And just like that, it was December--the last month of a year that will go
down in history (perhaps only to be eclipsed by 2021, which is getting weirder
by the day).
I wonder what memories the kids will take from 2020. Part of my inspiration
for jump-starting the blog was to keep a record of this year that the kids can
look back on and know that we spent the year peacefully in the eye of the
storm. In a year when so many typical elements of the American way of life
were put on pause (or fell away completely), we continued on living our lives
in much of the same way we always have.
Maybe that's because the way we live our lives, the choices we make, the way
we spend our time and our money, has always been a little bit outside the
modern mainstream. I have to admit, it was a little surreal to see the effects
of Covid closures and lockdowns unfold in American culture. Social media was
awash with reports of people spending more time with their kids, making home
cooked meals, riding bikes, planting gardens... you know, little things. What
so many have called "the silver lining" of 2020 is our usual way of life.
Of course, 2020 wasn't without its frustrations. The canning jar and lid
shortage, for instance. ;) The lack of travel.
The complete lack of alone time. The dystopian
experience of masking ourselves in public and averting our eyes from each
other while stepping away to maintain a "safe" distance. You can probably tell
from all the photos, but the kids and I went out in public VERY rarely this
year, and it was NOT because I was afraid we would catch Covid. It's just a
freaking WEIRD world out there right now, and I don't want the kids to develop
any sense of this all being normal.
Oh 2020. In the words of Jerry Garcia, "What a long, strange trip it's been."
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Starting off the month with some kitty cuteness!
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Jake relaxing on one of his favorite spots in the house... Ellie's desk
chair.
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Two cuties--this shot made it on to our Christmas card!
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The girls relaxing with their boys
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One of the kids' favorite December traditions... decorating gingerbread
houses!
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Avi had the idea to add a path and sprinkle the roof with powdered
sugar to look like snow
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Ellie thought outside the [gingerbread house] box by covering her roof
with chocolate chips
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Eddie had a little help from Dad
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He was very proud of the results of their collaboration
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Avi posing with our very own Candy Cane Lane
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It took about a month, but by early December Gizmo and Jake were
officially friends. This is the first picture ever captured of them
snuggling together. Look at their paws! So sweet! <3
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Time for another party! Avi stayed up a little late to help me
decorate for Ellie's birthday.
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The spread that awaited the birthday girl on December 10
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Birthday Wish #1 fulfilled (thanks to her big sis)... crepes stuffed
with Nutella!
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Avalon whipped up Ellie's Birthday brunch after they all completed
distance learning for the day. She's turning into quite the little
chef!
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Ellie indulging in her main birthday request--playing Xbox. By
herself. All day long (after school). (Seriously! She even
specifically requested to NOT have a party or gathering of any sorts
on her birthday! ::shrug::) This "festivity" was made even more
exciting by Oma Kathy emailing her an Xbox gift card that morning,
which she promptly used to buy new Sims expansion packs. I think it's
safe to say we have a gamer on our hands!
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Birthday dinner request... her favorite meal, ravioli with lemon cream
sauce (or as she calls it, "lemon ravioli")
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The birthday girl with her gifts
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Grandma Judy nailed it with this birthday card ;)
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Eloise meets Eloise!
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So many great gifts!
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Ellie's final birthday request was chocolate fondue (in lieu of a
birthday cake)
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| Making a wish... |
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...and digging [dunking] in!
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Canning season 2020 in a single photograph! Because of all the newbies
gardening and canning this year, canning supplies were extremely hard
to come by and if weren't for my dad (who had a stockpile of dozens of
jars) this wouldn't have been possible. I've already started a
stockpile of my own in case the shortage happens again this summer.
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We played Monopoly as a family for the first time and Jake really
seemed to enjoy it
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Look how big Jake looks in this pic! These babies grow up so
fast...
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Our new home all dressed up for Christmas
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| See that single star in the sky? That's the grand conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which took place on December 20, 2020 for the first time in 400 years. At the bottom of the pic is Shaun (with his hat backwards) trying to get a better view through our telescope. |
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| I took this pic so the kids remember that they saw it! Now, on to the New Earth! |
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First matching-jammies-in-front-of-the-Christmas-tree pics in our new
house
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"Sisters...sisters...there were never such devoted sisters..."
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Little bro was a little excited about all the presents
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Jake's First Christmas
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We took a walk in the park a few days before Christmas and found this
beautifully painted rock. Turns out there is a rather large online
community called "Elk Grove Rocks" made up of people who love to
decorate rocks and hide them out around town just to boost people's
spirits. Neat! (Btw, those are blue-light blocking glasses Ellie is
wearing--not prescription--but you didn't hear it from me.)
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Instead of taking the rock home, we decided to re-hide it for another
lucky finder. The kids chose to place it at the base of their favorite
climbing tree in the park.
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| We can't go to the park without climbing The Tree |
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| Posing with their early Christmas gift from Grandma Judy and Grandpa Aaron...a game table! |
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| Time for some foosball now |
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| Same jammies, different night...Christmas Eve! |
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The elves found our new house this Christmas Eve and left activity
books for everyone
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The scene that awaited Santa on Christmas Eve
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Ellie trying out her new scooter from Santa on Christmas morning. The
kids waited until 7:30 to wake us up this year, at which time they
barreled into our room and on top of our bed while singing "I Want A
Hippopotamus for Christmas"
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Avalon opening gifts she wrapped up for her doll, Jasmine
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Eddie with his baby, Ella
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Ready to dig in to their own gifts
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They were very excited to each get 4 bottles of Power Ade (little
things)
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Christmas pic with Dad...
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| ...and Mom... |
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...and the Glorious Mess
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Trying our Ellie's new dumbbells
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A little Christmas coloring while waiting to leave for Nana and Papa's
house
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Christmas Part II at Nana and Papa's house
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Trying out Eddie's new train set
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New Years Eve shenanigans! Shaun promised the kids he would let them
go outside and scoot around the court at 11pm if they could stay up
that long.
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| Scooting into 2021! We only lasted about 20 minutes outside before going back in to watch the festivities on TV... but we all made it to midnight this year! |
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First pic of 2021... Avalon with the aftermath of the homemade
confetti cannon she crafted for the big moment. Happy New Year!
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