Trimming the Tree 2021

After learning our lesson last year, we headed out first thing Friday morning to buy our Christmas tree before the lot got totally picked over like had happened in 2020.  We were happy to see that our favorite, Christmas tree lot had a large selection of trees and were even happier to discover that the first tree we looked at had been mislabeled with a tag that stated it was 7 to 8 feet tall when it was really 10 feet tall.  When the man who was helping us discovered this mistake, he told us that buying a 10 feet tall tree for $85 was a steal and that we should jump on it before the man in charge discovered his mistake.  So, we quickly took his advice and bought the tree and got it loaded on our car before anyone knew differently!  

After helping Ron put up the largest Christmas tree we have definitely ever owned, we let it dry out in the living room the rest of the weekend until the kids and I decorated it tonight after dinner.  As usual, Ron laid on the couch and "manned" the Christmas music, while the kids first decorated the new, children's tree that I bought last year with all of their ornaments before joining me in the living room to finish decorating the main tree.  Much to my surprise, all of my kids kind of lost interest and "pooped" out on me before the tree was completely decorated for the first time ever.  I am not sure what exactly happened, but I found myself having to beg the three older kids to come and help me finish.  With a little teeth pulling, we got it decorated in time to enjoy it for a few minutes before bedtime.  And now I get to enjoy our tree every day for the rest of the holiday season which is one of the reasons why I like putting it up over Thanksgiving weekend.  A glowing, Christmas tree in our living room corner is just one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season...

For the first time ever, Santa was visiting in the little "hot coco hut" that is always at our Christmas tree lot.  The kids gladly took a picture with him, but no one was brave enough to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Another shot of my four cuties with Santa.

The three younger children posing in a picture cutout board.

Lia, Logan, and Ella decorating the children's tree.  For some reason, Ella has been enjoying wearing Lia's old Merida wig around the house for the past few days.  She insisted on wearing it while decorating the Christmas trees.

Ella and Logan helping me decorate the main tree in the living room after finishing the kids' tree.

The kids and me pause for a group photo while hanging up ornaments.

Lia

Logan

Ella and her wild wig

Emmett

A cute shot of Emmett putting an ornament on the tree.

The kids and me pose for a picture once the tree was completely decorated.

And one last photo by the kids' Christmas tree before calling it a 'wrap.'

Logan's Final Soccer Game of the Season

 After receiving his first, Covid vaccine, Logan, Ella, and I rushed off to Tacoma for Logan to play in his last of eight games this season.  I must say that this has been Logan's best season yet.  I am so grateful that he was placed on this team with two of his closest friends from school (Bennett and Benton) and was coached by Bennett's dad, Ben.  He really progressed on both offense and defense.  I honestly lost count of how many goals he made this season, but he scored in more than half of the games.  And he made assists to other players who made goals several other times, too.  His confidence and ability really grew both on offense and defense as he was constantly fighting to get the ball and kick it towards another player or to the goal while on offense or to kick it away from his team's goal while on defense.  It really was such a fun season to watch and to root him on from the sidelines.  Since Logan has a tendency to be timid and not to always like participating in activities that he is new to or uncomfortable with, it was just so great to be able to sit back in my camping chair and watch him play a sport that he really enjoys and excels at.  Way to go, Logie boy!  I'm so proud of you and can't wait to watch you play next fall!

Logan kicking the ball with an opponent at his side.

Logan running ahead of the pack to get to the ball.

Logan listening to Coach Nate, his assistant coach, during half time.

Logan running down the field with his friend, Benton, in front of him.

My cute boy standing on the field waiting for the game to start again.

Going up against an opponent.

#13 standing with his back to us.

Logan coming around the side of the ball.

Running down the field.

Logan dribbling the ball right past us.

Logan kicking it right in front of me.

Logan sending the ball back into the field after it went out of bounds.

Logan running along side another teammate.

Logan running back down the field again.

My cute, #13 giving me one last smile as he walked off the field at the end of his game.

Although Logan's league did not offer professional, team pictures this year, his coach gathered all the boys together after the game so that the parents could all all take a picture of their own.  Here is Logan's team from left to right:

Logan, Oliver, Bennett, Hector, Benton, Cooper, Kade, Sean, Colton, Eric, Henry

Coach Ben decided last minute to host a field-side pizza party after the last game was over.  Just by luck, there was a pavilion next to the field that we were able to use to have this party.  All of the players and their families were able to eat lunch and visit while Coach Ben passed out trophies (that I had ordered for the team) one player at a time.  The boys were able to come up to receive their trophy and stand next to the coach while he said some nice words about each of them.

Logan and his two buddies, Benton (left) and Bennett (right), proudly holding up their trophies together.

Logan and his trophy.

The Middles Get Shot #1

With the CDC's announcement a few weeks ago that children between the ages of 5 to 11 years old are now eligible to be vaccinated, I finally found the time to look into scheduling appointments for both Ella and Logan after Aunt Blanche left earlier this week.  I was very pleasantly surprised when I was able to make both children's appointments for the same time just a few days in advance after being on the phone for only FIVE minutes (including wait time).  That is a rare thing these days as the pandemic has made phone wait times unbelievably long for almost every company I call.  We were able to swing by the doctor's office for 8:40 appointments today on our way to Logan's soccer game in Tacoma at 10 a.m.  I was so impressed by how organized and efficient this huge, one-day clinic for children-only Covid vaccines was run.  The kids and I were checked into an exam room and the vaccines were given by a nurse within five minutes.  Ella eagerly volunteered to go first and even smiled at me when I took her picture.  As usual, Logan wanted nothing to do with this shot, but managed to bravely follow in his sister's footsteps, but he would have nothing to do with looking at me when I took his picture.  After the shots were administered, the nurse gave each of the children an adorable, stuffed animal (such a nice touch!) and sent us on our way to wait for 15 minutes in the designated waiting room.  We were back in our car by 9:10 and even arrived early for Logan's team warm up which never happens!  Needless to say, I am so grateful that I was able to get this vaccine ball rolling for my two middles and was also so happy to learn today that they will be 14 days past their second vaccine (which is when they are fully vaccinated) on Christmas day!  This is such great luck as we will be heading off to spend a week at my parent's cabin at Priest Lake with over twenty people right after Christmas and it is so nice to know that Ella and Logan will both have this extra layer of protection from this virus before spending so much time indoors with an abundance of people.

Ella flashing me a smile through her face mask.

Logan concentrating hard to NOT look at the needle (which is the advice I gave him) so that he wouldn't be as scared of getting the vaccine.  The poor kid.  He has just never liked needles.

Another Visit from Aunt Blanche!

For the third time in the past two years, we were treated to a visit from Ron's Aunt Blanche from San Francisco.  Like the first visit, she flew up to see us over the Veteran's holiday weekend.  Unlike last time, Ron was not here the majority of her visit as he left early Thursday morning to drive to Montana to spend the weekend hunting with my nephew, Spencer, while I stayed behind with the kids to host Aunt Blanche.  Ron arrived back home Sunday afternoon and Aunt Blanche flew out a few hours later.  During the four days that she was here, I planned an outing for every morning.  We then came home for a quiet afternoon so that Emmett could take his nap and then we spent every evening also at home for dinner and a movie night.  It was a simple, more relaxing pace that we all were in need of having.  As always, Aunt Blanche came bringing gifts and activities for the kids and was full of fun-loving energy.  All of the children just loved being with her and were so sad to see her leave (especially poor Ella who just craves constant attention from anyone who will give it to her).  I am grateful that we were able to find this weekend to fit Aunt Blanche into our busy schedule before the holiday season really whips into high gear in the next week or so.  Here are a few pictures of our weekend together.

On Thursday morning, November 11th, I took the kids and Aunt Blanche to Defy recreation center in Tacoma that I had discovered the day before while doing some research online.  This facility was amazing and the kids had such an great time playing on all of the incredible equipment.  Here are the kids posing with Aunt Blanche next to the Christmas tree in the entry way.

Ella and Logan swinging through the hanging rope vines above one of the many massive foam pits.

Emmett, Lia, and Ella getting ready to go down one of the trampoline slides.

We managed to stop all four kids from moving for a few seconds to take this group picture of them.

Logan flying out on one of the aerial silks.

Ella landing on a large pad.

Lia getting ready to go out.

Logan flying along on the zip line.

Lia's turn!

Ella getting ready to take off.

Ella following Emmett through the obstacle course above the foam pit.

Logan and Ella posing for me after battling it out with massive, padded clubs on the plank.

Aunt Blanche helping Emmett across the foam log.

My cutie trying to climb out of the pit.

Although the kids technically had school again on Friday, November 12th, I decided to pull both Logan and Ella out so that they could spend the day with us.  I took all of them to our favorite Children's Museum in Tacoma that we haven't visited since before the pandemic.  They all loved it--especially Emmett who has no memories of ever being there before!  Here is Emmett and Logan playing in the cute, interactive water section of the museum.

Ella playing inside the massive log fort.

Logan "painting" with water on one of the tile canvases.

Ella climbing around inside the massive rope structure that was installed during the closure of the pandemic.

Ella walking along on the wooden boards below the ropes.

The great picture Aunt Blanche took of Emmett climbing around on the ropes.

On Saturday, November 13th, we went to both of Ella's and Logan's soccer games with a quick lunch in between the two.  I was so glad that Aunt Blanche was able to watch both of them play, especially since this game was Ella's last one of the season.

Aunt Blanche kindly joined us all for church on Sunday morning, November 14th.  We came back to the house for nap times and Sunday dinner before leaving at 7 p.m. to take her to the airport.  Here is a group picture of the gang all dressed up in their Sunday best after we came home from church yesterday.