Holiday events

We have had a lot of fun this holiday season. You can see some of our latest happenings on Jason's site but here a few where Ethan played a major role.

Dinner party

Wednesday night we went out to dinner with the McClamroch family to TGIFs. We enjoyed some good company and manners and Ethan was most excited that Logan baked him cookies. It has been a tough holiday for both families given recent events with our grandparents and it was nice to all be together.

Serena and Logan:


Ken, Jordan and Ethan


Logan, Ethan, Jason, and Jenn



Party at Shannan and Ramin's house:

On Friday, Ethan got to spend the day with Mom and go to a great holiday party and play date and then bake cookies with Mom and Grandma. It was his last day of school until January and yet he didn't seem to miss it. He finished out the year with a bang and a party in his classroom on Thursday, another week of good behavior and an excellent progress report.

Shannan throws the best parties. With organized crafts, cookie tins and hats, ornament favors, and great coffee and company. The families were all so nice and even though Ethan was really scared and clingy, after I explained these could all be new friends, he let Ramin take him around to meet everyone. After a few minutes, he came back and hugged me and said, "Mommy, I am not shy anymore." I didn't see him much after that. We were the last to leave since these are some of our favorite play pals. Here are the pics from the day:

Posing with Mom under duress


Saying "cheese"


With our best boy pal, Nicholas


Doing a craft:


The finished product...our milk carton gingerbread house. We even managed to get some candy on it as opposed to into Ethan's mouth (see above pic).

Baking cookies

We did less than last year since I didn't feel this horrid need to try and prove I was one of those incredible Mom's that can do it all. I can't. And I have to be okay with that. Tracey once said I turned into Betty Crocker at the holidays. I decided this year was going to just be fun. I did some peanut butter treasures and those amazing butter and almond cookies in xmas shapes I did last year. Then I helped my Mom with the chocolate cupcakes and the pignoli cookies and bourbon balls. I then called it a day. I think what made it fun though was knowing Grandma was happy we were doing it. And watching Ethan powder the rum balls, add pine nuts, and use a rolling pin. He loved cutting the cookies. Jason liked stirring the batter and shaking the sugar.

Angels among us

At the holidays I try to teach the kids about the needs of others and the true meaning of the season....the birth of Christ and the sacrifices we make for fellow men. We do the food bank, buy coats for the children and usually do a giving tree. This year, we picked up a Salvation Army angel tag describing the needs of a child this Christmas. Ethan was fascinated by the tag and asked if the angel looked over us. I said it angels look over us all but especially this little girl. Then I explained how her family might not have enough money to buy her needed items and we were going to help and get her some pjs, a sweater and pants and a Dora doll that she wants. I asked him if he thought we could find stuff like that and he said, yes...in the store. And then he asked if she was his friend and I said she might not know him but it is nice to think of all people as friends. And since we had a little to spare, we were going to ensure she had a nice holiday.

Ethan's response:
Yes...we need to. You need to take money out of my piggy bank so we can buy nice things for her....let's go now. I don't need anything.

Wow...maybe I am doing something right here. After we shopped and brought the gifts back to the drop off location, Ethan said, "It was fun to buy her things. She is 3 years old like me, Daddy, and we are both three...nobody else is. I love her."

I melt.