last week during a really rough night and while she was in and out of sleep, she kept asking to see pictures of "the little red head." She always loved Muddy's red hair and when Ben was born with red hair- well that just sent her over the moon.

Addie has always been all about loving on a relative. She hugged the woman before she really knew who she was etc. Ben used to be scared of her, since she was so little, but he warmed up to her.

The kids knew that Great-Grandmom was really old and not going to live much longer. When I told them last night that she has passed away, their immediate response was "I'm going to miss her" which was really sweet.

This morning Addie wrote about her in her journal for school. She wrote something like "yesterday I had an adult in my family pass away. She lived to be 91. I will miss her. She was a small measurement." She told me that she used two of her weekly "amazing" words-- adult and measurement. She said she meant that Great-Grandmom was short.

I'm putting together a photo collage of her over the years right now for the services which will be on Friday evening. It's nice to see pictures of her holding a brand new baby Addie, then see her at Addie's 1st birthday, at a visit when Ben was 4 months old, when Great-Grandmom turned 90, then a few months ago with the kids.

Years ago Brian and I realized we didn't know much about her life, so we went to her house and video recorded interviewed her so we learned more about her. Really glad we did that.

Gingerbread contest

It's that time of year again....time for the hospital's annual gingerbread contest. For the past two years, Addie and Ben have both submitted entries. In the past, we've gone straight to the gingerbread house kits and let them have fun-- which resulted in entries that resembled a gingerbread house kit with random spots of icing and candy on them.

This year, I suggested they draw out their designs, so they knew what they were doing. I can't even begin to explain how impressed I am with what they came up with!

Here's a sneak peek at the mess that was The Great Gingerbread Design 2011....

Ben was really impressed by New York City's cityscape. In fact, as we boarded the train, he threw a minor fit because he wanted to live there.

So it was a welcome surprise that he designed tall city buildings.

To the right is "a Christmas tree field" which is on gumdrop risers "so everyone can see them."

Addie went with a castle theme, in a very creative manner. The front

Right side

Left side

Back. She insisted it needed two back doors.

Note the "moat with Swedish fish swimming around since it's a castle."

Overall, I'm really impressed by both of theirs and I hope they both win!

I take them in on Wednesday and the entries are voted on until the winners are announced on the 20th.

She can't help it!

She's just drawn to it!

I love how the guy gave her his hat to wear. She (not so secretly) really wanted the microphone.