December Photo Roundup

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."

Starting off the month with some kitty cuteness!

Jake relaxing on one of his favorite spots in the house... Ellie's desk chair.

Two cuties--this shot made it on to our Christmas card!

The girls relaxing with their boys

One of the kids' favorite December traditions... decorating gingerbread houses! 

Avi had the idea to add a path and sprinkle the roof with powdered sugar to look like snow

Ellie thought outside the [gingerbread house] box by covering her roof with chocolate chips

Eddie had a little help from Dad

He was very proud of the results of their collaboration

Avi posing with our very own Candy Cane Lane

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 

Time for another party! Avi stayed up a little late to help me decorate for Ellie's birthday.

The spread that awaited the birthday girl on December 10

Birthday Wish #1 fulfilled (thanks to her big sis)... crepes stuffed with Nutella!

Avalon whipped up Ellie's Birthday brunch after they all completed distance learning for the day. She's turning into quite the little chef! 

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!

Birthday dinner request... her favorite meal, ravioli with lemon cream sauce (or as she calls it, "lemon ravioli")

The birthday girl with her gifts

Grandma Judy nailed it with this birthday card ;)

Eloise meets Eloise! 

So many great gifts!

Ellie's final birthday request was chocolate fondue (in lieu of a birthday cake) 

Making a wish...

...and digging [dunking] in!

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.

We played Monopoly as a family for the first time and Jake really seemed to enjoy it

Look how big Jake looks in this pic! These babies grow up so fast...  

Our new home all dressed up for Christmas

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.

I took this pic so the kids remember that they saw it! Now, on to the New Earth!

First matching-jammies-in-front-of-the-Christmas-tree pics in our new house 

"Sisters...sisters...there were never such devoted sisters..."

Little bro was a little excited about all the presents

Jake's First Christmas

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.)

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.

We can't go to the park without climbing The Tree

Posing with their early Christmas gift from Grandma Judy and Grandpa Aaron...a game table!

Time for some foosball now

Same jammies, different night...Christmas Eve!

The elves found our new house this Christmas Eve and left activity books for everyone

The scene that awaited Santa on Christmas Eve

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"

Avalon opening gifts she wrapped up for her doll, Jasmine

Eddie with his baby, Ella

Ready to dig in to their own gifts

They were very excited to each get 4 bottles of Power Ade (little things)

Christmas pic with Dad...

...and Mom...

...and the Glorious Mess

Trying our Ellie's new dumbbells

A little Christmas coloring while waiting to leave for Nana and Papa's house

Christmas Part II at Nana and Papa's house

Trying out Eddie's new train set

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.

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!

First pic of 2021... Avalon with the aftermath of the homemade confetti cannon she crafted for the big moment. Happy New Year!