Happy Third Birthday!

Friday was Kate's third birthday and the school day worked out that we were able to sneak away to surprise her at school with a princess tiara cupcake-cake and balloons. She was super excited when she realized it was for her. After a fun round of "Happy Birthday," Matt and I went back to school and the kids continued eating the yellow cupcakes. I am sure the color will wash out of the kids' clothing, right?

DC Santa and Pizza

Annual tradition: Powers and Masons try to get a cute picture with Santa. Yes, same Santa. My old high school teachers. Yes, I am on his lap again. Weird. Plain Weird.

The club that puts this on has fun activites for the kids, too: snowman ornaments, reindeer made of popsicle sticks, and sweets to eat!

Afterward, we went to their house to attempt a Christmas card picture for the Powers kids. We ordered pizza to end the night and the kids had a great time playing. Annie is such a good older "sister" to Kate.

at least the jammies are cute

This one is used in the montage, I think. I really can't remember.

Sweet but weird picture.

Uh-huh. Working on poses. I will start practicing Christmas card pictures in August next year!

Yes, Virginia, there will be another attempt tonight!

 (speechless)

 hmmmm...

 really would like to use this one...

 You SAID cheese, mama

Nope, don't need my two front teeth yet! 

My sweet girl

 With her "mom." also my mom

 With Martha.  you know, the one who GIFTED Kate a beta fish?!  that.last.forever. (that we named Martha?)

love!

medalists

2nd place for Kelly and me in the Holiday Hustle in our age groups.  I wish I could say I was the younger one.

Try as I might #1

I cannot get this kid to be serious and do a great, "perfect," Christmas card...(and I must admit, I love that about her).

Happy Birthday, Mom

See? This is the pashmina we got you, Mom!

You can wear it like this...

but you have to wear the bow in your hair! (Love you, MOM!)

dancin', dancin', dancin' machine...

watch her get down, watch her get down!

Dance parties continue but now are held in the living room because of surround sound. BYOT (bring your own tutu) and come on over!

randomness

There is no picture to go with this post.  I have too many to put and sometime, I will make a collage for it.  While reading random blogs that I follow, a blogger from Naples wrote:
 
"I never really thought through how we do Christmas until I had kids. And when you have kids, everything shifts. You're not just someone's kid anymore, following through with the traditions your own parents started. You're the mom. The matriarch. You hold the Holiday Torch--the powerful seed of tradition--in the palm of your hand. Everything your child remembers about these months stems from you. Wow. That's a lot of power."

I started thinking about this and have.not.stopped.  From the decorating to the stories to the songs to the gingerbread house, we are surrounded by my traditions and memories.  I want Kate to love this holiday because it is the best.  Not because of the gifts because even though I like them, they are not "Christmas."  I love the feeling of Christmas.  I love that I got married around Christmas.  I love that my sister and I, at ages 28 and 37, respectively, still get matching jammies from my mom each year.  I love that this year, my mom, Kate, and my sister's dog will all have these jammies.  I love that my tree is filled with ornaments from my childhood tree (bought at a church chili supper/bazaar in Sullivan, Indiana), from my Aunt Betty's collection, from people who gifted us with ornaments for our wedding and Kate's birth, and special ornaments my mom makes for me...and now Kate...each year.  I love that I get two weeks off each year to revel in the house being decorated, baking, and being stressed about making others happy.  I love that I listen to songs that have words that I know...and I love teaching those to Kate.  I love that she now tells the story of the Little Drummer Boy in her own way.  I love driving past houses that are lit and thinking about those decorations.  LOVE.IT.ALL!

So, yes, I was raised to hold this torch and hold it tightly and proudly.