Gallery

Christmas 2016

Tree acquired!
Watching the Grinch with my little elf.
The tree didn’t get decorated until Christmas Eve, but that’s normal.
Coooooookieeeessss om nom nom
Christmas Eve
Bokeh!
Everything wrapped and ready to go.
Her face when we told her we had to eat breakfast before opening presents.
The big kids get LEGOs, too. 😉
Santa’s gift to our family. He’s good to us.
Someone got what she wanted! LEGO Elves.
Ready to get this party started!
Tim knows me so well.
Even Mom got in on the LEGO action.
Bunchems! She’s hooked (pun intended).
Breakfast of champions, with my new Pantone mug. Thanks, Automattic!
Father-daughter bonding over elves and dragons.
Dragon!
Fight the Future throw from Nana and Toom.
Machi Koro

Wrapping up a successful Christmas; Santa was good to us this year. He seems to know how much we enjoy LEGOs, but he also came through with new card/dice games and expansions for old favorites, and sleds for outdoor fun.

We’re having quite the Classic New England Winter (TM) so far; lots of snow, regular pristine, white coatings of the stuff, which means a fair amount of plowing and shoveling and sending the kids outside dressed like waddling, hot-pink-and-purple marshmallows. In an effort to ward off the winter blahs, I’ve strung lights up to the point where our living room can probably be seen from space.

I scheduled an extra-long winter vacation, without realizing it would be almost as long as my summer break was. Not that I’m complaining, but I’m at a bit of a loss since I didn’t have any plans save for 1) surviving the holidays and 2) catching up on a backlog of fanfic reading. With the first one out of the way, I intend to start on the second, with a bit of writing of my own thrown in for good measure.

😃+

Writing Challenge, Day ???

I counted the docs in my Scrivener project, and yay! I made it past day 30. Total word count across 32 days: 20,704. Definitely not NaNoWriMo-level stuff, but better than nothing.

If this exercise has taught me anything, it’s that I have more ideas in me than I think. Of course, there’s a lot of junk in those 32 documents, but with some extra editing, I’ll have a few short stories to share soon.

It’s also taught me that I still compulsively edit as I’m writing. It’s a disease.

😃+

Happy birthday, big girl!

It’s been a banner year for you, Ellie. While 2016 was stomping over the rest of us, you stepped outside your comfort zone, tried new things, and came away from it all grinning and asking for more.

You went to a week-long Girl Scout camp for the first time. We worried about sending you to stay in a strange place, but you jumped in with both feet, with barely a “Love you, bye!” when we dropped you off. You sobbed for hours when it was over and still talk about your camp friends, the memories you made, and how much you can’t wait to go back. We got a glimpse of the independent young woman you’ll be, and it was both heartbreaking and breathtaking to observe.

You’re still our geek; we never have to ask you to do your homework, you voluntarily spend extra time working on math problems and making up assignments for yourself, and you’re a straight-A student. You joined the gifted & talented program this month, the youngest in your class, and it’s given you so much to talk about. I love that you love to learn, and I hope that continues!

You wow me with your ability to make friends and chat people up with only a hint of self-consciousness. Your father and I, staunch introverts, wonder how we made such a bubbly, enthusiastic kid.

And yet, I see shyness in you, too; like this fall, when you refused to dance at your uncle’s wedding. You’re starting to notice differences; what makes people stand out, what makes people blend in. If I could wish for anything, it would be for you to ignore that little voice of self-doubt for a few more years, and to dance with the freedom of your six-year-old self.

For all your maturity, you’re also loud, rambunctious, and silly. You still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. You have to be reminded not to use bathroom words (and make bathroom noises, ahem) at the dinner table. You still want kisses goodnight and snuggles in the morning.

You’re eager to “grow up”, but scared of what that means. And I have to remind myself that you’re not thirteen (as much as you wish you were). You’re eight — eight! — and you have a lot of growing to do.

Take your time, kiddo. You’re living some pretty great years right now. I’m so lucky I get to watch and cheer you on.

😃+