Oh Christmas Tree

Our annual trip to the Christmas tree farm to cut down our own tree. On the way there, I asked Matt if this was going to be a great Christmas season memory for the girls of all of us going to cut a tree every year, or if it was going to be one of those things that they all remember for their crazy mother dragging them out every year. Matt chose the latter. But I think he's just bitter he has to do all the work.

 

 

We also decorated the tree, which should probably be its own post, but I'm much too lazy for that right now.



Things I Want To Remember

 

 

I started this series last week before the shooting at the school, and it seems even more appropriate now to mention all the wonderful, annoying, hilarious things my girls are doing now, so I won't forget.

 

So here are some things I want to remember about our Annie.

 

Riding Eve's bike with a cockeyed headband and a bag of seashells around her neck.

 

She is silly. She just loves to sing silly songs and dance around and be a funny 5-year-old. She had half her soccer team spining around like helicopters in goal celebrations last week. One of her favorite car games is a silly game Aunt Jackie made up where they just make up words and say them to each other. Annie would do this forever. Forever.

 

She is so bossy likes to be in charge. Her teacher said she is a natural leader and that she is always watching to make sure the other kids are following the rules. She MUST follow the rules. And so must you. :) Her teacher said she isn't mean about it and that she gets along with everyone. So, clearly, everyone has been compliant for her so far. Her class card has been green every day, and it would likely devastate her if she ever had to move it. She organizes kids games with the neighborhood kids. Her favorite right now is Wolfie, Wolfie What's the Time. She always include everyone, but she is not happy if people don't listen to her instructions!

 

She is so, so dramatic. The crying, oh, the crying! She is sensitive to everything. She has been crying at least once a week since Fire Safety week in October out of fear that our house might catch fire. She needs Kate to protect her at night.

 

She is a wonderful helper. Even when she doesn't want to, she always helps me. She might complain a little, but she bears the burden of being the oldest with grace. She is so good with her sisters and her new puppy. I know I ask a lot of her, but she's such a good girl. She makes my life easier.

 

 



Things I Want To Remember

A woman posted this title on a blog I follow, and I thought it was a good idea. So here are a few things I want to remember.

 

About my Kate

 

Her hair curls and gets all wavy when it's wet (and I don't brush it, like here after swim lessons). It's adorable.

 

She is so quiet. So, so quiet. Unless she's tired. Or she's in the car. Or, God save us all, if she's tired in the car. Matt and I laugh on long car rides because her sisters will be sleeping, and Kate will be chatting away about anything and everything. We'll tell her it's time to rest or be quiet, and she says," OK.....Dad, you know what?" And then she'll launch into whatever it is. It's hilarious and kind of annoying all at the same time.

 

She is so patient. With everyone. Including me and Matt. Especially Evie.

She got out these puzzles today, gave two to Evie and then so sweetly helped her do them. She even gave her "clues" instead of doing it for her. She cleaned them all up and put them away, too.

 

She is super klutzy. As in, oh my God, I hope she grows out of it or there's no way she will ever be able to play a sport or even be part of a majorette line. She just falls for no apparent reason all the time. She'll trip over seemingly nothing at all. She gives me anxiety on the top of the bunk bed.

 

She isn't afraid of anything. She's so stoic, hardly anything phases her. Annie is constantly in our room at night or having a fit before bed because she's scared of something. Kate just ignores it all, and when Annie gets into bed (if they are sleeping together, which they usually are), she puts her arm around her and snuggles her.

 

I am editing this post to add this picture because I can't believe I haven't posted it here yet. I took this on my phone with Instagram in our garage one day while she was playing with a broken air pump. Talk about ordinary days. I won't need to be reminded that Kate is gorgeous, though.

 

 

It's The Gingerbread Man!

Callista asked us to help Lucy out with a school project. I was super slow to actually help her out, but the pictures are so cute that I thought I'd post them here. The project was a flat gingerbread man (a la Flat Stanley) that the kids sent out to friends and family. Then we took photos of the Gingerbread Man at landmarks in our town, so the kids could see all the places he "ran." Super cute.

 

Kate and I went out after swim lessons one day and here is what we got:

 

At Zingerman's Roadhouse!

 

And of course, the biggest landmark in Ann Arbor:

The Big House!

(Blogger is being tempermental.)

 



Chelsea's Winter Fun

The neighboring town had a little winter fest type thing a few weeks ago. Julie and I decided we should take the kids. Matt got out of it by going to the MAC Championship game with his brother, while Dan was stuck with us. (He smartly bailed early with Drew).

 

They had a tree lighting ceremony and Santa rode up on a firetruck with lights blazing. That part was great until Santa needed two people to help him walk to the gazebo, stayed for literally two minutes and then was walked back to the truck. We could not decide if he was drunk or old, but based on the short speech he gave, we're guessing the former.

 

They also had a free workshop where the kids could do crafts. It was hot, sweaty chaos. Of course, the kids loved it.

 

Kate's edible snowman

Annie and Kate

Kate's fingerprint Christmas light craft

Evie's reindeer food for Christmas Eve

Evie and Steve outside the living Nativity. I didn't take any other actual photos because it seemed sort of irreverent. Santa did mention in his speech that we should come here. Then he paused and said, "It's...uh....meaningful..." It was actually really nice. Annie loved it.



Spaghetti Night

Evie is a mess pretty much at all times, but especially on spaghetti night.

 

Obviously Annie and Kate would never stand for Evie being photographed alone.

She is insane.

We love it.

And Kate.

Thanksgiving

I have no excuse, but I took approximately 5 pictures during our Thanksgiving trip to Cleveland.

 

This is a winner, though. Look at all those gorgeous Ralls girls!

Kate, Maddee, Ella, Annie, Evie and Mallory

 

 

After Ralls Thanksgiving, we went to Aunt Diane and Uncle Tom's to meet up with some more cousins, both mine and the girls. It was so great to see everyone and catch up. I wish we all lived closer so we could get together more!

Evie and Brooke. Brooke is older by a few months, and these two crazy girls had a lot of fun together.

There were lots of little blonde heads running around. Brooke, Olivia and Evie played Ring Around the Rosy.

 

Shocking no one, when Kate and Claire joined in, the game got slightly more intense :)

 

Regardless of our lack of photographic evidence, we had a great weekend. Thanks to all our family and friends who we had the chance to eat with, drink with, Polka with, watch football with and just generally act a fool with. We have a lot to be thankful for, and we know it.

Go Blue!

Matt took Annie to a U of M football game last year, a day that he regards as one of his best as a dad. They had so much fun. Annie is a super fan. If you take her to a sporting event and tell her who to cheer for, she is all about it. They were both pretty disappointed when it seemed as if they weren't going to be able to make a game this year. However, Matt got really lucky and a guy from work offered his tickets the day before. So off they went to the Big House to join 113,000 of their closest friends to cheer on the maize and blue.

 

 

Daddy and Annie before the game. It was a gorgeous, perfect day!

In her seat at the Big House, which I hear (Yes, hear, my 5-year-old has been twice but I've never actually been there for a game. Anyway...) which I hear are only large enough to fit Annie's tiny butt. :)

 

This won't turn, but she was filled with Wolverine pride.

(As a side note, she is thoroughly confused that the Michigan mascot is the wolverine. She only recognizes the block M, Go Blue and Hail to the Victors. It's really funny).

 

Finally, we have gotten a lot of flack from family and friend for our Michigan support. Our reasons are as follows:

1. We didn't go to Ohio State! I'm a Bobcat, and I supported them/gloated when they played Michigan in the NCAA basketball tournament. Matt is a Fighting Scot, and, no offense, but they won't be meeting any time soon.

2. Two-thirds of our children were born here! Kate and Evie drew their first breath at the University of Michigan Hospital.

3. They pay the bills.

4. We like to annoy you! :)

 

 

An Impulse Puppy

Matt and Annie have been begging for a puppy. I have been very loudly denying that request. I do not want a dog. Like not even a little bit. I don't even really like animals. I liked Sydney well enough, but even she bugged me. Dogs are smelly and they shed and they annoy people.

 

 However, it is impossible to deny Annie after she makes up songs about Sydney, asks to visit her grave and just repeatedly says, "I WISH I had a dog!"

 

A few months ago, Matt went to check on the girls after we put them to bed. Annie was alone in her room, in the dark singing something like this:

 

Sydney, Why did you have to go?

Pluto never left Mickey.

Remember when I would pull your tail and you would chase it?

I used to help Mommy feed you. We had fun.

Why did you have to go?

 

I am not kidding. Pluto never left Mickey. She was really singing that stuff. Break your heart.

 

On Sunday, she was hitting us hard again with all her sad faces and cute questions about puppies. So, we started looking at puppies online that night, and Matt found one that we both liked. It turned out to be pretty far away, though, so we told the lady no. Then Matt proceeded to text me the picture of the dog multiple times the next day from work. So, I finally just gave up and told him to go get it if he wanted it.

 

So, he did.

 

This is Beckett.

 

 

Smiling because he's cute. And hasn't peed all over my house yet.

 

Annie is thrilled.

Kate is really excited, too.

Evie hates him.

 

We didn't tell the girls about him because Matt didn't get back with him until after they went to to bed. So, we surprised them in the morning.

 

 

 

 



Kate's Birthday Party

 

Kate had a really fun birthday party at Goldfish Swim School, the adorable place where the girls take swim lessons. Kate was really excited. She invited some little buddies from preschool, some fun cousins and some old friends (for a four-year-old :) ). It seemed like everyone had a great time. Kate definitely did!

 

So, this picture. I don't even know who took it. We laughed and laughed about it after the party. Ed just looks so sad. We had so many competing ideas for captions.

Is Uncle Ed just sad time has passed so quickly and his darling niece is already four?

Does he hate fun and balloons and kids swimming?

Does he really just not give a damn for the whole state of Michigan?

Luckily, he cheered up and had a seemingly lovely time the rest of his stay. Thanks for coming Uncle Ed, whether you wanted to or not!! :)

 

Jillian and Kate

Evie.

Grandma Ralls and Eve.

Goldfish has tons of fun stuff to play with. Sadly, with this age group, they nearly all required parental powering.

Crazy girls.

Emma, Kate and Annie.

Kate, Annie, Avery and Ashtyn.

Evie had a blast.

Kate got really nervous and shy as we sang Happy Birthday!

Adam enjoyed the cupcakes.

And I love this picture of Mallory and Kate.

 

Clearly, Kate is a lucky girl who had a fantastic birthday!